19 February 2016 - 0 Comments

Greg Poppleton is, according to the critics, an uncannily authentic 1920s singer. Energetic and theatrical, he is fast approaching 600,000 YouTube views for one video mix (left channel only at that!), making him by far Australia’s most listened to 1920s - 1930s style jazz singer.
 
Word is spreading internationally about this unusual singer and his band, Greg Poppleton and the Bakelite Broadcasters, with online reviews and radio airtime in the U.S and Australia. He was even interviewed recently in New Zealand’s own Glory Days vintage magazine.
 
Popular online in Germany and the U.S, Greg is in growing demand in his hometown of Sydney. He is the resident 1920s singer in Sydney’s popular monthly Roaring ‘20s soiree, The Gin Mill Social, and has a stream of club, hotel, private and festival dates.
 
Greg’s 3 albums have all been ‘Albums of the Week’ on major metropolitan radio stations. He has had the unusual distinction, for a DIY jazz singer, of having one hour programs dedicated to his albums on both Sydney commercial radio 2CH and over U.S network radio on the ‘Women’s Vintage Hour’.
 
Greg has just recorded his fourth album, Back In Your Own Backyard. It’s full of songs from the 1920s and 1930s and due for release in May 2016.
 
The album took only one day to record.
Greg recalls,
"...when you’re working with great musicians putting a fresh and authentic take on the great songs of the 1920s – 1930s, the process of recording is both quick and joyful. It’s like a beautifully flowing live gig. And I think the joy certainly shines through on every track. “
 
The musicians on the album play regularly with Greg in larger versions of his Bakelite Broadcasters. There’s Grahame Conlon playing banjo and guitar just as he did in combos lead by the great NZ singer, Ricky May. Paul Furniss is on soprano sax, alto sax and clarinet. He and Geoff Power, doubling trumpet and sousaphone, are veterans of the U.S and Europe festival circuit. Rounding out the album on drums and washboard is Lawrie Thompson. Lawrie is highly regarded in jazz circles for his many landmark recordings in bands led by Don Burrows, Graeme Bell and Bob Barnard.
 
Greg Poppleton and the Bakelite Broadcasters have just played the sold-out Great Art Deco Ball for the fourth year in a row as part of the annual Sydney Blue Mountains 1920s Festival. Before that Greg had been invited to play at the Thredbo Jazz Festival. That’s where John Quigley from NZ’s own Nairobi Trio saw Greg and in turn invited him to Waiheke 2016.
 
Don't miss Greg Poppleton in his most exciting and adventurous festival yet – The Waiheke International Jazz Festival 2016. At Waiheke, Greg Poppleton will be backed by two of the most in-demand new Sydney jazz talents, Greg Chilcott on sousaphone doubling trombone and Arthur Washington, guitar.

NEW ZEALAND WAIHEKE FESTIVAL DATES
Friday 25 March – Artworks Theatre
Tickets available here
 
Saturday 26 March – Morra Hall
Tickets available here
 
Sunday 27 March – Grand Finale Concert featuring the Stars of the Festival, Rangihoua Estate, Rocky Bay
Tickets available here
 
http://www.bakelitejazz.com/
http://www.1920sorchestra.com.au/
gregpoppleton.wordpress.com
facebook.com/Greg.Poppleton.Band

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