Size: 82,3 MB
Time: 35:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Modern Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front
01. That's All There Is (Take My Hand) (3:58)
02. This Fool's Advice (2:57)
03. All Going Wrong (4:06)
04. Got No Soul (With Rick Bryant) (3:40)
05. Sometimes A Man... (3:03)
06. Another Lonely Person (2:55)
07. Too Late (For My Baby) (4:36)
08. Such Sweet Lies (3:44)
09. Everybody's Friend (3:24)
10. Nothing About Her (3:29)
No-one plays the blues like Darren Watson. Over the better part of three decades he has developed a style that, while touching on all of the greats who inspired him, is personal, powerful and identifiably his own.
Watson gained national fame in the 80s as the fresh-faced, young front-man and guitarslinger for Smoke Shop. The band made two charting albums, had several radio hits, opened for international blues legends like Koko Taylor, Robert Cray, George Thorogood, & The Fabulous Thunderbirds. They toured tirelessly earning Watson a place alongside the likes of Midge Marsden, Hammond Gamble and Rick Bryant as one of this New Zealand's best blues interpreters.
Since leaving Smoke Shop in the early 90's he has cemented his reputation as the country's most original, contemporary blues voice, with three albums of world-class blues music: 2002's Tui-nominated King Size, 2005's South Pacific Soul, and 2010's internationally acclaimed Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy. During this time Darren also fulfilled a life-long ambition working alongside one of his childhood R&B heroes, touring extensively as sideman for Midge Marsden and, more recently performing as side-man to Chicago blues harmonica legend Billy Boy Arnold. He's also opened for New Orleans funkster Dr. John, Doug McLeod, Joe Cocker, Keb Mo, and nu-soul exponent Eli 'Paperboy' Reed, as well as appearing at WOMAD.
In 2009 Watson won first place in the 2008 International Songwriting Competition (Blues), judged by artists and industry-types like Tom Waits, James Cotton, & John Mayall.
So far in 2012 Darren has represented NZ at The Australian Blues Music Festival in NSW, and headlined at the prestigious Blues On Broadbeach in Queensland, as well as selling out festival shows in New Zealand. With his superb album Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy garnering stellar reviews in American publications, including prestigious US magazine Blues Revue, it may not be long before many New Zealand blues fans will be saying “I knew him when . . . ”
Watson gained national fame in the 80s as the fresh-faced, young front-man and guitarslinger for Smoke Shop. The band made two charting albums, had several radio hits, opened for international blues legends like Koko Taylor, Robert Cray, George Thorogood, & The Fabulous Thunderbirds. They toured tirelessly earning Watson a place alongside the likes of Midge Marsden, Hammond Gamble and Rick Bryant as one of this New Zealand's best blues interpreters.
Since leaving Smoke Shop in the early 90's he has cemented his reputation as the country's most original, contemporary blues voice, with three albums of world-class blues music: 2002's Tui-nominated King Size, 2005's South Pacific Soul, and 2010's internationally acclaimed Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy. During this time Darren also fulfilled a life-long ambition working alongside one of his childhood R&B heroes, touring extensively as sideman for Midge Marsden and, more recently performing as side-man to Chicago blues harmonica legend Billy Boy Arnold. He's also opened for New Orleans funkster Dr. John, Doug McLeod, Joe Cocker, Keb Mo, and nu-soul exponent Eli 'Paperboy' Reed, as well as appearing at WOMAD.
In 2009 Watson won first place in the 2008 International Songwriting Competition (Blues), judged by artists and industry-types like Tom Waits, James Cotton, & John Mayall.
So far in 2012 Darren has represented NZ at The Australian Blues Music Festival in NSW, and headlined at the prestigious Blues On Broadbeach in Queensland, as well as selling out festival shows in New Zealand. With his superb album Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy garnering stellar reviews in American publications, including prestigious US magazine Blues Revue, it may not be long before many New Zealand blues fans will be saying “I knew him when . . . ”
South Pacific Soul
Size: 99,6 MB
Time: 41:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Art: Front
01. A Desperate Man (3:53)
02. Love Is An Ocean (3:51)
03. She Got It All (3:08)
04. He Don't Love You (4:04)
05. Can't Get Enough Of You (4:05)
06. Here In My Arms (3:40)
07. Be Careful With A Fool (3:02)
08. WTLIF (5:02)
09. My Love Will Never Die (3:25)
10. The Bitter Suite (3:24)
11. Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy (3:46)
"New Zealand's Darren Watson has crafted a beautiful album in 'Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy', a set of backward-looking (but by no means retro) blues recorded with a bracing, contemporary sonic treatment. Watson pops his guitar strings like Johnny 'Guitar' Watson on "She Got It All", mines soulful, Robert Cray territory on "Love Is An Ocean", and channels Howlin' Wolf in full, stomping intensity on "A Desperate Man". Dig the swampy roots-rocker "He Don't Love You", the serpentine "The Bitter Suite", and the acoustic slide reading of "My Love Will Never Die" -- leagues from Otis Rush's original stylistically, right there emotionally. Watson's hearty vocal approach sounds utterly honest. The supporting cast is superb." - Blues Revue (USA)
For Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy, Darren Watson has returned to his core business -- the blues -- with a clutch of classy original songs and the hottest band in the land. Drummer Richard Te One and keyboardist Alan Norman had both worked with Watson in Smokeshop, while bass player Elliotte Fuiamaono (Southside Of Bombay) featured on South Pacific Soul. Watson wrote all the songs but one, a bold acoustic reading of the Willie Dixon/Otis Rush classic "My Love Will Never Die". The rest range from shuffles to funk grooves, urban blues to country-soul. There's even an instrumental with a hint of Weimar cabaret. But it is all infused with Watson's deep feeling for the blues.
For Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy, Darren Watson has returned to his core business -- the blues -- with a clutch of classy original songs and the hottest band in the land. Drummer Richard Te One and keyboardist Alan Norman had both worked with Watson in Smokeshop, while bass player Elliotte Fuiamaono (Southside Of Bombay) featured on South Pacific Soul. Watson wrote all the songs but one, a bold acoustic reading of the Willie Dixon/Otis Rush classic "My Love Will Never Die". The rest range from shuffles to funk grooves, urban blues to country-soul. There's even an instrumental with a hint of Weimar cabaret. But it is all infused with Watson's deep feeling for the blues.
Saint Hilda's Faithless Boy