Jazz and Blues Band:

DOUBLE BASS

Take a trip back through time to an era when dance halls and gambling dens were home to the musicians of the American deep South; a time when music was low volume - high energy with lyrics that seemed to suffer from double meanings and rhyming fun.

Tony "Mr T" Vella is a keen exponent of the bull fiddle and is often found hidden in the back of large bands hooting along with some of Brisbane legendary jazz buffs. With Mr T you just never know what to expect...

Music »

Alex McKean on his Wayne dobro
The "Wayne" Australian Dobro

Alex received this acoustic guitar as a gift from Johhny Anderson, a Sunshine Coast slide player who inspired many local musicians early in the seventies. The sound is old wood, the tone is warm and the shades of music is haunting.

Alex became intrigued by blues and jazz when he was a high school student. He used to slip into the Woombye Blues Club on the jam nights and groove along with Snoup who formed an incredible young outfit called the "First Offenders!".

His undoubted talent even as a younger player was undeniable. Over the years he and Ian Wilks have managed to stay in contact and jam whenever the opportunity arose.

When Alex graduated the guys got together and decided to do something a little more formal!

The result is the amazing Summerland Band - as at home at acoustic in an intimate environment or full on electric on a big stage at a National Festival. The energy is fantastic - it is clear that these guys simply can't get enough!

The History of the Blues - unplugged

Few bands have the versatility to cross back to the birth place of their chosen music! Summerland has options galore as the band members are multi skilled in their instruments of choice.

Alex McKean slips on his ancient Wayne wooden dobro and manages to squeeze many styles from this old Australian guitar, sliding from the legendry Robert Johnston to unbelievable tones of Jimie Hendrix - all delivered at less than talking volume!

To compliment the acoustic nature of the entertainment Tony Vella settles behind his bull fiddle, and together with Doug Marsden on brushes takes you back to an era that is almost forgotten today.

Summerland also has some vintage tenor banjo sounds that evoke the long gone days of river boats and gambling halls from early last century. When was the last time you heard St Louis Blues struck up as a two step?


unplugges blues and jazz- double bass and tenor banjo