Track off the second Ya Gotta Love The Drummers CD out now.   There are two drummers on this track, Scott Hills and Dave Sanders.   This tune got so exciting live at The Bowlo in Lismore that the room nearly imploded.   Martha Baartz said it was one of the most exciting moments of her musical life.

Jim Kelly - Ricky, Don't Chew That Number

The recording of this track commenced three years ago and I finally got around to finishing it.   My wonderful musical co-horts were Scotty Hills, drums & percussion and my very long-time friend Tony Buchanan on tenor sax.  Added to guitar duties I also played bass on the track and I mixed & mastered it here in my Tone Ranger Studio.   The title of the track is my usual penchant for word-play and doesn't have anything to do with weightloss but everything to do with the way my beautiful wife Jules kept her eye on cheeky students trying to get into the gig for nothing when she ran her gigs.

Jim Kelly - Beware The KillerJules

I'm starting on some new tunes for talented singer/songwriter Sue Haworth and thought I'd share one of the last tracks recorded here for her.  Such a poignant message in this tune, beautifully sung too.   Jim Kelly - guitars/bass, Brendan St. Ledger - keys and Scott Hills - drums.

Rhinohorn - Suzy Haworth

Wendy has just come back into my life after 50 years - yippee!   She asked me to enhance a prior version of this tune and after listening we both agreed that we should re-record it.   With the help of my Tone Ranger Studio Production team .. Scott Hills - drums and Brendan St. Ledger - keys, we re-recorded the track and cut a new vocal.  I did my usual one-stop shop effort of playing bass, guitars, arranging, producing, mixing and mastering.   Where's the Tylenol???

We Are Not Alone - Wendy Grace

Another Suzy Haworth track produced and recorded here with Brendan St Ledger - keys, Scott Hills - drums/percussion and me on guitar and bass.   It has just received a Runner Up placement in International Song Of The Year competition.  "The 'Runner Up' placement shows that your song received extremely high scores and was found to be competitive with the winning songs. Only the top writers receive this placement. "   Fabulous news and a great incentive to keep our recording relationship bubbling along for years to come.

Samari - Suzy Haworth

I wrote this tune when I was being heavily influenced by the Spanish flamenco guitarists.   This is why I had the bright idea to call the piece Australusia as a tip of the hat towards Andalucia.   A very young and super-talented Matt Smith (who has been guitarist with Thirsty Merc ever since) who had been my student at SCU for three years.  Matt is playing electric guitar and I'm playing nylon-string guitar and Mandocello.

Onwards & Sideways

Australusia - Jim Kelly & Matt Smith - Onwards & Sideways CD

Lucky ol' me having Nicki moving here to the far north coast with her hubby Brian after living for nearly 30 years in New York. She played for 10 years with Les Paul at the Iridium with some of the world's greatest guitarists sitting in as guests, check it out on YouTube! A current tune I was completing ended up becoming up a great vehicle to feature Nicki and her wonderful double bass playing. Alongside my other trusty cohort, Scotty Hills on drums, Nicki has now become a bone fide member of my ever-growing SoulSyndicate. Hope you enjoy my latest Cinematic Blues tune.

The Games Afoot (New Lead) Jim Kelly & Scott Hills featuring Nicki Parrott

There are only three people on this track - myself playing guitars and bass, Scott Hills - drums/percussion and Tony Buchanan on tenor sax.  With a nod to jazz-fusion group Crossfire which I co-formed in 1974, it's evident that the magic is still there between Tony Buchanan and myself all these years later.  This is the title track to my latest album.

Beware The Killerjules - Jim Kelly & The Soul Syndicate

News of Jeff Beck's passing really hit me hyard.  One of the greatest guitarists ever and it saddened me deeply.  This is a photo of me when I first started listening to Jeff.  One of my young friends, Franco Raggatt played on the track with me and Brendan St. Ledger is on keys, Victor Rounds on bass and Scott Hills on drums.

R.I.P.J.B. Jim Kelly & The Soul Syndicate

This track was written by Adrienne Morgan as a vocal song but she never recorded a vocal final.  She gave me the go-ahead to record her song instrumentally.  There are only two people on this track - me playing guitars and bass and Scott Hills on drums and percussion.

A Great Big Hug - Jim Kelly & Scott Hills

Barry Leef - vocals, Jim Kelly & Franco Raggatt - guitars, Brendan St. Ledger - keys, Victor Rounds - bass and Jo Elms/Barry Leef - backing vocals.

It's A Game from Who Is Who - Jim Kelly/Barry Leef EP

Jim - guitars and featuring my new hand-built 5w amplifier which I have called The Hudson 2 Knobs because it only has one knob on it and you can ponder the rest!  Built by Wayne Hudson from Tamworth, the ultimate bespoke amplifier builder.   Brendan St. Ledger - keys; Scott Hills - drums and Villy (Neville) L'Green, our newest member added to the ever-evolving Soul Syndicate.

2 Knobs Talking - Jim Kelly's Soul Syndicate

Johnny Santo, believe it or not, was instigated by my love of the tune Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny.  I can't believe how far away from that track this tune is now but go figure, that's what inspired it.   All guitars - me, Tim Neal - Hammond B4 organ and Dave Sanders - drums.   Arranged, recorded, mixed and mastered here by me at Tone Ranger Studio.

Johnny Santo - Jim Kelly's Thrillseekers - Johnny Santo CD

I wrote this tune after a trip to Uluru and I tried to capture the expansiveness of the countryside.  I'm playing nylon string guitar & mandocello and the young wizard Matt Smith (who is now in Thirsty Merc) is playing electric.  

Seeing Red with Jim Kelly & Matt Smith

Jim Kelly is known Australia-wide as 'The Guitarist's Guitarist'. He was the co-founder of the Australian jazz-fusion group CROSSFIRE and moved to the far north coast of N.S.W. in 1990 to take up the position of Head of Guitar Studies for the Contemporary Music B.A. course at Southern Cross University, Lismore which he held for 17 years.  Jim now performs with his Thrillseekers band, records, mixes & masters at his studio TONE RANGER STUDIO.   All the tracks on Soundcloud were recorded at Tone Ranger Studio.  For studio info call Jim on (02) 6628 2266 or email:  jimandjules6@bigpond.com for musician-friendly studio rates.

Tone Ranger Studio

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