The politics and ideology of Blue King Brown are just as hot as their grooves. It was no surprise then, to catch singer songwriter Nat Ap’apa’a during a talk delivered by Aboriginal activist Gary Foley in her new hometon of Melbourne. Booked to play a gig in conjunction with Gary’s appearance at the Spanish Club in Fitzroy, it seems like Nat rarely puts her guitar down, and never her politics.

Blue King Brown are a relatively new Australian band and are self-proclaimed proponents of ‘new roots’. A bit of reggae, a bit of dancehall, some funk, soul and lots of percussion could be another way to put it. While the band only played their first show together last November, singer-songwriter Nat has a rich and colourful history within music, and socially, thanks to her multicultural upbringing. Growing up with her Samoan mother in Melbourne, she also spent a lot of time with indigenous Australians growing up. Mix in a father who is part Mexican and part native American, and her passions for human rights, deep earthbound grooves and percussion makes a lot of sense.

When asked about her early interests in music, Nat thanks her mother for her better than average taste. When she was ten Nat had her hair set in dreadlocks to look like Bob Marley, and by the age of thirteen she had give sports the flick in favour of her new love… the acoustic guitar. Nat knew from when she first picked up the instrument that she would become a musician first and foremost. As for the rest of Blue King Brown, Nat and her musical partner Carlo hand picked them from the thriving (and slightly incestuous) Melbourne scene, and called the band to arms.

The Blue King Brown sound began when she moved to Byron Bay and met the band’s bass player, Carlo. The pair ‘hung out’ and did ‘lots of drumming’ including a fair swag of street performance. The pair quickly developed an audience and a reputation to match, with their beat savvy hands winning them guest spots with John Butler Trio, Spearhead, The Cat Empire and many more. Some of these guest spots were at major events, including the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, WOMADelaide, Woodford Folk Festival and the Big Day Out.

After moving back to Melbourne with Carlo in tow, the pair spotted and approached the local players they wanted to flesh out their sound and complete Blue King Brown. With keys, drums and percussion forming the core band, their debut CD (released in August) also features horns, strings and tabla… and no doubt when the full album recording session begins next year they’ll all be back. A long time admirer of Fela Kuti’s enormous African percussion section, Nate laughs at the the idea of expanding BKB to include another eight percussionists.

As chief songwriter and spokesperson for the band, there’s much more to her than a string of infectious grooves and a soulful voice. She states that ‘the whole band has a good idea of what’s really going on in the world today’ but not unlike Michael Franti from Spearhead, she’s the most outspoken. One of Nat’s major objectives is to encourage critical thinking, and socio-political awareness… and has high hopes that the words of her songs will encourage her listeners to dwell on her ideas and sentiments. Triple J picked up the first track on their CD ‘Water’ and put in on high rotation, complete with its lyrical warning about the age of white upperclass exploitation. She’d really like to expose the systems that the keep the poor and underprivileged in a state of disadvantage… and her recent reading of Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ has added more even more fuel to her fire.

Armed with words, music, a hot band and a noble cause, Nat, Carlo and the rest of BKB are hitting the road. In their band’s short lifespan they have already been up the East Coast twice and are covering new ground with gigs in Adelaide and Perth, before doing it all again in the coming months. Nat finds the road trips great for friendships and for creativity. This weekend they’re playing Adelaide’s Enigma Bar with fellow Melbourne groovers and thinkers TZU. She’s looking forward to the visit, and expresses her fondness for Adelaide with ‘Womad’s awesome’ as she reminisces about another gig during a previous Adelaide Festival. Yes, they’ll be back in Adelaide for the Fringe in 2006 too, with their first gig under the Spiegeltent. Look out for Blue King Brown all over the country this summer… if the pace of progress keeps up for this band, they’ll be hard to miss!

Here is the start of BKB’s Summer tour schedule… more details and further dates are available at their website: http://www.bluekingbrown.com

26th NOV. – ENIGMA BAR, ADELAIDE, SA (WITH TZU)
27th NOV. – ‘THE BLACK GST BENEFIT GIG’ @ THE SPANISH CLUB, 59-61 Johnston St, Fitzroy, Melbourne (with SYMBIOSIS + COMBAT WOMBAT)
2nd DEC. – THE BRASS MONKEY, 115a Cronulla Street, Cronulla.(supporting Diana Anaid)
3rd DEC. – FOLK RHYTHM & LIFE FESTIVAL, Bilyana, VICTORIA
8th DEC. – THE ESPLANADE HOTEL, St Kilda, Melbourne (with SKIN percussion, FRONT BAR)
9th DEC. – THE SPANISH CLUB, 59-61 Johnston St, Fitzroy, Melbourne (with TROJAN HORNS)
11th DEC. – PEATS RIDGE FESTIVAL, Glenworth Valley, NSW
14th DEC. – THE CLARENDON, 68 Lurline Street, Katoomba, Blue Mountains
15th DEC. – THE ANNANDALE HOTEL, Sydney
16th DEC. – FESTIVAL OF THE SUN, Port Maquarie, NSW