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Andrea Marr - Little Sister Got Soul

Amphead Music

www.andreamarr.com

www.myspace.com/andreamarrband

www.ampheadmusic.com

10 songs; Time 41:21 minutes; Suggested

Style: Soul

Blues music was born in the United States, yet there are Blues artists in Australia. What a wonderful testimonial to the power, richness, and impact of the roots of all Roots music, Blues!

Australia has a thriving Blues and Soul scene, and they can rightly brag about the crossover-the-ocean artists that have made a name in the U.S. like Sugarcane Collins, Dave Hole, Harper, Jimi Hocking, Fiona Boyes, and now, Andrea Marr.

Andrea is truly a first class singer with a dynamic, gospel fueled voice, and I’m not the first to notice. She already has an impressive resume:
* 2009 Female Vocalist of the Year (Chain Award, the Australian Blues Music Awards)
* 2007 Female Vocalist of the Year (Newcastle Blues Awards)
* 2005 Blues Performer of the Year
* 2002 Female Blues Artist of the Year (Vic/Tas)

This is simply a wonderful album. If you are a Baby Boomer very familiar with Aretha Franklin, Dinah Washington, Etta James and Memphis Soul sounds, you may not hear anything new, but you’ll hear an artist and her band who have mastered the idiom, breathing new life into it. If you are younger, or not familiar with the classic Soul music of America’s best, you’ll feel like you have discovered a gold mine!

This is Andrea’s fourth album, and her performance, backup band, production, and engineering and mixing create a world class effort. There are seven originals plus covers of Etta James (“I Prefer You”), Dinah Washington (“Soulville”), and Glenn Kaiser (“If I Leave This World Tomorrow”).

Her core band is Greg Dodd, guitar, Dean Matters, drums, Clint Healy, bass, Cam Scott, keyboards, and Sean Vagg, sax. Two of the originals are written by the band, and another is written with Dodd. The skilled instrumental contributions from each plus full band studio additional musicians make the CD more than just a vocal showcase.

Standout moments beyond Marr’s singing are Dodd’s guitar work on “If I Leave This World Tomorrow” and his intro to “What’s Wrong With You,” the groups sagacious advice found in “Don’t Touch What You Can’t Afford,” the full horn section in “Real Good Man,” and Cam Scott’s piano work in “Baby Got Me Crazy.”

This is no “regional” or “niche” album; this is great Soul music. Meet this “Little Sister” now and then watch for her to tour the U.S. – hopefully SOON!

Bio
Andrea Marr has been singing the blues since 1999, gaining critical acclaim in the Australian Blues Scene and earning her fans around the world for her brand of sassy, soulful blues. The Andrea Marr Band has been delivering high energy, feel good shows to audiences around Australia and is one of the most sought after blues bands in the thriving Melbourne blues scene. Andrea's album "Sassified" won her the 2002 Female Blues Artist of the Year award. She then won the coveted "Blues Performer of the Year 2005" Award which allowed her to represent Australia in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis TN in 2006. Her 2005 album "Watch Me Work It" earned her international airplay, great reviews and the title track was chosen to be included on the US Compilation CD "National Women In Blues 2007" (available on Jomarr records) launching the newest wave of US Blues Women. Andrea was the only non-American on the album

Discography
Little Sister Got Soul (2008)
Watch Me Work It (2006)
Sassified (2001)
Inheritance (1997).

Reviewer James “Skyy Dobro” Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ and Blues Blast contributor. His weekly radio show “Friends of the Blues” can be heard each Thursday from 4:30 – 6:00pm on WKCC 91.1 FM in Kankakee, IL
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