Undercover is a labour of love; a collection of classic covers recorded by musicians and forever friends over six months at Andy Cowan’s studio at Black Mountain in the Noosa Hinterland.
Audiences can now see Undercover performed live by the Andy Cowan Band at the Noosa Arts Theatre on Saturday 28 September.
The album features the work of some of the greatest songwriters of the blues/ jazz/soul/rock idiom, among them Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, I Put A Spell On You, Brian Wilson’s God Only Knows, Leon Russell’s A Song For You and Randy New-man’s Guilty, recorded live at the Majestic Theatre, Pomona earlier this year.
Tenor saxophonist Ric Halstead guests on Leiber and Stoller’s Down In Mexico.
Produced and mixed by Andy and Christian Dunham, Mastered at Melbourne’s Crystal Mastering, Undercover is an album full of delightful moods and moments, and another triumph for Andy Cowan at its helm.
The rare live gigs that virtuoso keyboardist and soul/blues singer Andy Cowan performs in the vicinity of his home and studio in the Sunshine Coast hinterland are like prized gems – to be treasured with heart and soul.
A fixture on the Australian music scene for more than half a century, Andy’s style massages the soul-blues-R and B idiom in an acoustic jazz format.
Blues has always been at the core of his work, but it is the emotional quality of his earthy voice, soulful piano-playing and the diversity he displays as a songwriter and interpreter that have helped make him one of the best live performers in Australia.
Andy was awarded Blues Album of the Year for his album One of These Days. He was an ARIA nominee for his 10.30 Thursdays CD and represented the MBAS at the International Blues Convention in Memphis, Tennessee in 2002.
He has arranged and performed on movie soundtracks, including the Australian cult classic Stone and has toured internationally and across Australia for nearly five decades.
In the ‘70s and ‘80s Andy was a hired gun for legendary Australian bands, Madder Lake, Ayers Rock, Kevin Borich, Ian Moss and Renee Geyer.
Since then he has recorded ten albums and a live DVD A Tale Of Two Cities.
Andy’s affinity with the beautiful and artistically inspiring part of the world that he now calls home began in 1973, when he finished his stint with Madder Lake and decided to take a spin north to check out his grandfather’s favourite fishing hideaway, Noosa Heads.
He spotted a hand-written sign at “The Hot Dogatorium” in Hastings Street, Noosa, saying “keyboard player wanted” and ended up staying two years.
After a career that has taken him around the world, Andy and Wendy have come “home” to find a creative soup of talented and like-minded musicians.
Joining him in the Andy Cowan Band are longtime friends and collaborators Doc Span, Christian Durham, Duncan McQueen and new member, Ross Williams.
For tickets to the Noosa Arts Theatre event on 28 September visit noosaartstheatre.org.au or call 07 5449 9343.
This one-off concert will sell out quickly so don’t miss out. All tickets $38.
CD orders: andycowanband.com
