Jonno Zilber

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Bigger, Better, Zilber (Black Market Music, 2008)		Jonno Zilber (Independant, 2005)
	Other Releases
	Young Guns of Blues (Black Market Music, 2008)

Bigger, Better, Zilber

Click Here to purchase from Black Market Music.

Review

Written by Sam Fell, Australian Guitar Magazine

This record stands as quite an important one for the Australian blues scene. Not because it’s taking the genre to new and loftier heights so much, but because it’s the first ‘serious’ record by one of the younger players, one of the players who is destined to carry the Australian blues flag into the next generation, Jonno Zilber, who at 18 years of age, is already flush with experience and credibility.

Young Zilber, very much in the vein of Lloyd Spiegel (who produced this record) has with Bigger, Better, Zilber created a record which adequately portrays where he’s at as a musician. The music is fantastic (particularly the more swing oriented four-act Johnny Four-Flusher tracks), the lyrics poignant and witty, and while it’s not, as I mentioned, breaking barriers, it’s a solid grounding on which Zilber can mature, improve and ultimately come to the fore as a blues player in our country, as he surely will.

Details

Released: October, 2008

Jonno Zilber: Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, 5-string Slide, Stomp Box & Percussion
Cameron Smith: Trumpet (Tr. 1, 5, 9 and 12)
Doyle P. Gilles: Lead Guitar (Tr. 6), Additional Guitars (Tr. 2 & 4)

Recorded at Artsound Studio, Canberra - July, 2008
Engineered by Tony Hunter
Produced by Lloyd Spiegel
Mastered by Adam Dempsey - Deluxe Mastering, Melbourne

Graphic Design: Black Widow Design
Photography: David Zilber (Cover) & Asher Floyd

Track Listing:
1. Johnny Four-Flusher: Act 1 (J.Zilber)(Listen to mp3)
2. First We Take Manhattan (L.Cohen) (Listen to mp3)
3. I'm Goin' (J.Zilber)
4. John Brown (B.Dylan)
5. Johnny Four-Flusher: Act 2 (J.Zilber)
6. Can't Sleep (J.Zilber)
7. What Little I Know (J.Zilber)
8. Locomotive Breath (I.Anderson)
9. Johnny Four-Flusher: Act 3 (J.Zilber)
10. Second Chances (J.Zilber)
11. Johnny Too Bad (Wilson/Bailey/Beckford/Crooks)
12. Johnny Four-Flusher: Act 4 (J.Zilber)

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Jonno Zilber

Click Here to purchase from the Australian Blues Music Festival.
$5 from each sale goes back to help run the Blues Festival every February.

Review

Written by Mike Hardy

Jonno first appeared in the Canberra music scene about four or five years ago, a young teenager accompanying his dad (David) to blues and roots gigs in the local pubs and clubs. Although somewhat reticent among the drinking and smoking classes, Jonno was keen from the start to take advantage of every opportunity to play guitar with the established local musos. It soon became apparent that here was an innate talent worthy of nurturing and with the support of Steve Russell, Lloyd Spiegel and Dutch Tilders among others Jonno’s skill and feel for blues guitar blossomed. Then in early 2005 Jonno startled many of us performing a solo acoustic set, singing some of his own songs and playing harmonica in addition to the fine guitar playing we were becoming accustomed to. Jonno held the stage like any seasoned professional: relaxed, confident and totally at home in front of an audience.

Jonno’s song-writing is direct and to the point. His ability to say exactly what he means is enviable. He has the courage to tell us what is important to him and just how he feels about it: the essence of good song-writing which Jonno is already tapping into. The soulful I’m Ok reflects the grief of the unattainable, funky Caffeine takes a light-hearted look at one of life’s less tragic addictions, and the lively road boogie, Morapoi paints an immediate picture familiar to anyone who’s travelled the highways of Oz.

