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For our first blues post, we visit Chris Okunbor, fittingly from Australia’s Blue Mountains. Chris is a gifted songwriter, understated singer and wicked multi-instrumentalist with catholic tastes and a penchant for inspired and creative collaborations. While her musical DNA contemplates sean nos, country, British balladry and folk-rock, Chris’s forte and primary passion is the blues, with a special nod toward pre-war pickers. A great example of Chris’s fluidity and exuberance is her take on Bukka White’s classic Jitterbug Swing; it’s relatively faithful, with sharp edged but joyous slide guitar, but where the original features Washboard Sam, Chris gives it a little local flavor with the addition of legendary world music pioneer Charlie McMahon on didgeridoo. The whole production has a lo-fi finish that enhances a timeless, archival quality that is common to much of Chris’s best work.

Q & A

What is your goal in recording and sharing music?

My main aim when both recording and playing live is to make music that will move people emotionally, to be touched by the soul of the song. I have a deep respect for the original blues singers, where their blues comes from. I try to channel that feeling into playing songs that are authentic in
terms of the humanity and soul found in traditional blues.

Come up with a descriptive, original genre name for your music.

Jellyroll and Jinx from the Aussie Delta…..blues the way it used to be.

Who do you view as a likely audience for your music?

I thought my audience would be people who knew the origins of the acoustic blues tradition, but have discovered that young people, who hear the music for the first time somehow get touched by the raw spirit of the music.

If trapped on a desert island with only 3 songs, which would they be?

1. ‘Oh Death’ by Jo Anne Kelly
2. ‘Low Down Dirty Dog Blues’ by Son House
3. ‘As I Roved Out’ by Planxty

Is there an instrument you do not currently play that you’d like to learn?

The Uillean Pipes. I’ve tried a few times, but had close neighbors!

Who is your musical hero(es), if any?

Mississippi Fred McDowell, Memphis Minnie, Skip James, Donal Lunny, Jo Anne Kelly, Joni Mitchell

You can hear more from Chris Okunbor on her Soundcloud page: Click Here