Bio

Karen Hunter takes her audience on a conscious journey through music with passionate lyrics and evocative melodies that draw from her backgroud in socio-political folk, kirtan chanting and rootsy grooves.

Karen's primary instruments are vocals and acoustic guitar, sometimes incorporating rhythmic backing tracks using percussive loops made with ‘found objects’, guitar, voice and violin.

Stylistically Karen cites amongst her musical influences; Joan Armatrading, Rickie Lee Jones, Laurie Anderson and Patti Smith. Renown as a dynamic and engaging live act, Karen has played alongside international acts Ani Difranco, Tania Maria, Toni Childs and Suzanne Vega and she has performed as an accompanist for Jazz singer Rhiannon. Karen has also accompanied Kiwi icons Shona Laing and Dave McArtney on guitar, percussion and vocals.

Karen completed a Masters of Music in Composition in 2009 and she taught at that two different tertiary education institutions for several years in New Zealand. Karen left this work to explore a more 'grass roots' approach to music. which has seen her travelling throughout South America and Europe exploring street music, mask making, dance, , studying Spanish and German language as well as learning the mandolin & violin!

Being something of a musical chameleon has seen Karen evolve throughout her nine solo albums to date. While her origins could be described as ‘funky acoustic folk/rock’, she has also embraced the improvisational language of jazz, played bass in a Glam Rock band, accompanied a shadow puppet show ... pop rock ... kirtan ... In May 2010 Hunter was invited to commissioned to create a Cabaret and the resulting 'Scrapyard Cabaret' premiered in the Erupt Festival on the shores of Lake Taupo..

Hunter’s present musical adventure is:

Playing Mandolin - celtic melodies over dub bass lines.

Playing with Matiu te Huki & Golden soul.

".....a cracked jazz balladeer; backed by hipster-jazz and creating a creepy mood for hushed spoken-word pieces and lazy bar-room blues, it is as if Hunter has unlocked her inner Rickie Lee Jones, tending also to touch on the spirit of Tom Waits ... Rubble is a class act of an album – do your best to check it out." - Dominion Post

Hunter is a "ridiculously accomplished guitar-playing, singing, songwriting Aucklander whose performances are pithy, compassionate and insightful." - Metro magazine

"Songwriting this good can not be faked." - Rip It Up

Links

• Artist Website
• Facebook Page
• Youtube Page
• Bandcamp Page