Mike Brosnan

b. 3 April 1950, Rotorua, New Zealand. Brosnan started playing piano at the age of five, before joining the Derelicts, a Shadows cover band, in the mid-60s (one fellow member, George Barris, continues to play bass with him to this day). The Derelicts later evolved into Nucleus. His first exposure to blues came when Barris played him the debut album by John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. From then on he embarked on a lifelong odyssey of blues discovery. Rev. Gary Davis and Blind Baker were his greatest influences, alongside local musician Carl Wyant, whom he met after a spell in the armed forces. He has released a series of albums for his own Flying Kiwi Music Company, which are now distributed through Australian record company Shop Records. Most reveal his trademark penchant for experimentation, frequently employing outside musical influences and welding them to a blues base. His live performances also reveal this affable musician to be fond of extended storytelling breaks between songs.