Album Notes

'All Over Down Under' captures singer songwriter Kristina Olsen in concert with her exciting new trio during a March 2001 Australian tour. The American multi-instrumentalist teams up again with Australia's favorite cellist/mandolinist Peter Grayling and welcomes virtuoso Australian accordionist George Butrumlis to their musical partnership.

This live recording contains nine new songs and three new instrumentals as well as spoken tracks and some previously recorded favorites. These top notch musicians flex their musical muscles on the sultry 'How I Love this Tango'; a jazzy British isles rendition of 'Sweet William'; an instrumental tango by Peter, 'Raphael & Hillary', in 5/4 meter; and the rowdy slide tune 'The Weekend is Here'.

When Kristina and Peter heard George Butrumlis playing tangos backstage at the Bridgetown Blues Festival, they asked him to join them on stage to play for a tango Kristina had just finished writing. The crowd went wild. But the trio had to wait six months until they could coordinate the tour that resulted in this brilliant CD.

'All Over Down Under' was recorded in three quintessential Australian halls: the packed community Drill Hall in tropical Mullumbimby, the graceful old Malaney Town Hall in Queensland, and a state of the art recording studio (complete with live audience) in Melbourne Victoria. The audience's excitement is tangible.

Olsen is a powerfully engaging performer with a raw blues crushed velvet voice and brilliant guitar skills (on acoustic and steel-body slide guitar). She also plays saxophone and concertina on this recording. Her songs have been covered by the likes of Fairport Convention and Mollie O'Brien. Olsen also has done studio work for Michele Shocked and Rickie Lee Jones. 'All Over Down Under' is Olsen's ninth recording. Four of her recordings have been released by Philo/Rounder.

Grayling's cello weaves through Olsen's songs, enriching the ballads with a gorgeous, mellow sounds and driving the blues with punchy recklessly passionate solos. Dr. Grayling, formerly the principal cellist with the Tasmania Symphony Orchestra, now plays with leading Australian contemporary musicians, including Riley Lee and Kavisha Matzella, when he isn't on tour with Olsen. He was described in Australian press as the 'Jimi Hendrix of cello'.

Butrumlis plays with Melbourne based bands Zydeco Jump and Reed Rage as well as playing for the Argentine tango dances in southeastern Australia.