THE BLACK SORROWS

Fronted by Oz music luminary Joe Camilleri, The Black Sorrows have been at the forefront of Australian music for decades. The band are renowned for their high-energy live shows, musicianship and infectious raw, rootsy, rhythms.

The Black Sorrows are masters of the eclectic. From gospel to sweet soul, raw blues to country with a hint of jazz and wild rock’n’roll joyrides, no musical style is left in the corner waiting for a dance partner.

2022 saw the band return to the ARIA charts with their 19th studio album Saint Georges Road hitting #1 on the Jazz and Blues chart three times. For Joe it was extra special as the album also represented his 50th career release.

Awarded “living legend” status by Rolling Stone, Joe Camilleri has kicked a staggering number of goals over his 50+ years in music as a singer, songwriter, musician, performer and producer. Camilleri launched The Black Sorrows as a loose band of like-minded musicians in 1984. The independently released album Dear Children, represented a turning point for The Sorrows once CBS/Sony stepped in with a world-wide deal. There have been hits not only in Australia but also in Europe where they still have a loyal legion of fans.

The band toured Europe several times playing songs that have become radio staples like Chained to the Wheel, Harley & Rose and Hold On To Me and Stir It Up. There have been multi-platinum albums and, collectively, sales of over two million records worldwide. The Black Sorrows, in one form or another, haven’t stopped recording or performing since Joe pulled the thing together.

Joe Camilleri is considered one of the most genuinely talented figures in Australian music. As frontman of the seminal 70’s band, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Joe was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007. Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons made their mark on the Australian music landscape with their unique blend of rock ‘ n’ roll, soulful sax and reggae rhythms with hits Shape I’m In, So Young and Hit and Run. Over the years other greats have admired Camilleri’s songwriting including Elvis Costello recording So Young in 1987 and John Denver with Chained To The Wheel and Never Let Me Go in 1989.

The newest version of The Black Sorrows showcases some of Australia’s finest musicians  – Joe Camilleri (vocals/guitar/sax/harp), Claude Carranza (guitar/vocals), Mark Gray (bass/vocals), James Black (keyboards/vocals) and Tony Floyd (drums/vocals)