Hetty Kate (voice) and Sam Lemann (guitar) are a duo based in Melbourne, Australia. For 'A Late Brunch On Irwell Street' their first recording, Hetty and Sam chose ten of their very favourite tunes for this record.. You can visit them on Youtube (search for 'Hetty Kate') and watch the album launch or see their rendition of 'Frenesi' from the couch at Sam's house in St Kilda.. Here's a little more about them:
HETTY KATE is a jazz vocalist born in England, raised in Melbourne Australia.. Obsessed with music from a very young age - playing the piano, saxophone and violin in her youth (and currently exploring the fascinating and amusing world of the Ukulele) she sings with a pure feminine tone, great pitch, and a sweetly vintage swinging sound.
With a voice that is distinctly hers.. though reminiscent of early Peggy Lee and Doris Day.. Hetty has sung internationally throughout four continents with small mainstream groups, stomping trad jazz bands, slick big bands.. blues bands, rockabilly bands and latin bands.. Spending her teen years working through a voracious obsession with gaming and Brit Pop (neither quite over) - she is currently in the European leg of her international tour.. you can check out her music here on CD Baby, and also YouTube and her website: www.hettykate.com.
"Hetty's got a lovely relaxed way of singing that puts listeners at ease (rather like the wonderful Susannah McCorkle, now sadly dead). Some singers are so keen to show off their technique that one as a listner gets nervous. Hetty just swings along and takes us for a joyful ride, as Susannah did.. and she made 14 CDs for Concord in the '90s." Steve Robertson "The Swinging Years", 3RPC in Portland. 2-4 Thurs
SAM LEMANN
Inspired by guitarists like Chet Atkins, Charlie Christian, James Burton, Doc Watson and Ry Cooder, Sam has developed his own tasty, down-home, swinging style that ensures his answering machine is always full of gig offers from singers, songwriters and bandleaders of many styles. Around Melbourne he can often be spotted on a stage with Andy Baylor, Tanya Lee, Lisa Miller, Leslie Avril, Michelle Nicole, The Moovin' & Groovin' Orchestra, and of course Hetty Kate - when she happens to be in Melbourne. When not polishing his Ukulele, chances are that Sam will be in a recording studio somewhere adding to his list of over 60 CD appearances.
Read more...