Daniel Champagne
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Daniel Champagne

Bega, New South Wales, Australia | INDIE

Bega, New South Wales, Australia | INDIE
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"Collection of Press Quotes/Testimonials"

“The Future of Folk! It’s a true joy to see a young performer steeped in our rich folk tradition is able to hold a festival crowd both young and old with just a guitar, a voice and an old thing called talent!" (Firefly Column, San Francisco)

"The best young guitarist in Australia" (IFC President)

"His on-stage presence radiates a musical maturity well beyond his years and a phenomenal method of playing the guitar leaves audiences thrilled' (TE Herald, Newcastle)

"It's his guitar work that really steals the show. Champagne has not only mastered his instrument, he's conquered it! Reaching into Folk, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Rock and other styling’s, with nods to virtuosos too numerous to mention. Champagne has created a pastiche all of his own... I cannot recommend this cd highly enough. Buy it, spread the word, something wonderful is happening down here" (BDN)

"A precarious young talent in the guitar world!" (Rhythms Magazine)

"Daniel is proof that the acoustic guitars only limit is our imagination. It's a thrill to see a young artist with so much creativity, desire and talent using the instrument in a unique way" (Lloyd Spiegel) - Various - 2009/2010


"'My Own Design' Review"

The crossroads story is as old as the blues and it's most famous version goes like this: in the 1920's a young black man from Mississippi was trying to make a living playing the blues but didn’t have much success because he wasn’t very good at singing or playing the guitar. He disappeared for a year. When he returned he was the greatest blues musician anyone had ever heard.
His name was Robert Johnson (also known as 'the King of the Delta Blues' and 'the grandfather of Rock'n' Roll') and he remains influential to this day.
Rumours begun to circulate as to how Johnson had managed to master the guitar in such a short space of time and a legend grew (not entirely discouraged by Johnson) that in his travels he had met the Devil and traded his sole for his talent.
I am, of course, by no means suggesting that the Devil has anything to do with Daniel Champagne's extraordinary talent, nor that there is any validity to the Johnson Legend.


It's practice, that's all
Practice, practice, practice
A far more feasible explanation to the phenomenon of 19 year old Daniel Champagne is that he started practicing before he was born.

On 'My Own Design', his locally produced debut album. Daniel plays 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars, electric guitars, lap slides, bass and banjo. He sings with a wonderfully pronounced and proud Aussie twang, howling here, hushed there, always confident, fearless and knowing. The same confidence and knowledge informs his writing. All 8 tracks on the album are his own. His lyrics are, for the most part outstanding. Invoking Dylan at times and an early LA 70s mysticism at others, without ever turning his back on an optimism and joy that seems born of his roots here in the Bega Valley



It's his guitar work that really steals the show. Champagne has not only mastered his instrument, he's conquered it. Reaching into Folk, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Rock and other styling’s, with nods to other virtuosos too numerous to mention, Champagne has created a pastiche all of his own.
It's truly extraordinary to hear a musician so fine and adventurous and so much in love with what he's doing. The Joy Leaps out at you and lets you share. Its Goose bump, hair-raising, spine-tingling stuff. Champagne won’t let the guitar rest: He plucks, strums and picks, he slaps and knocks the body, he bends the neck, he flicks off delightfully stinging harmonics, he scrapes out delicious slides, cajoling the instrument to give him more and then soothing it down, even clamping it silent here and there, dropping in perfect pauses when the thing wants to roar.


It must be quite something to see Champagne do this live.
Providing beautiful encouragement to these adventures are Kim Churchill on harmonica, Russell Cook on perfectly understated and understanding percussion, and, most notably, Jack Hobbs on cello.

I cannot recommend this album highly enough
Buy it,
Spread the word,
Something wonderful is happening here
And it’s nothing to do with the devil,
Just intelligent design.
Australian Blues Festival Review – Inpress, March 2009 by Samuel J Fell
On the Friday night it was 19-year-old Daniel Champagne holding the downstairs Astor crowd in the palm of his hand with an approach not unlike that of Preston Reed – Heavy on the guitar percussion and with not a bad voice for one so young, this is one to watch over the coming years. - BDN - January 2009


"Live Review - Australian Blues Festival"

On the Friday night it was 19-year-old Daniel Champagne holding the downstairs Astor crowd in the palm of his hand with an approach not unlike that of Preston Reed – Heavy on the guitar percussion and with not a bad voice for one so young, this is one to watch over the coming years. - Inpress - March 2009


"'Wide Eyed and Open' Review"

