Songwriter

Originally from Tasmania, Australia, now in London.

I've released 2 CDs, the first in April 2007, entitled Losing Home. The second in March 2008, entitled 3 days, 7 lovers & the philistine. I'm planning a third in 2010.

I started writing songs after watching a Nick Drake documentary sometime in 2004.

I've enjoyed some highs and some lows, some of the highlights have been;

+ Playing at various festivals including Cottingam Springboard Festival in the UK (2010 will be my 3rd) & Cygnet Folk Festival in Tasmania (with my good friend Teinne on drums)

+ Playing live on BBC Radio and ITV outside Hull Football Stadium before the Hull vs. Manchester game in May 2009 (a promotion for the Cottingham Festival)

+ My song 'Come Sweet Home' being played on Triple J. An experimental track under my alias, Aimless

+ Receiving the 2007 People's Choice Award in the Folk Federation of Tasmania song writing competition

+ Opening for Dick Gaughan at his concert in Launceston, Tasmania in September 2007

+ My song 'Mt Improbable' (3 days EP) being played on Tom Robinson's BBC6 Music program in August 2009.

+ Various tours including the 'Flesh & Blood' Tasmanian tour with Adam Cousens in November 2008, 'The Out of My Shoebox' UK solo tour in September 2009, East Coast of Australia tour in October 2009 & Tasmanian tour with Teinne in January 2010

Quotes & Reviews

"What a great singer! Lovely firm, clear playing. Great songwriting" - Tom Robinson, BBC

"Top notch! A great album with deepgoing lyrics - music to tickle your toes, shiver your spine and gladden your heart." - Peter Kessler, Switzerland (CD Baby, Losing Home Review)

"As soon as I heard the very first notes of the very first song on Jay Fraser's album Losing Home my heart started beating faster and I got giddishly excited" - The Dwarf (Losing Home Review)

"His songs are well-crafted and melodic, and as a performer his strong, charismatic vocal style is accompanied by some quite superb guitar picking." - Icarus Club, London

"To stand out from the horde of singer-songwriters in the world of music you need something that marks you as being special; something that causes listeners to realise that they are not hearing more ho-hummery from wailing, angst-ridden, guitar-toting hopefuls. Jay Fraser demonstrates on this CD that he does have something special; that particular something having been developed over the years.." - Mike Raine, Tasmania

"sounds really good buddy!" - Son Of Dave

"Daarnaast treffen we hier ook één cover aan: een nummer van Blind Lemon Jefferson getiteld "One Kind Favor". De eerste song op de plaat "Three Songs" wordt heel fragiel gezongen op minimale muzikale begeleiding. Echt opvallen tussen de grote horde singer-songwriters van deze tijd doet Jay Fraser niet met deze plaat. Dat hoeft natuurlijk ook niet echt, zolang het gebrachte werk maar lekker in het gehoor ligt. En dat is het geval voor songs als "While You Were Next To Me" met knap lap steel werk van Peter Hicks en "Belle" dat door Jay Fraser alleen wordt gebracht met een dun snuifje akoestische gitaar en mondharmonica. Ditzelfde doet hij daarna nog eens identiek over in "Someday Girl" en in "Old Oaks Road". Het intimistische zangwerk wordt op een wijze gebracht die doet vermoeden dat de zanger een verlegen en in zichzelf gekeerde persoon is. Alle songs zijn uitermate geschikt voor de late avond of de vroege nacht en gedijen waarschijnlijk het best bij schemerduister. Als je op zoek bent naar wat vrolijkheid moet je deze plaat echter niet in de cd-speler steken. (valsam)" - Rootstime.be, Belgium

The Miller
Fri 17th Sep 2010
96 Snowsfields Road, London Bridge, London SE1 3SS
Doors 7PM for 7.30 start  [more]