Multi-award winning musician set to share his heart with Hinterland audiences
By Sonia Isaacs
HINTERLAND audiences are in for a treat with the news that award-winning multi-instrumentalist Karl S. Williams will give two local performances this October.
Having graced some of Australia’s most prestigious festivals, including Bluesfest, Woodford Folk Festival, Dark MOFO, and Tamworth Country Music Festival, Karl’s live shows are courageous journeys into the soul. His music is filled with grit and heartfelt observation as the singer- songwriter connects with his audience through a seamless blend of blues, folk, and gospel-inspired music. His live shows have been hailed as nothing short of extraordinary.
Speaking with GC&M News ahead of his South East Queensland tour, Karl said he had decided to release ‘a bunch of newly recorded solo versions of songs from his 2014 debut album Heartwood.
He explained that the tour was a celebration that coincided with the tenth anniversary of the album’s original release.
“The original album had a band, strings, and all the layers but this is just stripping the songs back to just myself and a piano and a guitar,” Karl explained.
“I love the idea of stripping things back to their essential part. These days I’m leaning more to that sort of sound.
“I just feel like the world we live in now is where everything is so big and huge and busy—so I thought maybe I can contribute something to the world by being not that.”
Karl said his influences spanned a broad scope, from traditional old-time blues and folk artists to storytellers like Nina Simone and Leonard Cohen.
“I find there’s something about these musicians that brings to the fore a deep sense of heart music. That’s the thing that I think is the core of the blues—it’s an expression of the human soul,” he explained. “The very nature of being human is to suffer—I guess it’s the melancholy of human existence and also the very thing that makes the small parts of our lives so sweet and so incredible. “I try to capture a little of that in my music.”
With a career that spans over a decade, Karl has played to audiences both across Australia and internationally. Reflecting on the Sunshine Coast tour, he said it was a privilege to revisit Heartwood a decade later and to share these songs in a new light.
“Recording this solo version has been a rewarding experience, offering a fresh perspective on the music that started my journey.” He added. Audiences can expect to hear tracks from the album, along with some personal favourites from over the years. Karl will be performing at the Maleny Community Centre on Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m. and Eudlo Hall on October 20 at 7 p.m. www. redchair.com.au/what-s-on/ event/600-karl-s-williams.