A Profile of Rod Garfield "The Man, The Music"

Some of the world's top lead guitarists including:
Eric Clapton, Thin Lizzie's "Robbo" Robinson and Snowy White, have backed him in clubs and concerts.

CLUSTER:
Back L to R: John Kitchener* (drums), Kevin Dyson (lead Guitar, Vocals), Rod Garfield (harmonca, Vocals), Jim Johnson (keyboards).
Front L to R: Dave Knowles (sax), Derek Perris (bass) Sadly deceased.
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Rod is regarded in his homeland as a UK Blues Legend and was once quoted by BBC Radio One Blues Show Presenter, Alexis Korner as "the best white blues harmonica player in the world".Yet the man in question - blues singer and multi - instrumentalist, Rod Garfield, is relatively unknown internationally because, as one of Europe's most successful PR/marketing consultants, during a 30 year career, he treated his music activities as strictly 'low profile' in the interest of his clients.
 The artists Rod has been invited to session with since the early 60's reads like a who's who of the music industry, including:
Sonny Boy Williamson
John Lee Hooker
Louisianna Red
Champion Jack Dupree
Dizz Dizzley
Jess Roden
Barbara Thompson
And of the "Woodstock" fame - Matthews Southern Comfort, to name but a few!

Rod appeared as a special guest of Alexis Korner at major gigs, such as the Reading Rock Festival for over 20 years. As a harmonica player, he has featured on recording numerous sessions, including the production of a BBC TV film soundtrack with folk giants Peggy Seager and Ewan McCall. Since moving to Australia, Rod has been inspired to write songs, including four compositions - Strahan Girl, Gypsy Dancing, Millennium Blues and Jessica's Story which are to be featured on his latest CD

Rod is also planning to promote what he calls "the best music he has ever composed" - a musical stage production entitled The Rainforest Suite - a wide-ranging composition incorporating modern ballet and dance. As well as music derived from a broad cultural base, the production ranges from classical to contemporary music and has the potential of being a major arts event. Rod features on grand piano, timpani, harmonica and guitar. Already over half the movements are fully orchestrated on DAT/CD.
The ballet has recently received great reviews at a preview performed by a Polish Ballet Company, in Poland. Rod is currently seeking sponsorship to record the last movement featuring Australian musicians in order to give the ballet even greater global music appeal.

A web site incorporating The Rainforest Suite is currently under construction.

One of the UK's new generation of successful blues duo's J.C. & Angelina have written and recorded a song - The Ballad of Rod Garfield as a tribute to his special contribution to the blues' and is the title track of their latest CD.

1987 saw the formation of The Rod Garfield Blues Band, whose headlines include the famous Redcar Bowl in Newcastle. At the Farnham Maltings Blues Festival, Rod's band was promoted as the "awesome foursome". The band has also set a record as being the longest standing residency at the famous Hamster venue in the UK, where they played for eight and a half years. The band is revered publicly in the UK for staging many charity concerts and at one event, raised £20,000 for Imperial Cancer Research.

As well as fronting his band, Rod also has a big following as a solo artist, playing a nine string bottleneck guitar and making his 1950 Gibson J45 really "talk" - with material ranging from traditional, contemporary and self-penned, blues, jazz and rock.

A featured artist at the Tablelands Folk and Rock for the Rainforest festivals, Rod toured Tasmania in 1999 where he headlined the Rosebery, Forth Valley Blues and the Penguin festivals and appeared as a special guest at the Westbury St. Patrick's Day and AGFEST events. He also performed seven live unplugged sessions/interviews on radio throughout Australia and TV performances/interviews. With more time to dedicate to his music, Rod is now giving it his all to spread the magic of blues to a wide reaching audience.