Sheehans Acoustic Avalon

Thomas Leeb

Austrian born Thomas Leeb plays a style he calls 'the bastard child of acoustic fingerstyle'. This style owes as much to percussive techniques as traditional fingerstyle guitar as his tunes are usually punctuated by slaps, pops and beats. Adding to the overall effect is his frequent use of ringing harmonics. The resulting blur of busy hands and fingers has to be seen to be believed.

His repertoire consists of self-penned numbers, traditional tunes and occasional covers of Guns 'n' Roses, Bjork and Bob Marley songs..

Leeb released his first album, the now out of print Reveller, as a precocious 17 year old. However, his unique style didn't come into full force until his 1999 album Riddle. He has since released four further albums and toured Asia, North and South America and Europe.

Along the way he has picked up a number of influential fans such as Eric Roche who was his guitar teacher, "for about five minutes and then I heard him play" and Guthrie Govan who thinks that "what Thomas does on an acoustic guitar probably shouldn't be legal.".

More info → www.thomasleeb.com

Michael Messer

Michael Messer was born in Middlesex in 1956. Throughout his childhood and teens
he played rock music with his two brothers and in various local bands. In his early
twenties, Messer spent time in Nashville where he had the chance to meet and hear
some of the ‘greats’ of country music performing in their home environment.
These included Roy Acuff, Hank Snow and Johnny Cash. Back home in England in the
late seventies, Messer was mastering the art of Mississippi delta blues slide guitar,
buying his first National steel guitar in 1979. He began playing blues gigs, both as a
solo artist and in various local bands in the early eighties

"Michael Messer is a virtuoso slide guitarist who has one of the best bands performing
some of the greatest blues tunes produced this century. His playing encompasses the
entire history of the blues but is totally individual and contemporary. His use of
turntables in the band adds a new element to the music and Messer’s
haunting vocals ooze authenticity and integrity. The American magazine, ‘Spirit’
listed Michael as one of the greatest slide guitarists ever alongside
Duane Allman and Ry Cooder". Dave Tracey

More info → www.michaelmesser.com

Chris Newman

As far back as I can remember music has always been around me.  Growing up in the late 50?s / 60?s with two older brothers listening to everything from rock and roll, blues, folk, rock, jazz and classical.

Mum would be in the kitchen listening to jazz on the radio and Dad would be playing his classical guitar or cello elsewhere in the house.

Around 1967 I bought my first decent Spanish guitar and began to learn several classical pieces.

• 1972 - bought a steel strung acoustic and began learning blues and ragtime songs by Rev Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy
• 1974 - formed first band called 'Warlock', playing prog rock covers. First gig we opened for the 'Global Village Trucking Company'.
• 1976 - started playing on the folk and blues club scene, solo and with a band called 'Alimony'.  We played mostly original material with big influences from Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal.
• 1976 - 1986 - During this period I played in various Rock, Blues and Folk Bands, some great and some not so great!
• 1986 - joined the 'John Slaughter Blues Band' as second guitar and slide player. Two years later John returned to the 'Chris Barber Band'. We continued working and John would join us between tours with Chris Barber.
• 1989 - met Steve Leonard and formed a Band called 'Kik'. The material was mostly original. We had positive interest from Virgin Records and showcased at the Mean Fiddler - London. We released one single, which received some airplay. Material was recorded for an album but unfortunately it was never released.
• 1991/92 - solo support spots for 'The Climax Blues Band' up and down the Country. Joined the 'Gravy Train' a Band formed by Climax front man Colin Cooper, featuring Pick Withers on drums (Dire Straits). This Band went on to become the 'Mississippi Hounddogs', which featured Terry Butters on piano and Roy Adams on drums, Roger Innis on bass (both from the Climax).
• 1993 - recorded the soul classic 'Wooly Bully' as a member of the 'Soul Survivors' Band, featuring the now infamous Vinnie Jones.  He would occasionally get up and sing with the band and always loved singing this song. The single on Cherry Red Records was released 10 May 1993 and entered the lower reaches of the national chart. Several TV appearances followed on from this.
• 1994/95 - Joined a band with respected jazz/rock drummer Russell Gilbrook, to do Mapex drum clinic tour.
• 1996/97 - Started working more with Terry Butters and drummer John 'Crow' Wright in the 'Terry Butters Band'. Featured on Terry?s album on Redball Records.
• 2000/01 - Worked with Terry and Crow in the TBB. Regular duo gigs with Colin Cooper. Recorded an acoustic tribute to ?Rory Gallagher? featuring Terry on piano and the talented harmonica player Steve Lockwood. This album is available on Redball Records
• 2002 - Recorded a 4 track acoustic album, 'Thainoodling', inspired by a trip to Phuket, Thailand.
• 2003 - Played at the Cambridge Folk Festival with guitarist Eric Roche and harmonica player Steve Lockwood. Filmed by BBC tv. Recorded some new material with drummer John 'Crow' Wright for an album later in the year. Also recorded new material for an acoustic album. Went to Ireland in September for a short tour.
• 2004 - Played at the The Ninth Annual British Rory Gallagher tribute concert. Sat 29th May at the Boardwalk Sheffield.
• 2005 - Played at the Rory Gallagher Festival in Philadelphia in February.

Chris Newman appears at Acoustic Avalon courtesy of Collings Guitars.

More info → www.chrisnewmangrooves.com

Gareth Pearson

Gareth is an acoustic guitarist and composer from Cwmbran, South Wales UK. He has performed at festivals and concerts worldwide and was personally invited to the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in Nashville by Tommy Emmanuel and by Southside Johnny to perform at their annual New Years Eve concert in New Jersey at the tender age of 17.
Gareth has a formidable string of concerts and guitar festivals behind him including The Montreal Jazz Festival and regularly conducts guitar workshops when appearing at festivals.

Along with Tommy Emmanuel and Jan Akkerman, Gareth has toured and performed with Andy Mckee, John Renbourn, Ray Davies of the Kinks, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and other well known guitarists and musicians.
Gareth’s influences are wide, but his own distinctive voice is clearly audible in his own compositions. In performance, his “Exuberance of Youth” as one fellow musician put it, is clearly evident.

More info → www.garethpearson.com