Ewan Mckenzie Band: A New Creedo

With influences as diverse as the Allman Brothers Band, Ricky Lee Jones, Santana, Van Morrison and Steely Dan, it’s hardly surprising that the repertoire of the Ewan Mackenzie Band is similarly eclectic. Fronted by the award-winning Ewan Mackenzie on guitar and vocals, the band charges through a delectable assortment of well-crafted originals and select covers.

Ewan has been a stalwart on the local music scene, fronting his own bands, Credo and the Ewan Mackenzie Blues Project, the latter releasing the album Turquoise which won the prestigious Sunnie Award for Album of the Year in 1995.

Ewan elaborates: “After Credo finished, I wanted to revisit the Turquoise era and style, get back to something a bit more basic, and redevelop my music from there. I had songs written which would suit that kind of band. I had the idea of reviving the harmony guitar sound of bands like the Allmans and Wishbone Ash and combining it with swing/jump rhythm and blues, so I asked Robbie, who'd been most recently with the Nighflys, to play guitar with me.”

“Robbie and I first met in 1969 when I borrowed his amp for the first gig I ever played! We're quite different players, I'm more analytical and linear whereas Robbie's very spontaneous and energetic. Rick had been with me in Credo and since we also wanted to try using double bass in the new band, he was ideal. Matt was recommended by Garry Buckley, the sax player in Credo, and Paul Hudson, well Huddo's always there, everyone's first choice!”

A Patch of Blue is the first release of the band. The album features 13 original songs. Ewan wrote all but one of the songs, the other, Dame Edna’s Gladdies, was penned by Robbie. Garry Buckley (saxophone) and Steve Tebbett (harmonica) also guest on the album.

“The most apparent difference is that it's completely original and that rhythmically it's more diverse. Turquoise was a study in styles whereas Patch is more of a personal statement. The songs are the core of Patch as well as the playing.”

“A Patch of Blue hopefully is an album that you can live with for a long time, it rewards repeated listening.”

A Patch of Blues is yet to hit the streets but the band are already eyeing the next album, hoping to be back in the studio before the end of the year.

“We're still in the early stages I feel; as we play live together more, we're developing tighter grooves, and expanding our concept of where solos should go as well as a better sense of group dynamics, just as any band does the longer it's together. I feel that our arrangements are becoming more sophisticated too.”

“We want the next lot of material to have more defined guitar arrangements utilising the harmony guitar idea more, but also with looser structures for soloing. More swing as well, we're still integrating our love for all things Louis Jordan into our style!”