--- Oceans Apart Biographies --- Below are several biographical articles of various lengths and tone: - About the Performers - About the Band - About the Music - Program Note - Full Article - Contact Information - License Information You are welcome use which ever piece best suits your purpose.* Thank you for your interest! John and Steve ----- About the Performers ----- Musical performances are the sum of the experiences -- on and off the stage -- performers carry with them into the hall. Steve Colby's first love is the banjo (tenor and five string), followed closely by guitar, mandolin and Irish bouzouki. Raised in Columbus, Steve's musical style evolved from the great American folk revival of the 1950's and 60's, later embracing the British Isles and beyond. John Good, brought up with the singing of South Wales coal miners ringing in his ears, has carried his music -- whistles, flutes and Welsh bagpipes -- to the transatlantic stage. Never far from his Celtic culture and language, John's songs and tunes have broadened with time and geography. Wales? Ohio? Oceans Apart! (yet close at heart.) ----- About the Band ----- Oceans Apart, as the name suggests, combine the traditional music from the British Isles and America. The music is taken from the oral Celtic tradition common to Ireland, Scotland and Wales; a tradition -- passed down from father to son for countless generations --that was carried with, and survived the Atlantic crossing of the hungry, disadvantaged and merely adventurous emigres of previous centuries, as, below decks, they danced and played their way to the new world. The instruments are likewise the traditional penny whistles, bagpipes and flute that you would expect, along with mandolins, guitars and banjos picked up along the way. The dances -- jigs, reels and hornpipes -- are likewise embedded in the old-world culture that has flourished on these shinning shores! ----- About the Music ----- Oceans Apart, as the name suggests, combine the best music from the British Isles and America. The crossover doesn't stop there, you will hear a Welsh vocal, an Irish Jig, show tune from the 1940's, Scottish Ballad, favorite pop song from the 50's, 60's, novelty songs from every era, or any one of a large number of American or Canadian perennials. ----- Program Note ----- This international duo has been delighting audiences with their unique blend of music from the British Isles and North America. John Good, a Welshman, draws upon the strong musical background of his homeland and neighboring countries, while Steve Colby, originally from Ohio, brings American and Canadian music of the 50’s and 60’s to the table. Both are gifted multi instrumentalists and superb vocalists who sing from the heart. Their carefully crafted arrangements breathe new life into old and new perennials, using anything from a banjo to a bagpipe, mandolin and harmonica, and who wouldn't like to know what a Scotsman wears beneath his kilt? Whether singing along, clapping hands, or sitting back to enjoy a ballad, in the end the room will be brought to its feet by this duo’s ability to combine the familiar with the unexpected. ----- Full Article ----- Oceans Together... (from the brochure) John and Steve met on a recording session several years ago and since then, they have crafted a half dozen CDs of their own. They have delighted audiences of every imaginable kind with their songs and instrumentals drawn from the inexhaustible wellsprings of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and North America. The music is infectious, ranging from the breathless jigs, reels and hornpipes, through the more relaxed popular songs, all the way along to the ballads and airs. They have performed on network television and have been favorably received locally and nationally by the media. Of their recorded music, one fan recently said, "Indirectly, you were responsible for keeping my wife and I up past midnight. We put the CD on my surround sound system and stayed up listening to it until we forced ourselves to go to bed." A recent high point was the standing ovation at their sold out, Estes Park concert: Only the third given in 30 years! Steve Colby Guitar, Voice, Mandolin Family, Banjo Steve is a multi instrumentalist and vocalist whose interest in music began at the ripe old age of five. His musical interests are diverse but, within the past fifteen years have focused on Celtic, folk, folk-rock and old time Rock n’ Roll. While his first love is the banjo (both tenor and five string), Steve also plays guitar, mandolin and Irish bouzouki. His musical style evolved from the great folk/Celtic music era of the 1950's and 1960's. Over the years he has performed in over two thousand shows ranging from the large stage to intimate settings. He is a firm believer in the concept that the audience should hear the lyrics and is selective about the songs he performs so they convey meaningful and memorable messages. John Good Flutes, Whistles, Welsh Bagpipes, Guitar, Harmonicas, Voice Born in Wales, surrounded by music and poetry and instructed in Classical Music since childhood, John is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and poet. He received a Master’s in music composition at twenty-one and has practiced his trade -- arranger, performer, studio musician, teacher -- in Europe and The United States, ever since. Of his thirty years in America he says, "In San Francisco it was Jazz, in L.A., New Wave and in Phoenix". well it’s back home to the songs, folk tunes and harmony of Wales and her Celtic cousins! ----- Contact Information ----- Voice: 623-939-0209 480-839-6125 E-mail: potelobop@hotmail.com lewisscolby@msn.com Web: www.oceansapartmusic.com www.youtube.com/oceansapartmusic ----- License Information ----- * Copyright 2008 Oceans Apart. You are licensed to use the above text for review purposes, to promote an event where Oceans Apart will perform, or to promote our music. We welcome use on music related websites, both commercial and personal.