pianist
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5AM
I can hear a cock crowing. I’m at my desk working out a simpler version of the organ parts in No Woman No Cry. Mike is asleep. So is Wookie, in his fluffy cubby hole under my feet. Want to play this for our next shows in north Queensland — Mackay and Emerald — in… Continue reading
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What the World Needs Now — Wookie video
Wookie LOVES being on my lap at the piano. This is so nice to do. It really might become a regular feature. Of course I can’t play much, but really, who cares? Wookie will end up taking requests I bet. 🐾 Continue reading
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Wookie sees his first surfer
My band Roaring Lion had a practice on the beach at Surfer’s Paradise. Really, I know nothing about beach life, gazebos, barbecues… they teach me so much. Wookie saw his first surfer. Look at that sand. Coming from England, I cannot believe how even the most insignificant beach in Queensland is more beautiful than anything… Continue reading
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Living the Dream
I cannot imagine how Alejandro Larrandaburu felt to be up there on stage, fronting our Roaring Lion band, three weeks into making a life in Australia — from Uruguay — second time around. He spoke to the crowd at the Koala Tavern in Redlands, and said: I would like to thank each and everyone of… Continue reading
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The new face of Roaring Lion
Roaring Lion has been evolving in the first half of 2023, and we actually have four new faces to present to you. Over the past few months, several good people shared the stage with us, and we’ve finally decided how best to go forward as we strive to deliver Bob Marley’s beautiful message to you… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion makes a special lady happy at Beenleigh Tavern
Before our gig at the Beenleigh Tavern on November 5 2022, our lead singer Glen posted a message in our group chat. “Hey family, we have a request from a local woman Cathy who would like to make it to our BT show.” Cathy’s message was: “Hi, my mum is a big Bob Marley fan,… Continue reading
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Sunday arvo in Caloundra! Roaring Lion at Kings Beach Tavern, Sunshine Coast
Credits for photos and videos in this post go to Derrin Hill, Gwyn Naera and Aleisha Rangi. ROARING LION played to a packed house of Bob Marley fans at Kings Beach Tavern (KBT) in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, yesterday. My head is still in the clouds… KBT had a nice poster up! Our boys… Continue reading
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Playing for Datuk CL Chan’s book launch – audio
I was so pleased to be able to play background piano for the book launch for Datuk CL Chan’s book ‘Family Ties’, which is a history of five generations of his family, from their journey from China to Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu. Datuk Chan is the founder of Natural History Publications (Borneo) and he published… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion ‘Legend’ album rehearsal
Roaring Lion will be performing most of the songs from the Bob Marley ‘Legend’ album for a gig September 17 2022, at an event launching a new EP by Bradamon. With a 40-minute slot, it means shaping those songs and learning smooth, non-stop transitions between each song. I won’t be with them this time because… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion’s Vince Rangi — a life of creativity
Vince Rangi walked into a Roaring Lion rehearsal in the second week I had been there and was easily the widest person I had ever met. He has muscles! But then he got on a mic and sang a superb falsetto above me. In rehearsal, he’ll casually pull out his camera and take footage. Then… Continue reading
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MICK HUGHES – VIDEO PODCAST
My point of view is that every gig I play, I play it like it’s my last one. You just give one hundred and ten percent, every time. Mick Hughes Mick Hughes is a musician based on the Sunshine Coast, who hails from London and Ireland. He has a massively musical life performing in and… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion rehearsal for Thirsty Chiefs, BBQ Bazaar and Banana Bender Pub!
Roaring Lion rehearsals are in studios and warehouses from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. We are always looking for places where we can be loud, with enough space for nine musos plus all their gear, at a time when we can all make it! This weekend we were at lead vocalist Glen’s church, where he… Continue reading
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Meet Roaring Lion — My Reggae Family
“Jo, have a listen to Ambush In The Night and Top Rankin’. They’re the next on our list of new songs. Plenty of horns in the intros.” That’s Maui, our lead guitarist, giving me a heads-up on what to prepare for our next rehearsal. In Roaring Lion, you got to practise BEFORE you come to practice There are nine of us and… Continue reading
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Roaring Lion at Burleigh Heads BBQ Bazaar Sept 3 2021
I’m in the car with Mike and we’re on our way to the 5.00pm Roaring Lion sound check at BBQ Bazaar in Burleigh Heads. Google Maps says Kooralbyn to Burleigh Heads is an hour and forty. So say two hours with local road works and the school run later… iPad. IPad stand. Keyboard. Keyboard stand.… Continue reading
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Watercolour by Shinji Ogata. Thanks Shinji!
I found this when clearing out some files! I was playing my friend Sophie’s piano, around 2015. Shinji Ogata is an artist in Brisbane. Here’s something about him. Continue reading
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My Hohner Piano 27 melodica circa 1960 ❤️
I’ve been looking for this kind of melodica for ages — it’s the kind that Augustus Pablo played. Hohner piano 27 melodica – called piano because the earlier models had buttons rather than an actual keyboard. It has a very warm tone, not bright at all. I really want to play it in Roaring Lion… Continue reading
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Creatures of the Half Sleep – John Reeves Trio
Step into the world of jazz pianist John Reeves, who is releasing his first CD ‘Creatures of the Half Sleep’, a collection of original compositions arranged for accordion! Here, we geek out over his beautiful instrument, and his journey with it so far. The John Reeves Trio has Helen Svoboda on double bass and Aaron… Continue reading
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Rehearsing with Bob Marley tribute band ROARING LION
This is a new journey for me… I can’t believe I’m getting to do this. It’s so cool. I went to rehearse with Gold Coast reggae band Roaring Lion. Well, I guess it was an audition really. Band leader Glen sent me a song list and I’ve been listening and playing and scribbling frantic notes… Continue reading
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I bought a Beale piano!
In April, I bought an upright piano! After moving around the world for decades with different digital pianos, I’m finally settled enough to own this big old, magical wooden box with 1,200 moving parts. Now, I am home. I drove all over Brisbane and the Gold Coast checking out pianos advertised on Gumtree. When I… Continue reading
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A sold out season, friendships sealed
Dusty The Original Pop Diva has finished its run. What a magnificent team achievement it was. I will post more later. Right now I am basking in the warmth of friendship, trust…and making music. Continue reading
About Joanna
Joanna is British Australian. She worked mainly in financial news in London. In her forties she moved to her parents’ birthplace, Sabah, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo. She became a pianist at the Jesselton Hotel in Kota Kinabalu and wrote a blog about musicians, which was popular among Sabahans at home and abroad. The blog was turned into a coffee table book when the Ministry of Tourism and Culture expressed interest. Joanna came to Australia in 2012. This is her second blog.
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