Kiss
& Ride
Released 9 June, 2009
CDs and
high quality MP3?s
available now from VITAMIN RECORDS
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Jaimi Faulkner has a reputation as gifted songwriter, exciting live performer and accomplished musician, and it’s a reputation that’s well deserved. Brought up on a diet rich in Blues, Country and Folk music, Jaimi’s music logically reflects these genres, but with a quality and voice that is uniquely his own.
It’s been a sure and steady rise on the Australian music scene for this likeable young performer, his talents having had time to develop and mature naturally since the 2004 release of his impressive debut, Last Light at age 21.
That album, featuring Aria Award winners Mia Dyson and Chris Wilson, debuted at No. 5 on the Australian Rhythms Magazine Charts where it held its position for 4 months, and also attracted some strong reviews and airplay support from Triple J’s Roots & All, PBS and 3RRR in particular.
Jaimi spent 2005 touring to promote Last Light, honing his skills and building audiences and word of mouth around Australia. These efforts paid off well; Jaimi was invited to support his favourite songwriter Chris Whitley (USA), and to perform at Port Fairy, Apollo Bay, Queenscliff and Wangaratta Festivals on the back of the growing grassroots buzz.
In December 2006, Jaimi Faulkner followed up his debut with the soulful EP Back To You. Again, radio support was strong; the highlight being singles Roll Tumble Smuggle & Stumble and Coming Home to Your Love debuting at #3 and #4 on the Triple J Unearthed Charts.
Faulkner hit both international and local highways in 2007, playing more than 200 shows. These included performances at the American Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale Mississippi, playing with the legendary Big Jack Johnson, and a tour of Europe, where he performed in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. ?Towards the end of 2007 Jaimi and London based producer Andy Strange, (INXS, Robbie Williams, Diesel etc) whom he met through mutual friend and fellow performer Liam Gerner, decamped to the hills of Spain, eating Tapas, drinking wine and writing songs, with one of them, My Dear Girl appearing on Kiss & Ride.
In 2008, Jaimi won the prestigious Australian Blues/Roots Performer of the Year (band category) and was awarded with the opportunity to represent Australia in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. Jaimi and band headed to the United States to perform alongside some of the world’s top Blues/Roots performers, scoring a mention in Blues Revue Magazine, as one of the ‘hot power trios’ of the Challenge. Faulkner then went on to tour Europe for the second time in as many years, again visiting Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany before heading home to take up invitations to support Chris Isaak and Jeff Martin (The Tea Party) on their Australian tours.
January 2009 saw Jaimi hit the studio to work on his new studio album, Kiss & Ride. Recorded over three months with ARIA award winning engineer Lloyd Barratt (Mia Dyson) at Melbourne’s Sound Park Studios, Kiss & Ride features the addition of backing vocal harmonies and melodies not apparent on previous releases, and the sound of soul music also added into the mix.
The sounds of folk and blues influences are a feature on Kiss & Ride, but listeners will also hear music inspired from the time Jaimi spent in Memphis, visiting Stax Records and immersing himself in the sounds and flavours of soul music. Jaimi was also lucky enough to meet the legendary soul singer, Reverend Al Green at his Full Tabernacle Gospel Church. The results of this baptism into soul are a success.
At the beginning of 2010, Jaimi was awarded 'Song of the Year' at Australia's prestigious M.B.A.S awards night, for his single 'Highway Life' that featured on his most recent album Kiss & Ride.
In April 2010, Jaimi relocated from his hometown of Melbourne to the bursting arts hub of Berlin. Having secured booking agents and German distribution, Jaimi has been hitting the touring and festival circuit hard. With an ever-growing European fan base and continued recognition for his captivating live performances, Jaimi has been invited to perform at several major festivals in summer, including the ZFR in Bochum and the closing set at the Bamberg Music Festival.
The festivals coincide with further European touring. Jaimi will be performing for the first time in the Netherlands & belgium headlining shows, alongside being invited to support two legendary blues artists Rory Block (USA) and Guy Forsyth (USA).
‘Smoldering singer-songwriter Blues’ Pat Donovan THE AGE
'What can I say? Great voice, amazing guitar-player-dude, this guy is gonna take over the world! As Molly would say, 'do yourself a favor' and check out J-My live!' Sarah Howells TRIPLE J RADIO
‘Faulkner has evolved from a talented youngster into a musician and entertainer of the highest order.’ INPRESS MAGAZINE
‘Ripping conventional blues and roots grooves into confetti and hurling them over the audience, inciting wild yawping, dancing of all sorts’ Sam Fell RHYTHMS MAGAZINE
‘Five tracks with the winning ingredients: songs rich in rhythm and melody, passionate playing, arresting vocals and slick production.’ Chris Lambie FORTE MAGAZINE
For more information check out www.jaimifaulkner.com