Wide Eyed and Open, the second EP from local wonder-kind Daniel Champagne, finds this young musician doing exactly what he should be doing, getting better in all sorts of ways. His debut, My Own Design (2008), presented us with an
astonishing talent, seemingly already at the top of his game. This CD points out what was missing.
Although a rather brief offering compared to Design, Wide Eyed and Open gives us a more complete picture of the emerging artist.
From the first EP and his various live appearances, it was obvious that Champagne was ready to join the ranks of Australia’s best guitarists. So where do you go from there? Keep handing out more of the same or take a risk and develop.
Thankfully, Champagne has gone with the latter option. His voice is maturing, his playing exhibits tasteful restraint (although he still plays with incredible fire when he sees fit), and his choice of material shows us a willingness to explore and experiment.
‘Lady Fait’ opens with a gripping cascade of notes, but then puts the focus on Champagne’s singing, which he’s obviously become more comfortable to rely on.
The strings, (Leif Helland on viola and Jack Hobbs on cello) are high in the mix throughout the EP and they interact beautifully with the guitar’s melody lines, which are given allot of attention and space, far more so than Design’s Pyrotechnics.
It feels like Champagne doesn’t have to keep proving himself this time around. It’s also clear that he’s growing as a melody writer and lyricist.
A cover of Willie Dixon’s immortal ‘Spoonful’ and Champagne powers through it with the jabs, flicks, knocks, slaps and punches that are becoming his trademark. It’s angry and dramatic – a real thrill. Champagne sounds as though he was born to breathe the fire of Chicago blues.
After a brief, stately instrumental Champagne delivers a gorgeous reading of the traditional folk balled ‘The Water is Wide’, with guest vocalist Andrea Kirwin.
Next up is ‘Pendulum’, an intricate and dynamic instrumental that rumbles along like an avalanche of beats and notes, occasionally pausing for a delicate repeated motif.
The EP closes with ‘Forever On My Mind’, a sweet, folkie love song that’s proof positive that Champagne’s lyrical abilities are really blossoming.
The EP’s production (by Champagne and David Sparks) is suitably clean, careful and spare. It certainly leaves us wanting more.

Here’s hoping that the next CD from this magnificent and maturing talent is a good, meaty, full length album. I can hardly wait.
- BDN - March 2010


"Nick Charles Interviews Daniel Champagne"

Nick Charles: I find it exiting and inspiring to witness the rapid growth of a precocious young talent in the guitar world. I suppose it's reassuring to all the rest of us in the 'old school' that our musical world is being let in good hands! Daniel Champagne is a prodigiously gifted guitarist and singer songwriter and I have watched and listened to his musical development almost from his first festival appearance at the Cobargo Folk Festival and other events. Perhaps the most reassuring aspect of Daniel's growing craft is that he not only has the very contemporary percussive guitar skills well in hand but he also has a fine ear for melody and lyrics, a rare combination! He has a new EP just out entitled 'Wide Eyed and Open' and the promise of big things to come.

I detect some formal training in your playing. Did you take lessons and study?

Daniel Champagne: I began playing guitar at 7 years old the usual way, by strumming along to classics of the beetles, Dylan etc. I would play as much as possible, learning from formal lessons and stealing tricks at fireside jams. In high school I was introduced to the classical guitar method and studied the strict AMEB format for six years, which gave me a firm base in guitar technique and the opportunity to soak up some musical ideas that i couldn't get from the popular music floating round at the time. On the side, I would always be fooling around with all sorts of other things...playing in bands, writing my own tunes and performing for whoever I could. I remember being shown a Robert Johnson lick when i was about 15 and I dived head first into the blues, from there to jazz, then into the world of alternative tunings which still feels the most like home to me. So i think that anything i come up with on the guitar is a combination of my just mucking around with possibilities and a firm up-bringing on the instrument.

NC: The percussive and two-hand fret board work reminds me of players like Kaki King and maybe Preston Reed.

DC: Definitely and more! The biggest influence for me has been the late Michael Hedges. He used the whole instrument as a means of expression and i feel there is so much depth and emotion in his compositions. I admire every player that does this style well, Preston, Kaki, Andy Mckee and particularly Eric Roche. But once you have the tools to work with, for me it becomes more about sound rather than just the guitar. I think that these techniques are just an invitation to explore sound and it's possibilities, So the inspiration can come from any form of music.

NC: It's comforting to my mind to hear an attention to melody and the suggestion of more subtle influences within your playing too.

DC: With the percussive guitar technique becoming so popular, often it's the melody that loses out, a shame because that's what will see a tune linger in the memory. For me the ideas come mostly from the classical training I think. A player that springs to mind is Julian Bream. You hear him play Villa Lobos standards or some Bach and can just feel the melody leaping out. I think it's important both how a piece is written and the way in which it's brought to life by the fingers. I believe it's the melody that binds a piece in its entirety. I admire Chet, particularly his late, simpler recordings. The same goes for Kottke, And Tommy Emmanuel’s groove playing and arrangements are great. Richard Thompson and Martin Simpson are two players who marry guitar melody with vocal lines, so I’ve learned allot from all good songwriters and composers.

