Contemplating the collaboration with ambassador Alu, Grunwald reflects: “I’m stoked with how this collab with Bobby Alu (vocals/drums) came together, while jamming with our mate and musical genius, Ian Peres (keyboards), on the Bill Withers classic, ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’.
“Bobby’s smile is as infectious as his groove and his silky-smooth vocals, so it’s fitting that we’d collab on such a feel good song, from one of our mutual heroes. Bill Withers was a special human who combined soulful grooves with thoughtful singer-songwriter lyrics, which were often rooted in deep insights on how we can treat each other better, to live happier lives. This has always been a strong theme in my own songwriting, meanwhile I’ve heard these sentiments echoing through Bobby’s work as well. It also goes without saying that we both love a good groove, so this song made perfect sense. We also used it as a platform to launch into a good time free form jam, which also gaveIan’s genius the time and space to shine.”
Grunwald set the Mojo Stage alight at Bluesfest earlier this year, with a scintillating show featuring the Moog synth wizardry of Ian Peres and tropical ambassador of rhythm ‘n’ groove, Bobby Alu. It also marked Grunwald’s 10th appearance at Bluesfest, which cast Ash into Australian Blues folklore and enshrined the living legend as an institution at Australia’s most iconic music festival.
To commemorate the momentous occasion, Grunwald entered Brooklet studios with Ian Peres (Wolfmother, Bernhard Fanning), Bobby Alu (Xavier Rudd), and producer Nick DiDia (Springsteen, Peral jam, rage AgainstThe Machine) to record the set the trio smoked at Bluesfest 2023.
Entitled Bluesfest Studio Sessions, the new LP features all your favourites, curated from a career and catalogue spanning 20 years, and will be released on Friday the 17th of November 2023 through Delta Groove/MGM.
Ash Grunwald has inspired a generation to hit the road in an old beat-up Bedford to ‘surf by day jam by night’. Throughout his career, he has supported legends James Brown, The Black Keys, Jack Johnson, Xavier Rudd, and Keith Urban, among numerous others, and played sold out festivals acrossEurope, Japan, and North America. With six Australian Top-50 albums to his credit, alongside five ARIA and four AIR Award Nominations, two APRA Awards, and gong for Best International Act at the LA Music Critic Awards in 2014, Grunwald is cast in bronze among Australia’s most successful blues musicians. Live onstage, Ash rocks the house yet touches the soul, serving a tsunami of dance, beats, roots, bass ‘n’ blues… and learn, and pay respect to the First Nations Peoples and their elders, past, present and future.
Bluesfest Studio Sessions Tour 2023/24 | Tickets On SaleNow
Fri 13 Oct Brunswick Ballroom Brunswick, VIC
Sat 14 Oct Queenscliff Town Hall Queenscliff, VIC
Sun 15 Oct Memo Music Hall St Kilda, VIC
Fri 20 Oct Black Duck Brewery Port Macquarie, NSW
Sat 21 Oct Lizotte’s Newcastle, NSW
Fri 3 Nov Bellingen Memorial Hall Bellingen, NSW
Sat 4 Nov Ballina Rsl Club Ballina, NSW
Fri 17 Nov Coolangatta Hotel Coolangatta, QLD
Sat 18 Nov Mullumbimby Civic Hall Mullumbimby, NSW
Sat 25 Nov Bronwyn Street Blues #6 Caloundra, QLD
Sun 03 Dec Dave Ferrit Festival Gerringong, NSW
Fri 05 Jan Good Gumnuts Festival Blythe Park, TAS
Sat 06 Jan Dodges Ferry Hotel Dodges Ferry, TAS
Sun 07 Jan Longley Int. Hotel Longley, TAS
For More Tour Dates & Information, Go To: https://www.Ashgrunwald.com/
