To celebrate Jim Kelly's bithday, here is our 2020 podcast interview. One of my personal favourite interviews. I hope you enjoy it. Stevie.

My guest today is Australian guitar legend, educator and studio owner, Jim Kelly.

Jim has firmly established himself as a leading Australian contemporary jazz and blues guitarist, composer and educator whose reputation goes well beyond Australian shores.

In 1975 Jim co-formed CROSSFIRE – Australia’s most celebrated jazz fusion group.

From 1975-87 Jim perfected the rigorous demands of the recording studio and became a highly sought-after session player performing on countless jingles, documentaries, film scores plus pop and jazz artists’ albums.

Jim also performed and recorded with Australian artists Kerrie Biddell, Renee Geyer, Johnny Farnham, Debbie Byrne, John English, Tommy Emmanuel, Erana Clark, Don Burrows, James Muller and Dale Barlow, to name but a few.

The 90’s saw a change of lifestyle for Jim with a move to Northern NSW to lecture at Southern Cross University, Lismore where he was Head of Guitar Studies for 17 years.  

Jim has since resigned from full-time academia and now runs a recording studio from his home – TONE RANGER STUDIO.

He has produced many fine albums and has quickly achieved the reputation of becoming a world-class Producer and Mixing/Mastering engineer. 

 Jim is a musician dedicated to the art of improvising, composing, performing and teaching and is always searching for new ways to expand his musical horizons.

So ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Mr Jim Kelly.

This conversation was recorded 16/12/2020.

Intro music: Heaven Scent - Jim Kelly (Ya Gotta Love the Drummers).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here to securely donate or tip The Gig Life Podcast via PayPal.

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

The Gig Life Podcast:

• Website
• 
  
• 
  
• Instagram
• 
  
• 
  
• Facebook 
• 
  
• 
  
• Twitter
• 
  

My guest today is Luke Davison.

Drummer for The Preatures, Dean Lewis, Delta Goodrem and more.

Humble, thoughful and a real player.

We chat about his early days growing up in Sydney, working at Drum City, learning from legends like Pete Drummond and Reece Cameron, and chasing the dream of being a session guy before finding his groove in original bands.

We talk about the various projects Luke is involved in including The Preatures & Dean Lewis, learning songs, dodgy record deals, and some lessons learned along the way.

A great hang, and one I reckon you’ll really dig.

For more information on Luke:

• Luke Davison - Instagram

This conversation was recorded on 16/7/2025 @ Church St Studios

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gift back to The Gig Life Podcast

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Follow

Leave a review

The Gig Life Podcast

My guests today — joining me all the way from New Orleans — are Charlie Wooton and Arsene DeLay.

Charlie’s a monster bass player, originally from Lafayette, Louisiana. He’s toured the world, played with legends like Cyril Neville, Doug Wimbish, and Sonny Landreth, and carved out his own sound blending zydeco, Cajun, funk, and soul with his band, Zydefunk.

Arsene? What. A. Voice. She’s from New Orleans and comes from a long line of jazz royalty — all soul and class. Together, they’ve created some incredible music, including their latest project, Blue Basso.

This August, they’re bringing their Louisiana magic down under for an Australian tour, hitting stages across Sydney, Canberra, and Melbourne — and playing alongside some of our finest, including Ray Beadle, Jamie Cameron, Shannon Stitt, and Geoff Achison.

In this chat, we dive into their musical roots, the story behind Blue Basso, life in New Orleans, and their upcoming Aussie shows. It was certainly an education for me in the music and history of Louisiana.

For more information on Charlie and Arsene, as well as tour dates and links:

• Charlie Wooton – Instagram
• Arsene DeLay - Instagram
• 
  

This conversation was recorded on 26/6/2025

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gift back to The Gig Life Podcast

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Follow

Leave a review

The Gig Life Podcast

My guest today is Brett Garsed.

A guitar virtuoso, Brett is renowned for his work with John Farnham and is also well known for his hybrid picking technique and legato-style guitar playing. “Brett Garshred,” some call him.

Brett takes us through his musical journey, including the John Farnham gig, his time with the band Nelson, and collaborations with drumming legends like Virgil Donati, Bobby Rock, Gerry Pantazis, and Dennis Chambers — plus much more.

