Oli Brown

OLI BROWN

“ a real talent that should have a great career” says Joe Bonamassa
“Oli is MY hero” Walter Trout

Up until 2002, Oli Brown had never picked up a guitar, yet by 2006 (at just 16) he had toured in America, TWICE, opened for Blues royalty such as Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Taj Mahal and shared UK stages with artists like Walter Trout, Paul Jones, Robben Ford and even the Godfather of British Blues, John Mayall.

Such hallowed connections only serve to reaffirm the belief, that for many, Oli is the most promising Blues man to emerge from Britain in many a year. Not only a guitar prodigy but also a singer, songwriter and consummate performer. This is a young man who shows total dedication to the genre he loves.

Carl Gustafson (from the American Blues band, Blinddog Smokin’) told Oli that he should put his own band together, so in late 2006 Oli did just that and with a bass player and a drummer formed The Oli Brown Band. March 2007 saw their first performance at The Walnut Tree Shades in Norwich..

Just one month into gigging, Paul Jones saw and heard the potential and invited Oli to do a live session for his BBC Radio 2 show. The session was aired May 14 2007 and received rave reviews.

In 2007, not only did Oli perform at numerous UK venues, but he also went to the States for two months as a playing guest of Blinddog Smokin’ and performed in Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado.

2008 and The Oli Brown Band was selected to perform at the 24th International Blues Convention in Memphis, Tennessee. ( Oli and his band were the ONLY UK act to be chosen to represent Britain at this prestigious event !! )
Whilst in Memphis Oli was invited to record at Ardent Studios, by John Fry himself, not only to cut a couple of tracks, but also to record a live session for their “Ardent Session” (a weekly radio transmission). It is worth pointing out this The Oli Brown Band live session had over 1.4 million hits in just three weeks !

Oli signed to the major Blues label, Ruf Records, in January 2008 and went into the studio in March 2008 to cut the tracks for his debut album “OPEN ROAD” it was released in June 2008 and received great reviews.
The readers of Blues Matters! Magazine voted OPEN ROAD the number 2 Blues release of 2008 (number 1 was Oli’s hero Sean Costello)

Here are just a few of the reviews for “OPEN ROAD”

“has the Blues under his fingernails” Classic Rock
“a debut that lives up to expectations” Mojo
“the future of the Blues is evidently bright” Guitarist
“definitely one for the present as well as the future” Guitar and Bass
“a sparkling debut” Sunday Express

2008 saw The Oli Brown Band gigging extensively in the UK and included opening for artists such as Johnny Winter, Robben Ford, Walter Trout, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Devon Allman, Jon Cleary and Buddy Whittington.

Oli also spent the month of August 2008 gigging in America alongside Sherman Robertson, Miss Blues, Billy Branch and Blinddog Smokin’.

2009 had The Oli Brown Band doing the UK sell out “OPEN ROAD TOUR” in association with HMV.
Oli also carried out a European tour with Ruf Record’s Blues Caravan.

The year also saw Oli being endorsed by a number of companies, Vanquish guitars (who now market an Oli Brown signature model), Hofner guitars, Kustom amplification being some of them.

2010 sees the release of the eagerly awaited follow up to OPEN ROAD.
The new album is called HEADS I WIN TAILS YOU LOSE and is produced by the legendary Mike Vernon (Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall etc) it features 12 terrific tracks (2 covers, 8 Oli Brown originals and 2 Oli Brown/Mike Vernon originals) and further proves the prowess of this young performer.

There is an Oli Brown tour in Germany, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Finland.
Oli will also be touring the UK with the New Generation Blues dates and can be seen at Glastonbury on their first Blues/Jazz stage.
Towards the end of the year Oli flies to play in America, New Zealand and finishes 2010 with a number of additional UK dates.

Haven’t seen Oli perform ? Here are some comments from people that have,

“one of the best and brightest guitar heroes performing in the world today” Classic Rock
“a real talent and should have a great career” Joe Bonamassa
“Oli is MY hero” Walter Trout
“East Anglian whiz kid not to be missed” Paul Jones (Manfred Mann, The Blues Band, BBC Radio 2 )
“Blues prodigy set to shake the British scene out of its slumber” Classic Rock
“Oli is the most promising Blues man to emerge from Britain for a long time” Blues Matters magazine
“more soulful and rhythmically creative than a Zulu war drummer !” Elmore (American music magazine.)
“the real deal” Blues in Britain magazine

Oli’s website, www.olibrownband.co.uk, has some great video coverage of his performances and full details of forthcoming gigs.