Kristina Olsen (US)
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When?
28 March 2025 starting 9:00 am
How much?
From: $28.6
What?
Kristina Olsen is one of the most entertaining and compelling performers on the international acoustic circuit. A superb multi-instrumentalist (acoustic guitar, steel-body slide guitar, saxophone, concertina, banjo, mandolin and piano) as well as an award-winning songwriter with a big bluesy voice, Kristina has audiences around the world coming back for more. Her mix of powerful songs ranging from sassy bottleneck blues to lilting ballads to swing jazz to raunch and roll (as well as her hilarious storytelling) makes for a diverse and satisfying musical experience, on stage, on disc and in book.
Born in San Francisco and raised in Haight-Ashbury during the 1960's, Kristina's approach to music and life was formed by that environment of vital cultural expression, social activism and diverse musical influences. She now calls Venice Beach, Los Angeles home but rarely sees it from touring ten months a year.
With thirteen recordings under her belt (four on the Philo/Rounder label), a live DVD and an enhanced eBook with music, (They Paid Us in Tub Time), 2014 sees the release of ‘Sweet Stillness’ an album of co-writes between folk/blues songwriter Olsen with Canadian jazz guitarist/composer Bill Coon. This new combo enters a brave new world, neither jazz nor singer-songwriter. Art music at its best without conforming to expected genres. Fresh, weird, beautiful and familiar all at the same time.
Olsen’s songs have been covered by such respected artists as; Eric Bibb, Fairport Convention, Maddy Prior, Mary Coughlan and Mollie O’Brien. Olsen has also worked as a session musician on numerous artist’s albums including playing the hammered dulcimer on Michelle Shocked’s album 'Short Sharp Shocked' on PolyGram and touring as Mary Coughlan’s guitarist in 2005. Her song “In Your Darkened Room” was used in the film “We’ll Always Have Dingle”, a documentary about an Irish Film Festival. Olsen has performed as a multi-instrumentalist in plays for the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles’ Music Center. Olsen won the Kerrville Song writing award her song for battered women, 'I'm Keeping This Life of Mine'
Olsen is the modern day troubadour, touring up to ten months a year. She regularly tours to Australia, Scotland, England, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. In more exotic locations, she has performed concerts in, Bangladesh, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia and once caught a snow-mobile drawn sled over a frozen lake to a concert in Aleknagik, Alaska. Olsen has been part of a songwriters' group for over three decades and has taught songwriting, slide guitar and dance for musicians at adult music camps from Alaska to NYC to the UK to Australia for over a twenty years. Olsen is a frequent contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine, writing articles on guitar and performance technique. Olsen graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2020 with a dual major in guitar and orchestration/arranging.https://kristinaolsen.net Joining Kristina, on Cello will be - Peter Graylng...PETER GRAYLING Cello 'It's not often that a fine classical player also turns out to be a great improviser with a solid grounding in folk, blues and rock 'n' roll' Cello, mandocello and mandolin player Peter bends classical technique to his own ends, plucking and bowing a solid driving bottom line and then taking soaring solos to unexpected places. Peter's particular talent for weaving the cello around a voice has led to regular collaborations with some of Australia's folk scene's leading singers. In November 1997 he first toured as a duo with Kristina Olsen. After this tour the pair recorded a CD 'Duet' released in Australia in March 1998 and their musical partnership has continued with 'Truth of a Woman', Live CD 'All Over Down Under', 'In Your Darkened Room' and a live DVD Peter has played at most of the major Australian festivals and his flair for picking up a tune on the spot has led to Peter participating in some of the most memorable on-stage jam sessions, making great musical moments with blues greats Phil Manning, Matt Taylor, The Backsliders and Damon Davies, mandolin marvel Andrew Clermont, klezmer violinist Ernie Gruner, the Sensitive New Age Cowpersons and many more, including making beautifully meditative duets with shakuhachi master Riley Lee.
Special Guests:
Peter Grayling + Jess Lee O'Neill
Born in San Francisco and raised in Haight-Ashbury during the 1960's, Kristina's approach to music and life was formed by that environment of vital cultural expression, social activism and diverse musical influences. She now calls Venice Beach, Los Angeles home but rarely sees it from touring ten months a year.
With thirteen recordings under her belt (four on the Philo/Rounder label), a live DVD and an enhanced eBook with music, (They Paid Us in Tub Time), 2014 sees the release of ‘Sweet Stillness’ an album of co-writes between folk/blues songwriter Olsen with Canadian jazz guitarist/composer Bill Coon. This new combo enters a brave new world, neither jazz nor singer-songwriter. Art music at its best without conforming to expected genres. Fresh, weird, beautiful and familiar all at the same time.
Olsen’s songs have been covered by such respected artists as; Eric Bibb, Fairport Convention, Maddy Prior, Mary Coughlan and Mollie O’Brien. Olsen has also worked as a session musician on numerous artist’s albums including playing the hammered dulcimer on Michelle Shocked’s album 'Short Sharp Shocked' on PolyGram and touring as Mary Coughlan’s guitarist in 2005. Her song “In Your Darkened Room” was used in the film “We’ll Always Have Dingle”, a documentary about an Irish Film Festival. Olsen has performed as a multi-instrumentalist in plays for the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles’ Music Center. Olsen won the Kerrville Song writing award her song for battered women, 'I'm Keeping This Life of Mine'
Olsen is the modern day troubadour, touring up to ten months a year. She regularly tours to Australia, Scotland, England, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. In more exotic locations, she has performed concerts in, Bangladesh, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia and once caught a snow-mobile drawn sled over a frozen lake to a concert in Aleknagik, Alaska. Olsen has been part of a songwriters' group for over three decades and has taught songwriting, slide guitar and dance for musicians at adult music camps from Alaska to NYC to the UK to Australia for over a twenty years. Olsen is a frequent contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine, writing articles on guitar and performance technique. Olsen graduated from Berklee College of Music in 2020 with a dual major in guitar and orchestration/arranging.https://kristinaolsen.net Joining Kristina, on Cello will be - Peter Graylng...PETER GRAYLING Cello 'It's not often that a fine classical player also turns out to be a great improviser with a solid grounding in folk, blues and rock 'n' roll' Cello, mandocello and mandolin player Peter bends classical technique to his own ends, plucking and bowing a solid driving bottom line and then taking soaring solos to unexpected places. Peter's particular talent for weaving the cello around a voice has led to regular collaborations with some of Australia's folk scene's leading singers. In November 1997 he first toured as a duo with Kristina Olsen. After this tour the pair recorded a CD 'Duet' released in Australia in March 1998 and their musical partnership has continued with 'Truth of a Woman', Live CD 'All Over Down Under', 'In Your Darkened Room' and a live DVD Peter has played at most of the major Australian festivals and his flair for picking up a tune on the spot has led to Peter participating in some of the most memorable on-stage jam sessions, making great musical moments with blues greats Phil Manning, Matt Taylor, The Backsliders and Damon Davies, mandolin marvel Andrew Clermont, klezmer violinist Ernie Gruner, the Sensitive New Age Cowpersons and many more, including making beautifully meditative duets with shakuhachi master Riley Lee.
Special Guests:
Peter Grayling + Jess Lee O'Neill
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