NC: Nice to hear a thoughtful lyric combined with great guitar!

DC: My dad used to write songs, so I was thinking about the process fairly early. Loudon Wainwright's album albums were often playing around the house and I’m still a huge fan. Also, I can remember as a child being in awe of some songs we'd learn at school, folk standards like 'Wild Mountain Thyme', '500 Miles' and 'The Water Is Wide'. These all hold such colourful imagery and explore big-pictured universal stories in simple verse. In my teens I came across Dylan's Blond on Blond, the first album of his that i got hold of and it turned every thought I had on song writing upside down for a while. To run through some other names - Chris Whitely, Leonard Cohen, Kelly Joe Phelps, Jeff Lang, Ben Harper and Kate Rusby.

NC: Tell me about the new recording.

DC: The EP was recorded through November of 2009 close to where i grew up on the far south coast of NSW. It's produced by me and Pirate Studios owner David Sparks. We put down six tracks including my own songs, instrumentals and reworked traditionals. We wanted to use the striped back relationship between guitar and voice at its core but to have enough other colours there to steer it away from just one dimension. Here i had great pleasure in working with a handful of fine musicians and dear friends on both strings and vocals. The finished work 'Wide Eyed and Open' was released in December 2009 on Pirate Records and is currently available from all shows, my website and some select retailers.

NC: What’s in store in 2010?

DC: Over the next few months I’ll be playing in every state including Easter at both the Byron Bay Bluesfest and the National Folk Festival. Also, I'll be hitting the west coast for the first time and there are plans to go overseas by the year’s end, but that's still on the drawing board for now. I've been overwhelmed by the reception of the EP through reviews, radio play and just general feedback from punters and many people are suggesting that I follow it up soon with the album. Away from performing I want to get back in touch with my classical playing, also search for a Harp Guitar to start exploring some new ideas for my songs, and continue working on my writing skills for strings - Rhythms - March 2010


"Live Review - The Front (Canberra)"

A pleasant spring evening saw Daniel Champagne play to an overflowing Front Cafe that people seizing the comfy spots early to gain a prime location while others resorted to sitting on the floor among the islands of couches the decorate the room. This stron showing gathered to witness the impressive and at times breath taking virtuosity of a young guitarist pushing the boundaries of his instrument into new invigorating territories.
Playing an assortment of covers and self-penned songs, Daniel Champagne performed a relaxing set that enthralled those before him, weaving an impressive tapestry on his stunning Cole Clark acoustic. Demonstrating his more than proficient skills, Champagne made playing the guitar look all too easy, strumming and picking a swirling blend of blues and roots folk; firmly stomping along with the beat fingers dancing up and down the neck in a seemingly stochastic manner, a flurry of notes surging and spiralling before resettling into relaxing grooves made all the more impressive by two handed tapping and percussion achieved through knocking on the guitar body. Champagne puts on a performance that on serves to enrich the music, the impressive physicality of the music intensified by the intimacy of the venue.
In-between pieces Champagne chatted with his audience in a relaxed and laidback fashion, recalling stories from the road and discussing his influences and inspirations, dropping names as quick as his fingers – Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson, Boz Scaggs among the many other legends.

Daniel Champagne’s performance ignited smiles and got feet tapping, proving to be the perfect way to spend a Saturday night.
- Faster/Louder - October 2010


"Live Review - From Canada"

'Today I saw the future of Folk! - Festival goers flocking in their thousands towards main stage to witness the young musical phenomenon from Australia dish out an absolute show-stopper at the evening’s end.

It's not often that what we are told in this industry is reality, but I can tell you...the hype surrounding this kid is!

Daniel Champagne's guitar skills are indeed unparalleled, I've seen all the great players but have never heard such a sound come out of one instrument. Prowling the stage with it swinging around his shoulders and through the air, his hands are a blur as he taps notes with both hands, beats out rhythms on the body and toys with our emotion in a musical rollercoaster running from all out attach to complete silence with a mere slide of hand. Each song is a polished gem delivered in the vein of a old Folk troubadour, yet with an exiting youthful flair. But it's the manner in which he holds his audience...his commanding stage presence, cheeky road stories of a 21yr old on the international circuit and his old school dancing-in-the-crowd, guitar behind the head showmanship that had the audience in hysterics and had me convinced that we've really struck gold here.

