For 40 years, PBS has been right at the centre of the Melbourne music scene. The strength of the station rests on the fact that our announcers have closely followed the evolution of the bands and artists that make Melbourne the great musical city that it is. Our announcers have actively engaged in the work of some of the most hardworking, innovative and long-standing bands in Melbourne by promoting their gigs, playing their records, and inviting them to play live in our studios. Good radio would not be possible without the strong relationships that announcers have with artists in our community.
As we rewind back to yet another outstanding Studio 5 Live session, we pay tribute to one of these strong relationships. The band is Collard Greens and Gravy, a local blues band that has been active since the mid 1990s. It was back in mid July 2004 that they came in to PBS to record their live session. 16 years later, they are as relevant in the scene as ever, which is why we want to share that classic session with you on Jumpin’ The Blues. The show’s announcer Tom Sianidis is an aficionado of West Coast blues, Jump blues, Texas blues, Chicago blues, New Orleans and Delta blues, Gospel, Zydeco, Swamp blues and local blues. He has been a fan of the band for a very long time and has this to say about them:
For blues fans in this town there is a lot of quality musicians to listen to. One band of many that stands out for me is Collard Greens and Gravy. Formed in the mid '90s playing a raw, hypnotic, Mississippi hill country blues style. The band is now playing a classic Chicago electric blues, mixing original material with some well-chosen classics. They have a very strong back catalogue of recordings all of which I can highly recommend. Tom Sianidis
Tune into Jumpin' the Blues on Wednesday August 5 to revisit this great session from the Studio 5 Live archive. Studio 5 Live is proudly supported by Mountain Goat.
