By Stevie Connor.
New Orleans piano, funky Hammond Organ, and raw bluesy vocals, Dillion James has been pumping life into the Brisbane live music scene for two decades with his energetic funky blues style.
Influenced heavily by the pioneers of New-Orleans piano & funky Hammond Organ, he has re-birthed the sound and encapsulates the tone of an earlier era. The release of three singles in 2023 has broadened his following, and launched him into the centre of the stage.
Bringing the freedom from the hills of the Atherton Tablelands to the heart of the city, Dillion has earned his bread in almost every town in Queensland and Australia along the way.
Whether working as a farm hand, electrical engineer, or playing the blues in the local night club or pubs, he knows how to get the job done. He engages his crowd, and writes songs that have something for the whole community.
Whether holding the spotlight in his own right or slotting in as a session musician, his ability to tickle the ivories has long been recognized within the music industry. He has performed in several countries internationally including the USA, and has played on some of the biggest stages in Australian blues music including, Bluesfest, Blues on Broadbeach, Woodford, Mitchell Creek, and many more.
When performing with his band or solo, Dillion's raw gusto is an instant impact onstage. He enjoys being part of the glue that binds melody and rhythm together, and like a real blues-man, has paid his dues well and truly.
With roots firmly embedded in New-Orleans flavoured Blues, Dillion James has re-birthed the Hammond Organ and Boogie-woogie piano, enveloping the classic tone associated with an earlier era. After Travelling the length of the Mississippi more than a decade ago, Dillion returned to Brisbane tickling his piano with an extra jink and a jive. He has cemented himself as a mainstay in local blues and brews events in SEQ, and is a founder of the West End Blues Festival, in brisbanes iconic entertainment district. He has often been introduced as Brisbane's funkiest bluesman.
He integrates complex and diverse rhythms within his original songs that provide the perfect context for his socially critical messages and growling bluesy lyrics. And he also takes the crowd back to the good old days with renditions of Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Greg Allman, and Booker-T.
Often sitting in on keys with touring artists 8ball Aitken and Darren Jack, as well as local artists Angela Fabian and Mojo Webb, Dillion enjoys being part of the glue that binds melody and rhythm together.
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