Darcy Perry became part of the New Zealand blues scene in the early 90s when he started playing bass guitar for Manawatu bluesman Tura ‘Bullfrog’ Rata. A decade later Perry released his debut album as a guitarist, ‘Blues 4 Dad’, dedicated to his father Ross Perry who died of Cancer March 5th 2002. The rave reviews that followed its independent release saw the formation of the Darcy Perry Band.
The band began performing in pubs, bars and venues around the country. In October 2002 they made their first television appearance, playing live on the Good Morning Show. Then in April 2003 they were invited to the National Jazz and Blues festival in Tauranga. Entering the district relatively unknown, they played 2 gigs that had crowds overflowing onto the streets. They became the talk of the town after their passionate performances.
At the end of 2003 the main studio at Stebbing was booked to record the original blues album, ‘Don’t Hold Back’. The resulting twelve songs (recorded in a tight three day schedule) were written and arranged by the band with a drive to capture the energy and magic that people experience at their live shows.
Appearances for 2004 started with the huge Blues Brews & BBQs event at Blake Park, Mount Maunganui. A welcome return to the Bay of Plenty, for the National Jazz Festival saw an increase in the band fan base and an almost fanatical rush to grab a copy of the new ‘Don’t Hold Back’ CD. Other highlights included featuring in the Roots Music series (on the new Maori TV channel) and playing live on Hyundai Sports Café.
Last year they were busy performing at various venues in Auckland including The London Bar, Occidental Belgium Beer Cafe, Lincoln Green and the Kings Arms. They headlined at both the Blues Brews & BBQs in Mount Maunganui and Hawkes Bay. Their third year at the Tauranga Jazz Festival was hugely successful. The band also made their first appearances at the Mission Bay Streetfest, Pasifika and the Auckland Food & Wine Festival.
New Zealand Music Month 2005 saw their first performance at Sky City. The entertainment management at Sky City were so impressed with the show, that the band were immediately secured for two nights in the New City Bar for the third AB vs. Lions test.
The Darcy Perry Blues Band have established themselves on the underground blues scene as a force to be reckoned with. Their award winning album (‘Don’t Hold Back’) has garnered righteous acclaim from critics and roots music fans alike. With a loyal following from their travels, fans can look forward to the next album which the band recorded in October 2005 at Revolver.
‘Heavy Rain’, the title of the new album, is being released in July 2006 on RMA (Roots Music Aotearoa). It consists of twelve new original tracks highlighting the band’s ardent appreciation of electric blues.
The Darcy Perry Band are:
Craig Bracken (Harmonica)
Paul Merriott (bass)
Simen ‘Blue Keys’ Taylor (piano)
Darcy Perry (guitar, vocals)
Justin Roys (drums)
