RUTHIE FOSTER

(USA)

Wednesday 6 March, 2013

Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

ONE NIGHT ONLY

The soulful, Grammy Award-nominated musician, Ruthie Foster powers on to the Great Hall stage on 6 March as part of Auckland Arts Festival 2013.

Armed with her phenomenal voice and accompanied by her rockin' band, Foster will be singing songs from her 2012 album Let it Burn as well as the refreshing and revelatory reinterpretations of songs by artists as diverse as Adele, the Black Keys and Johnny Cash that she's renowned for. When Foster was last in Auckland, she opened for BB King and scored a standing ovation from the packed-out crowd.

A vocal chameleon, Foster's music blends Southern blues, folk roots, gospel, jazz and country. She is often compared to the legendary artists who inspired her, with the Philadelphia City Paper noting, "Ruthie's drawn comparisons to Ella and Aretha, but musically neither is really close. What she does have in common with Fitzgerald and Franklin is the irresistible blaze. It's impossible to look away, even close the eyes, for one second."

Hailing from rural Texas, Foster's musical inspiration is drawn from a variety of sources: hymns taught to her by her mother, Beatles songs from her guitar teacher, her uncle's 45s, the country variety shows she watched with her grandfather and the pop songs that played on the family radio.

At age 14 Foster had her musical debut as a choir soloist, followed by years touring with a blues band and the US Navy Band. She later moved to New York where she expanded her musical repertoire, performing at folk venues and collaborating with other singer-songwriters. Eventually, she moved home to Texas to nurse her ailing mother. Since then, Foster has produced six solo albums and won a string of awards including a 2010 Grammy Award nomination for her album The Truth According to Ruthie Foster.

In addition to leading her own band and touring internationally, Foster has also collaborated on stage and recordings with a range of artists including Warren Haynes, Big Head Todd, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Bibb and Paul Thorn. She's a regular favourite at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Monterey Blues Festival, Merlefest and the Kate Wolf Festival. Her latest album Let it Burn features performances with The Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell and the rhythm section of The Funky Meters.

www.aaf.co.nz

Foster's voice is simply drop-dead gorgeous, and her ability to wrap it around any musical genre - blues, jazz, folk, funk, soul - she chooses just makes it that much more spell-binding. - Elmore Magazine

The power of Ruthie Foster's voice carries the music, rather than vice versa. It is a voice that was raised in the church that has the power of that true soul singing that comes right out of the tradition that bred such voices as Mavis Staples, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, and James Brown. - Dirty Linen

When someone with real chops like Ruthie Foster steps up, attention must be paid - The Boston Globe

CONCERT DETAILS

Show Ruthie Foster

Where Great Hall, Auckland Town Hall

When Wednesday 6 March, 8pm

Duration 1hr 30min approx

Age All ages welcome

Price A Res $65 / Friend/Conc/Group $59

B Res $53 / Friend/Conc/Group/ $48

Bookings Book at THE EDGE: www.buytickets.co.nz / 09 357 3355 / 0800 289 842

Group bookings: groups@the-edge.co.nz / 09 357 3354

Information www.aaf.co.nz

Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/Aklfestival

Twitter: @Aklfestival

Video http://www.youtube.com/ruthiefoster

Media enquiries Siobhan Waterhouse, Publicist. P: +64 (0)9 374 0317 | M: +64 (0) 22 126  4149 | E: siobhan.waterhouse@aucklandfestival.co.nz