Razz Duo

CHARLIE GRIFFIN

Vocals, acoustic guitar, banjolele & backtracks

FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Licentiate of Trinity College London (Guitar Teachers)
  • Bachelor of Music Degree (Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa)

SCHOOL / POST-SCHOOL / UNIVERSITY YEARS:

  • Anglican Church choir 7 years as soprano, contralto, tenor
  • Age 13: Won 4 X ‘A” Diplomas Eisteddfod
  • 1st Prize in EP Herald ”ON THE GO” Music Talent Competition, Port Elizabeth, aged 21
  • University dance bands
  • Vocal/guitar folk-rock harmony trio: ONE-THREE-FIVE-toured South Africa with THE DEALIANS, then a highly successful pop band in South Africa. Besides performing, was also stage manager and lighting operator; Toured Rhodesia with The Dealians as solo act and again as folk duo BANDERSNATCH
  • Rhodes University Chamber Choir
  • Lead vocals & guitar with local dance band: THE MILESTONES, for functions around Eastern Cape
  • Regular member and performer at Rhodes University Folk Music Club & served on the Folk Club committee

POST-UNIVERSITY:

  • Self-employed since university as full-time professional musician
  • Private guitar tutor
  • Performed solo a number of 3-6 month, 6 night-a-week “resident” music contracts at top hotels and restaurants in S Africa, Norway, Greece, London
  • Lead vocalist with Cape Town’s then premier functions band: “THE HYLTON ROSS BAND”
  • Session singer for advertising jingles, and S African Broadcasting Corp. transcription albums
  • Recorded with and appeared on National TV with ”THE BILL FAIRLIE SINGERS” on the EVE BOSWELL SHOW; SATV talent show, ‘’FOLLOW THAT STAR”; National Radio “CHUCKLE & CHAT SHOW”, singing phone-in requests from all over South Africa. Recorded with THE CLAUDE LARSEN SINGERS
  • Performed and recorded for 2 years with jazz vocal harmony group, “TANGERINE”, including the prestigious international Grahamstown Arts Festival
  • Performed for about 2 years with the Cape Town Philharmonia Choir and Cape Town Symphony Orchestra
  • Performed at functions as a solo entertainer
  • Fronted and managed very successful CHARLIE GRIFFIN BAND: Specialised in the functions market, i.e. weddings, corporate gala dinners, promotions, festivals, launches in S Africa and abroad
  • Member male chorus, THE MELBOURNAIRES, and Barbershop quartet THE CHORDSMEN. Won medals at October 2005 National Convention Gold Coast, Australia

ACTIVITIES AS PERFORMER and BANDLEADER:

  • The CHARLIE GRIFFIN BAND - from solo to 9 piece functions band:
    Songs in English, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, German
    (Oompah and international singalongs), Hebrew, Yiddish, Portuguese,
    Afrikaans, French, Country & Western, Barndance, Dixieland, Ragtime, Israeli
    dance, Mainstream Jazz; Theme evenings, eg ‘60’s, Island Music, and other

SEZ ADAMSON

  • Pedal Steel Guitar - Electric Guitar - Vocals
  • Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Early music experience: School bands, Skiffle music, moving on to The Shadows, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Beach Boys, The Who and all the popular bands of the era
  • 1974 - Moved to South Africa
  • Featured in a number of local South African Country Music records, and played in various Country Music shows around South Africa and on TV
  • Apart from various gigs, played regularly at Southern Country in Johannesburg. Manager: Tony Wolfaardt, now in Toronto (handsonent@rogers.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it)
  • 1989 - relocated to Cape Town, doing freelance gig and session work
  • Played with the very successful Charlie Griffin Band, which focused on weddings, corporate functions, incentive tours etc. The band provided the opportunity to play all kinds of music, from classical to Frank Sinatra to contemporary rock
  • Played with 18-piece Big Band, which further honed music reading skills
  • 1999 - relocated to Johannesburg, working at recording studios as a session musician, including Afrikaans, American Bluegrass, singalong gigs
  • Pedal Steel Guitar - Current personal musical endeavour is the breakthrough arrangement, transposition and performance of jazz standards on the pedal steel guitar, traditionally a country music instrument.
  • Spent the last 6 years working on this project with world-renowned jazz guitarist Johnny Fourie, who sadly passed away in 2007
  • Sez is a virtuoso on this beautiful but technically difficult instrument as well as being an exceptionally versatile, experienced acoustic and electric guitarist, vocalist and entertainer

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Reference:

PETE NILSON

Pete has performed full-time for over 10 years for Princess Cruises. He is an associate musician with whom we worked musically for many years. His details are available on request