T & D BIGGER BAND : HILLINGDON

The T&D BIGGER BAND formed at the end of 1992. They are a three piece acoustic line up of fiddle, guitars, double bass and vocal harmonies. Tracy Huirama-Osborne (main vocal and guitarist) used to play solo until meeting Deidre Newall (double bass and vocals) in 1989. Osborne has had previous recording experience with the likes of Mahina Tocker in the early 80's. Newall came from a classical, jazz, punk background having been in a couple of Dunedin Bands - THE VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS and ROLLED NOTES, also with Osborne. Erin Morton (Fiddle, Guitar and Vocals) came back to Dunedin from Australia with a wealth of experience playing in a range of roots music groups over a seven year period. With this combination, T&D BIGGER BAND produce a sweet live sound of mostly original swinging jazz, blues, soul, country and folk. Having all lived at one stage or another in the same street, their first CD (produced by YELLOW EYE) is called HILLINGDON (named after the street of course).

In between cafe gigs, midwifery studies, Critic editing and library assisting HILLINGDON was recorded with Tim Kitto at Strawberry Sound on their digital 16 track. The basis of this release was all pretty much one take, with percussion added via Steve Cournane (co YELLOW EYE label founder) some months later.

T & D BIGGER BAND song OUR LITTLE TOWN, recalling the Aramoana tragedy, also appears on YELLOW EYE's . . . BUT I CAN WRITE SONGS OKEY compilation.

T & D BIGGER BAND : HILLINGDON : REVIEWS

PAVEMENT MAGAZINE : Mark Amery

The world needs groups like this and we're all the better for being able to play them in our own homes. T & D BIGGER BAND are three women weaving together golden harmonies for the cafe set in Dunedin. That's three strong voices (New York's THE ROCHES come to mind), one woody double bass spinning out inventive rhythmic textures and a chattering double bed of guitar. Although the female folk collective is an instrumental cache that can sound like it's breathing in JONI, JOAN and JANIS and not exhalling anything fresh out, T & D throw these well worn references up into the air, while their own song smithery and inventive musical arrangements ensure they're playing on their own ground. Recorded as warm and inviting as this music should be, HILLINGDON is utterly pleasant and occasionally surprising, wothout grating angst or home cooked soporfic sentimentalism. The muffins in this cafe may smell of that wholesome bran but the ingredients keep them from getting stodgy.

REAL GROOVE : Kevin Byrt

HILLINGDON is a street in Dunedin according to the band who describe themselves as "A three piece acoustic bunch of girlies, We like our street" is the way they sum it up, the inner sleeve sporting a photo to give substance to the name. Looks more like a slum clearance project to me, but then Dunedin musicians have never been famous for conforming to the standards of others. Good for them. Acoustic music this definitely is, guitars to the fore and three piece harmonies supporting well structured melodies delivered in a style with definite leanings to the more rootsy side of folk. The modern edge provided by obvious MICHELLE SHOCKED influences, although only the first track SHE comes anywhere near sounding like Shocked - it's more that they haunt the same street corners when it comes to inspiration. The production courtesy of local studio Strawberry has done an excellent job giving the guitars a rich warm sound, something not common in many New Zealand recordings and the vocals are out front in a well balanced unobtrusive way. It took a while to get this group recorded but the final result has more than justified the move.

NEW ZEALAND MUSICIAN : Rolfe Davis

The album is named after a street in Dunedin where all three members of this all woman trio have lived at various times. T & D BIGGER BAND play rhythmic folk overlaid with three part harmony and tons of attitude, making HILLINGDON a rollicking good listen. The singing is the first thing you notice. The trios voices weave in and around their melodies, sometimes coming together for a perfect three part harmony, other times splitting apart for wild call and response passages. On UP COMES THE NIGHT guitarist Tracy Huirama Osborne's vocal has shades of early JONI MITCHELL or our own MAHINARANGI TOCKER - a pure, clean yet bluesy voice which is backed up ably by Erin Morton and Deidre Newall. The band show they are no slouches in the playing department either - Newall's double bass gets a good workout, especially on tracks like the note bending SOUL KITCHEN, and Morton's fiddle brightens up tracks like TRAVELLING LIFE. The songs are embellished by percussion from Steve Cournane. HILLINGDON was recorded at Strawberry Sound with Tim Kitto. Move to HILLINGDON today.

RIP IT UP : George Kaye

Plucked wood geetars, a double bass and a violin shared between a trio of gals means that hardcore grunge ain't on the menu with Tracy and Deidres BIGGER BAND debut. Erin Morton makes up the Bigger bit in the bands endearingly Do-It-Yourself smoke-fired folk and rootsy down home-fare. Best song is the MICHELLE SHOCKED styled SHE and TRAVELLING LIFE is a welcome spot of Irish.