Carol Bean Ensemble
Sunday, 7 September 2025
2:30 am
Earlybird $25/GA $30
The Carol Bean Ensemble performs songs from the mighty blues players of old - Elmore James, Memphis Minnie, and Jimmy Reed. They also feature contemporary players like Debbie Davies and Angela Strelhi from Austin Texas, and Etta James from Los Angeles California- Carol’s home town.
Band: Carol Bean- guitar vocals; Deane Hunter- lead guitar; Duncan Haynes- keyboard; Elliotte Fuimaono- bass; Andrew Richardson- drums
Singer and guitarist Carol Bean is a regular performer in the Wellington music scene. Since 2008, she's played at Wellington's Capital Blues with her bands Blue Highways and The Dirty River Band, as well as several of the wonderful ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ concerts and the infamous ‘Wild Women of Wellington Sing the Blues’. She counts her shows at Palmerston North's Globe Theatre to be highlights in her musical journey. Opening for Hogsnorth Rupert was 'a hoot', but being on the same bill as Erna Ferry, Julie Lamb and Lauren Armstrong in a ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ line up was 'a pure delight'.
Carol grew up in 1960s Los Angeles dancing to unforgettable, time-honoured rock bands, but she settled on the blues while watching Mississippi John Hurt, Lightnin Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, and Taj Mahal up close and personal. She learned her early chops from a young sky-rocketing star, Ry Cooder, and she's been an advocate for finger-style guitar ever since.
In 2011, she was a feature artist at the NZ Blues Festival in Rotorua with Dave Murphy and two years later Ray Ahipene-Mercer (2014). She also worked with America's award winning bluesman Doug McLeod as one of the judges for the festival's guitarist competition. More recently, she was an international guest at the Wirrini Blues & Roots Festival in Adelaide, Australia, accompanied by dobro slide player Tony Burt.
Her first two albums ‘Read the Road Signs’ (Press Go) and ‘Crossing the Dirty River’ (Ode Records) were released in Wellington at Roomfulla Blues. Her session players at the time included bass players Clinton Brown and George Barris; Steve Cournane, Des Mallon, George Westrop, and Luther Hunt on drums; Bob Smith on keyboards, and backing vocalists Lisa Tomlins, Laura Collins, and Chris Price.
On June 7th, Carol will be playing with Deane Hunter- lead guitar, Duncan Haynes- keyboard, Elliotte Fuimaono- bass, Andrew Richardson- drums.
Music reviews:
"Call it rockin' country-blues but my overwhelming feeling was that a skilled, life-experienced writer was delivering superb songs backed by a great band." [Jeb Tyler, Australian Hi-Fi]
"....when she gets the band kicking you know she must shake walls in clubs." [Graham Reid, Auckland Herald]
"Great storytelling lyrics - wonderful warm voice." [2ZB Barry Wilson]