PLEASE SEE MY WEBSITE FOR ALL REVIEWS
www.stevetallis.com
Welcome to
Perth’s underbelly. ZOZO bubbles and spits like a malevolent sea and is as fresh,
swampy and scary as Dr John’s seminal 1969 Gris Gris. Gritty, rootsy
melting pot, with Waits-esque filthy guitar riffs, hypnotic eastern rhythms,
chants and field hollers, driven by Tallis’ deep, grainy Captain Beefheart
growl. But this is no mumbo-jumbo; Tallis knows his stuff, and has an attitude
to rival the Dr’s. Check out what he’s sick of on “Cut Your Mouth Out Mama”.
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Patrick
Donovan @ The Age (**** ½)....
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An intense and
uncompromising performer who lives with demons, talks to ghosts and dances with
zombies. African mysticism. Voodoo imagery. Trance-like rhythms. The lyrics
convey disconnected images, some dark, disturbing and vague, others with a
clearer social message, demanding attention. I don’t know anyone else producing
music quite like this. It defies categories, yet has strong links to the roots
of the blues – field hollers, work songs and a cappella gospel ring shouts,
overlaid with polyrhythms and instrumental approaches that echo other cultures.
Don’t ignore this! It may be at the outer limits of the Blues, but it is worth hearing. Mark Doherty @ Rhythms Magazine (***1/2)....
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The coming of
age of WA’s own Voodoo Man. This weird, wired, cross-cultural collection of
songs – trance-inducing spiritual music, full of disturbing Voodoo incantations
- as original and strange as anything Captain Beefheart dreamt up in the desert
or Tom Waits growled in his back shed. He is “ part Buddha, part Demon, part
Mad Angel ”.
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Ray Purvis @ The West Australian (***1/2)....
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The missing
link between the ancient and the modern. An innovative and unusually evolved,
avant-garde form of contemporary blues,....
sauntering into
realms previously unexplored by many bluesmen. An album of diverse adventure
that merely hints at the depth of this ageless genre. An intriguing amalgam of
meaty grooves, volatile lyrics and organically inspired playing. One of Perth’s
richest but most undervalued assets. Phil Bennet @ Nova Magazine....
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Stunning!
Exciting! Bizarre! Utterly unique. Intriguing. As individual as Tom Waits or
Corey Harris. Distinctive, original, definitely one of a kind. A quantum leap
from traditional blues. Absolutely compelling, extraordinarily mesmerising,
transcendental, as scary as music can be yet beautiful, hauntingly so. This
music has to be explored – during that exploration you may find a little
something of yourself, so deeply personal, remarkably forthright and honest are
the lyrics and melodies. Sensational! Ecumenical! A genuine musical experience.
Some of the most uplifting, praiseworthy music in Australia! A monster work. I
am compelled to award ZOZO the highest possible rating – it is that good!....
Big Mike Hotz @ Rhythms / SA Blues Society ....
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Before you put ZOZO into your player, be sure you’ve made peace with your
ancestors. Multi-textured, defiantly eclectic grooves definitely grounded in the blues though vigorously
embracing all manner of musics, philosophies and hoodoo charms. Confronting,
sensuous, dark and dangerous atmosphere spilling readily from his pen. The most
interesting and challenging lyrics you’ll have heard in a long time.
Kaleidoscopic variety of sounds, primeval chants preternatural lyrics and
anarchistic rhythms, pushing the boundaries of the blues. Stretch your mind!
Helen Farley @ Rave Magazine ( Qld )....
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Steve once
again combines the mystical, spiritual and elements of nature to the sounds of
music and voice. A touch of tribal, rhythmic Afro beats, sporadic layers of
modern riffs, a barrel of blues, a whiff of culture, loads of originality –
interesting and entrancing. An air of a modern day Rodriguez who has spent the
last 10 years in the jungles, emerging with the sounds of the various tribes.
New millennium roots music with its heart stemming from African deltas and a
passionate freedom of expression. Very uplifting, impossible to stop listening
to and refreshing. A magnificent recording-essential listening!....
Mark “ Radar ” Watson @ Mr Blues ....
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Voodoo Child!
The architect of his own musical world. The voodoo troubadour is one of the
most individualistic performers in Australia, with a self-propelled inclination
to merge ancient wisdoms with freeform blues. Beguiling moods. Rich acoustic
guitar - whisky tinged voice. This weird, creepy-crawly kaleidoscope of healing
and finger pointing blues, field hollers and African tribal chants.....
Terry Reilly @ The Age (Melbourne)....
A mystical
journey of spiritual trance-like blues. Tallis is in a league of his own.
Brilliantly made. A well constructed piece of work. Close your eyes and be
“taken to another world”. Andrew
Williams @ Drum Media....
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A killer! A
gem! Something special. Reminds me of Tom Waits’ “Mule Variations”. Stephen Green @
Australian Music Biz (****)....
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A long way from
the regular covers of Chicago blues classics and deep into voodoo territory.
Delving into musical mysticism, Tallis blends ideas from Haiti through Native
Americans to old time, pre-blues and comes up with a kind of new blues. Give it
a try.....
Mike Garner @ The Bluesletter / NZ Blues Society....
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A musician with
the vocal power and intense concentration to subtly and successfully tune up a
guitar on stage, while pulling out all stops on an a cappella field holler at
the same time is something to be seen and heard. Defying categorisation, deftly
sidestepping analysis, he weaves his deep interest in the spirit world into his
music making. This trance-like effect moves continuously throughout his
evolving and involving music, which commands your attention and seeps into your
bones on further listenings. He connects with his audience in an unconventional
way – they stay to listen. Performances are intense, continuous,
uncompromising, taking you on a spiritual exposition or journey. The field
hollers are something else.Tallis tackles human and spiritual issues head-on
with songs that haunt you. Towards the end of the gig, he quietly wended the
way from one rhythmic number to the next. The edges blurred between a user-friendly
bluesy version of “Hoochie Coochie Man” into a percussive wind-down, almost
like a lullaby. The change was barely discernible, upon you before you
realised. A bit like life really.
Linda McClintock @ Mixdown Magazine....
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In a musical
milieu that values tradition he is a bit of a loose cannon, a maverick, a
highly individual performer with a strong sense of self worth. I’ve never heard
anyone outside the black music idiom perform a cappella field hollers with such
power and commitment. A major talent!
Mark Doherty @ Rhythms Magazine....
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Haunting.
Seriously hypnotic. Sensual harmonica. Dazzling berimbau. ....
Australian Musican Magazine....