Legendary Australian slide guitarist Dom Turner will join Nikki Brown from Ohio – the woman dubbed the “Jimi Hendrix of Sacred Steel” – in a powerhouse performance in Newport this Sunday.
The Turner Brown Band is playing a gig to promote its mini-album Sliding Steel, performing at the Way Out West Roots Music Club as part of its Australian east coast tour.
For the uninitiated, sacred steel is a Church-based tradition, as Turner explains.
“Generally, in the south in America, in the African American churches, the music line-up is usually organ, guitar, bass and drums,” he said.
He said what became known as sacred steel evolved out of African Americans playing lap steel guitar in church and “it really took off”.
The mini-album was recorded in Toledo, Ohio, in August last year and crosses Southern US Church music with soul, funk and blues.
“It’s very vibrant upbeat powerful gospel/blues music,” Turner said. “The lap steel guitar sounds very much like a voice – it’s very vocal-like.
“With my main band, the Backsliders, I play primarily slide guitar … that’s why we connected.”
They are touring as The Turner Brown Band, which also features Brown’s sisters Gloria (rhythm guitar and vocals), Belinda (bass guitar and vocals) and cousin Tomika (drums and vocals).
“Nikki in particular is quite outrageous on stage,” Turner said. “They’re not only incredible musicians but they’re really amazing singers and performers as people will see if they come along.”
The Turner Brown Band performs on Sunday from 2pm at Newport Bowls Club. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 for Way Out West members.
