Nibs van der Spuy + Alex Roberts + Spoono November 30th

It would be modest to say that Nibs van der Spuy is an unsung hero, and an acoustic guitar legend of Southern Africa. Nibs's spellbinding acoustic guitar style was first taken notice of, with his band, Landscape Prayers, performing live and on their four highly acclaimed Acoustic/Instrumental albums, between 1993 - 2003. His diversity as a songwriter, singer and finger stylist, reached a broader audience with the release of his solo albums; 'Lines on my face'(1999) and 'Flower in the rain'(2002). Both these acoustic gems were nominated in the best instrumental category at the South African Music Awards in their respective years of release. Nibs's versatility to cross pollinate various musical styles, from, African, Classical, Celtic, World, Maskanda, Indian and folk can be traced back to his formative years growing up in the old mining town of Benoni, 20 miles east of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Born on 20 February 1966 to parents of a 2nd World War decorated fighter pilot and a classically trained pianist mother, the diverse musical seeds were sown at an early age. Sharing a room with an older brother, Nibs went to sleep with the songs from, 'Beatles for sale' and the Rolling Stones, 'Aftermath'. These alongside his mother's classical piano repertoire and his dad's 30's and 40's Big Band records had a profound impact on his musical development. Nibs first picked up the guitar at age 14 and learnt chord shapes and progressions from a Lennon/McCartney songbook. His early signs as a songwriter and composer were broadened with the influence of such bands as the Allman Brothers Band and the Dixie Dregs.In the late 80's, after completing two years national service, Nibs moved to Durban, Kwa-Zulu, Natal, where he studied and lectured music at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Whilst a student he formed his first two bands, 'Little Nomads' and 'Plagal Cadence', then in 1994 signed to the SHEER label with his newly formed band, Landscape Prayers.

In 2006, Nibs signed to the 2FEET label with the release of his 3rd solo album, 'Beautiful Feet'. This has seen him been released in the UK, Australia, Japan, USA, France and Germany. Since its release, it has received rave reviews in every country, from the London Guardian to the Sydney Herald, and in May 2007, was album of the month in 4 major German publications. This has been accompanied by intensive touring across the globe with a highlight being the prestigious East Coast Blues & Roots festival in Byron Bay, Australia. Here Nibs shared the stage with such luminaries as Ben Harper, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Bela Fleck and Piers Faccini. Besides his own solo career, Nibs got to record a beautiful duo album, 'Sweet-Thorn'(2004) with Mozambican, Gito Baloi and 'Hadeda'(2004) with drummer extraordinaire, Barry van Zyl, from Johnny Clegg's band. He has also got to perform and record with folk Legend, Shawn Phillips and Italian band, the Modena City Ramblers. Mostly touring as a soloist, Nibs also plays across the globe with his young virtuoso guitarist/multi instrumentalist friend Guy Buttery and the incredible violist, Brendan Jury.

In 2008, Nibs has toured South Africa and France with Piers Faccini and has just finished recording his International follow up to 'Beautiful Feet', 'A Bird in the Hand', due for release in September.

 

Alex Roberts blends genres from baroque to blues in a host of alternative tunings and with some fine lap-steel playing and stomp-boxing. His style is effortless while his technique is masterful and innovative. But it’s not just outstanding musicianship that drives him; what’s driving this artist is song. The timeless charm of his music is the perfect vehicle for Alex to present his lyrical musings. In the fashion of the troubadour, he crafts stories, love songs, ballads, spirituals, or protests into a mesmerising web of song.
Alex engages the listener with rapturous allure; the vocal lines ebb and flow around elegant guitar parts and the result is an uplifting and wholesome symbiosis of voice and instrument.

"A guitar player with a great feel and a song-writer with wonderful imagination. His style tips its hat to John Renbourn and Bert Jancsh from the here and now... one of my favourite performers" Martin Harley

"Alex plays bloody wonderfully" John Renbourn

 

Spoono is 24-year old guitarist Jack Allett, who takes the Takoma School of John Fahey, Robbie Basho et al. as the starting point for his compositions and improvisations, and goes on to incorporate psychedelia, neoclassicism, minimalism, jazz and more into his unique take on modern folk/blues fingerpicking. New album out on Blackest Rainbow Records.