Tania
first came to attention with the release of her 1989 debut ‘Heaven
and Earth’ (ABC Records/Polygram) which won her
an ARIA nomination for Best New Talent.
Over
a decade on, the unmistakable voice of Tania Bowra continues to
leave indelible imprints wherever she goes. While much of her
writing is rooted in the singer/songwriter tradition of the early
seventies, Tania is a true soul singer and musician, possessing
the rare ability to communicate the emotional essence of song
through voice, harmony and rhythm. Her songs are timeless and
classic, drawing parallels with artists such as David Gray, Fiona
Apple and the early songs of Elton John.
Fans
of Tania’s music have had to cultivate patience between
her albums but it’s always been worth the wait. August 2004
marks the release of Tania Bowra’s third album ‘Place
in the Sun’ on Craving Records.
‘Place In The Sun’ is produced and arranged by Tania
with help from Sydney producer Matt Fell. The album features some
of Australia’s finest musicians, including Bruce Reid, Clayton
Doley, Terepai Richmond, Hamish Stuart and James Haselwood.
Tania’s
musical life has seen her spend much time overseas – mainly
in London – where she featured regularly at prestigious
venues The 12Bar Club and The Garage, and during which time she
played with singer Eddi Reader (Fairground Attraction)
touring in her band. She toured with acclaimed songwriter Paul
Brady, who personally asked her to join him on a tour of the UK,
and in 1995 Sally Oldfield (sister of Mike) recorded
Tania’s ‘Summer in my Hands’ for
her album ‘Three Rings’ which went on to sell more
than 80,000 copies.
Tania concluded her time in the UK with shows at the 1996 Edinburgh
Festival in the famous Spiegeltent, before returning
home to record and produce her second (self-titled) album. A well
regarded session singer and guitarist, she has appeared on the
albums such artists as Jimmy Little, sistermadly, Red
Rivers, and Sarah McGregor. Tania has also produced several
albums for the ABC, including the gold-selling 'Bird Symphony'
series and the celebrated '0-9' series for Children. She has an
ongoing involvement as producer and tutor for community music
courses including 'The Bondi Wave' and Sydney TAFE's 'Hiphop for
da Ladeez'.
“Strong
in vision and direction, a very mature songwriting talent.”
Michael Smith (Drum Media)
In
keeping with her pop roots, many of Tania’s songs are simply
love or love-lost songs. Whether they are framed as such or as
rhetorical adventures, the songs on ‘Place in the Sun’
are about longing of some kind - longing for love, peace within
or without, simplicity and honesty. At times it’s a longing
for something intangible like the childhood kind, or simply for
a sense of belonging.
Tania’s
music communicates such tenderness and certainty that the result
is an uplifting pleasure to the senses. Here sophisticated song
craft meets tactile sensuality with its feet planted firmly on
the ground.
“Her
voice is deep, alluring and always sympathetic to her songs, which
often juxtapose personal quandaries with a broad environmental
sensibility and place them in moody, atmospheric frames.”
Rolling Stone magazine
“Tania
Bowra is a writer possessed with a supreme sense of melody and
lyrical intelligence.”
Inpress magazine
Tania Bowra’s new album, ‘Place In The Sun’
was released in Australia in August 2004 on Craving Records through
MGM Distribution.