For those of us who have watched Jonno from the beginning this CD is a real treat. It stands as a benchmark of achievement in the burgeoning career of a talented and motivated young musician. Jonno has real empathy for the style and colour of the blues he plays. This is raw and natural music making direct from the performer to the listener with minimal production trickery intervening. Of course this will not appeal to audiences raised on a diet of million dollar video clips and the glam of ‘Idol’, but aficionados of blues and roots music will immediately grasp its honest credentials while being gratified to hear the tradition being reinvigorated by a talent of the next generation. Although this album lacks the polish that only production money and recording experience can buy it is alive, musical, direct and honest. Jonno is sure to attract more and more fans as his career grows and all of those fans will want to hear his origins. Well, here they are.

Details

Released: October, 2005

Jonno Zilber: Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Resonator Guitar, Bass Guitar, Harmonica
Neil Gray: Backing Vocals (Tracks 2 and 8)

Recorded and Mixed by: Neil Gray at SunReel Studio, Chisholm, A.C.T between July 23rd and August 13th
Mastered by: Tony Griffiths at Artsound FM, Curtin, A.C.T
Cover Photography: Liam Parker
Other Photography: Liam Parker, Derek Lark, David Zilber and Jonno Zilber
Cover Design: Jonno Zilber

Track Listing:
1. Hard Times (Skip James)
2. Morapoi (Zilber/Neil Gray) (Listen to mp3)
3. Katy Why (Zilber)
4. Midnight Special (Leadbelly)
5. The Cure (Zilber)
6. Caffeine (Zilber)
7. I'm Ok (Zilber)
8. The Weight (R. Robertson)
9. Memories (Luke Ireland/Zilber)
10. The Fire (Zilber)
11. Reso (Zilber)
12. Lord's Prayer (Arr. Zilber)

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Young Guns of Blues

Click Here to purchase from Black Market Music.

Details

"This album brings together 3 of the most promising and exciting young Blues/Roots artists in Australia today. What is impressive about each of these artists, apart from their age, is that although still in their teens, they have already managed to create their own sound. An impressive result for any musician, let alone at such an age.

The idea to bring them together, was conceived as a result of hearing their music. It was obvious that, although they were distinctive in their playing, writing and musical personalities, they were all coming from a relatively common place and would complement each other, musically and personally.

To introduce them, we arranged to record them in Melbourne on Monday 17th September. They each had the talent to perform live in the studio, both individually and collectively. The main focus was on touring the 3 of them together, but we realised that we needed a recording to promote them.

They assembled for a quick photo shoot, then away to the recording. Robert B Dillon, the noted Blues recording engineer, set up the mikes etc., and away we went. Each track that you are hearing, on this album, is mostly first takes of Tom, Jason and Jonno performing individually and collectively."

- John Durr, Black Market Music

Released: February 2008 - Black Market Music

Tom Richardson: Vocals, 12-String Guitar, Acoustic Slide Guitar, Percussion
Jonno Zilber: Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Stompbox
Jason Lowe: Vocals, Lap Slide

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by: Robert Dillon (RBD Productions) live at Prince Street Studios, 17th September 2007
Produced by: John Durr
Photography: Sam Karanikos at Whitehouse
Design & Artwork: Black Widow Design

Track Listing:
1. Satisfied Mind (Trad. Arr. Lowe/Richardson/Zilber) - Performed By Jonno, Tom & Jason (Listen to mp3)
2. How We Let It Be (J. Lowe) - Performed By Jason Lowe
3. Young Woman Blues (T. Richardson) - Performed By Tom Richardson
4. I'm Goin' (J. Zilber) - Performed By Jonno Zilber
5. One Platform Station (T. Richardson) - Performed By Tom Richardson
6. John Brown (B. Dylan) - Performed By Jonno, Tom & Jason
7. Reaching For The Moon (T. Richardson) - Performed By Tom Richardson
8. Silent Morning (J. Lowe) - Performed By Jason Lowe
9. Chocolate Jesus (T. Waits) - Performed By Jonno Zilber
10. My Limousine (J. Zilber) - Performed By Jonno Zilber
11. Crazy Love (V. Morrison) - Performed By Jason, Tom & Jonno
12. Faith (J. Lowe) - Performed By Jason Lowe

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