Check out Brett's "Hybrid Picking" and "Legato" educational material at Guitar Vivo

Check out Horizon band.

You can find more info on Brett at his Facebook and Instagram 

This conversation was recorded 25/06/2025 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gift back to The Gig Life Podcast

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Follow

Leave a review

The Gig Life Podcast

My guest today is Ali Foster.

From growing up in Western Sydney with a musical family, to earning stripes in jazz at the Con, hitting the road with the Hussy Hicks, playing with Beccy Cole, and sharing practice sessions from the back of her van — Ali’s journey is all groove and grit. Life on tour, journaling for clarity, and learning to swing from the ride cymbal up, Ali’s the real deal. 

For more info on Ali, check out her Instagram 

This conversation was recorded 04/06/2025 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gift back to The Gig Life Podcast

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Follow

Leave a review

The Gig Life Podcast

First published in 2021, A Few Gig Tales is coming back! Check out this previous episode in the popular series. 

This is A Few Gig Tales #2.

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes?

In this sub series of The Gig Life Podcast, you will hear some interesting tales, stories, anecdotes of life on the road, stage and studio, told by the musicians and artists that were there.

Sometimes the names will be changed or removed to protect the innocent and guilty.

Todays episode features 3 tales.

First up is Virginia Lillye with a story about a chance meeting at Frankies Pizza in Sydney.

Warning. Some of these stories contain adult themes, drug use and some rather bright language, so listener discretion is advised.

For more info and past episodes of The Gig Life Podcast featuring Virginia, Tony and Fran, visit thegiglifepodcast.com or search in your favourite podcast app. 

Also check out:

Kora:  https://www.facebook.com/KoraOfficial

Virginia Lillye: https://www.virginialillye.com.au/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gift back to The Gig Life Podcast by Buying me a Coffee

My guest today is Chris Kamzelas

A guitarist from Sydney, Chris first came onto my radar back in the early 2000s as he was part of the Australian Idol band.

He was also in the first band of The Voice Australia. Since then he’s gone on to play with everyone!

Back in 2019 we did a guitarists roundtable podcast which Chris was part of the panel.

Currently part of Russel Crowes band, The Gentleman Barbers, he also plays around town in The Rocking Byrds amongst others, and he has some new music out. A song he wrote about his father called Song for Angelo. Check it out. 

For more info on Chris, check out his Instagram and Facebook. 

This conversation was recorded 21/05/2025 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Buy Me a Coffee to gift back.

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Follow

Leave a review

The Gig Life Podcast

Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes?

In this sub series of The Gig Life Podcast, you will hear some interesting tales, stories, anecdotes of life on the road, stage and studio, told by the musicians and artists that were there.

Sometimes the names will be changed or removed to protect the innocent and guilty.

Todays episode features 3 tales:

Warning. Some of these stories contain adult themes, so listener discretion is advised.

For more info and past episodes of The Gig Life Podcast featuring Phil, Fab and Victor, visit thegiglifepodcast.com or search in your favourite podcast app. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here to securely donate or tip The Gig Life Podcast via PayPal.

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

• Website

My guest today is Ben Todd.

From Adelaide and from a long family line of drummers, Ben spent 13 years with Cirque du Soleil as drummer and musical director and these days plays with Dojorise, The Superjesus as well as other theatre shows including Beauty and The Beast which he is currently on.

Be also has a podcast./YouTube channel called Drummers Perspective.

For more info on Ben, check out his Instagram and Facebook. 

This conversation was recorded 01/05/2025 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here to tip The Gig Life Podcast.

Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Follow

Leave a review

The Gig Life Podcast

Yo, Stevie Taylor here.

As you may know, I was born and raised in a small town in Wairarapa region on NZ called Masterton.

Recently I was invited onto a local Wairarapa radio show called Everyday People on Arrow FM. Hosted by Camille Watkins.

If you want to hear a little bit about my early days back there in NZ and how we got to be where we are today, keep listening.

Hope you dig it.

Check out the video here. 

This conversation was recorded 05/03/25

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click here to securely donate or tip The Gig Life Podcast via PayPal.

The Gig Life Podcast