In the modern age of Hip Hop and processed rock music where our folk players are getting pushed to the festival side stages in place of the more 'popular' acts. It’s a true joy to see a young performer steeped in our rich folk tradition who is able to hold a festival crowd both young and old with just a guitar, a voice and an old thing called talent!' - Firefly Column - August 2010


Discography

'My Own Design' (EP) - Pirate Records 2008
'Wide Eyed and Open' (EP) - Pirate Records 2009

Photos

Bio

Recently described as 'the most talked-about rising star of Australia's next generation' Daniel Champagne delivers one of the most impressive one-man-shows out there!
Reaching to musical depth’s far beyond his years and a way with the guitar that can only be seen to be believed. Champagne often sounds closer to a three-piece band than the 21 year old singer songwriter guitarist now established as a renowned performer on both the Australian and international stage.

A reputation on his instrument of choice firmly established, recent descriptions of the live show state 'Proof that the acoustic guitars only limit is our imagination' (Lloyd Spiegel) and 'The best young guitarist in Australia' (IFC President). Daniel's playing runs from the instruments soul to way outside of its box. His Signature explosion of 2-hand tapping, body percussion and fiery runs in a swag of different tunings can be expected. As can the jazzy finger picking and tasteful improvisation of someone that first picked up the instrument at seven years old and as it would seem, hasn’t put it down since.

The same versatility can be said for his writing and material. Pulling off setts from intense blues-driven crowd pleasers, experimental compositions, bags of originals to century old Folk and Blues Songs delivered with an exiting youthful flair. As for the voice...'He sings with a wonderfully pronounced and proud Aussie twang, howling here, hushed there, always confident, fearless and knowing' (Jamie Forbes)

In all, a live show to mark as an absolute must see!

Having released two celebrated studio EPs - 'My Own Design' (2009) and 'Wide Eyed and Open' (2010). Daniel has now taken his explosive live show to all corners of his homeland and received an overwhelming response on an international level. He has performed at some of the fore-most world renowned Folk and Blues festivals including Woodford, Byron Bay Bluesfest, Nationals (Australia) Vancouver Folk, Salmon Arm Roots & Blues (Canada) to name a few. After Sharing stages with some of the leaders in acoustic music today and been marked as a true light in its future Daniel Champagne now holds a firm reputation for dropping jaws, breaking guitars and making festivals buzz wherever he goes!

PRESS QUOTES
"Daniel is proof that the acoustic guitars only limit is our imagination. It's a thrill to see a young artist with so much creativity, desire and talent using the instrument in a unique way" (Lloyd Spiegel)

"The best young guitarist in Australia" (IFC President)

"His on-stage presence radiates a musical maturity well beyond his years and a phenomenal method of playing the guitar leaves audiences thrilled' (TE Herald Newcastle)

"It's his guitar work that really steals the show. Champagne has not only mastered his instrument, he's conquered it. Reaching into Folk, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Rock and other styling’s, with nods to virtuosos too numerous to mention. Champagne has created a pastiche all of his own... I cannot recommend this cd highly enough. Buy it, spread the word, something wonderful is happening down here" (BDN)

'A precarious young talent in the guitar world' (Rhythms Magazine)

FESTIVAL APPEARENCES
- Byron Bay Bluesfest
- Woodford Folk Festival
- Queenscliff Music Festival
- Australian Blues Music Festival
- National Folk Festival
- Vancouver Folk Festival (Canada)
- Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival (Canada)

- Fairbridge Festival, Corinbank Festival, Snowy Mountain's of Music Festival, Wallaby Creek Festival, Cygnet Folk Festival, Palm Creek Folk Festival, Red Deer Festival, Illawarra Folk Festival, Mt Beauty Music Muster, Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, Cobargo Folk Festival, Candelo Village Festival, Tilba Easter Festival, Bega Valley Transition Festival, Tuross Music Festival and many more...

PERFORMANCE REVIEW
'Today I saw the future of Folk! - Festival goers flocking in their thousands towards main stage to witness the young musical phenomenon from Australia dish out an absolute show-stopper at the evening’s end.

It's not often that what we are told in this industry is reality, but I can tell you...the hype surrounding this kid is!
Daniel Champagne's guitar skills are indeed unparalleled, I've seen all the great players but have never heard such a sound come out of one instrument. Prowling the stage with it swinging around his shoulders and through the air, his hands are a blur as he taps notes with both hands, beats out rhythms on the body and toys with our emotion in a musical rollercoaster running from all out attach to complete silence with a mere slide of hand. Each song is a polished gem delivered in the vein of a old Folk troubadour, yet with an exiting youthful flair. But it's the manner in which he holds his audience...his commanding stage presence, cheeky road stories of a 21yr old on the international circuit and his old school dancing-in-the-crowd, guitar behind th