Blazing out of the blocks comes the enigmatic Sydney duo Lo Five. Their début album, “Singularity” delivers a swag of original grooves that dip in and out of flavours from across the skein of funk history. In a world of sampled mediocrity and regurgitated rehashes, ‘Singularity‘ stands in stark and shining contrast beckoning all you brave adventurers who yearn for a brighter future.
Lo Five are Tam Morris (vocals, ukelele, synth) and Al Goodman (keys, bass synth)
Al Goodman bio:
Writing and recording
Al co-wrote and recorded an EP with Berlin-based band Jack Rabbit collaborating with Australian and Berlin musicians such as Holger Marseille (Jazzanova, Jahcoozi), Jan Stempel (Ricobabes) and Australian jazz singer Kirsten Allison.
Al co-wrote and recorded the Album ‘Crimes of Fashion‘ with Sydney-based band Tracky Dax including the single “DJ“ which received high rotation on radio station Triple J.
Performing
Goodman is one of Australia’s most sought-after pianists. Al has performed and toured with a plethora of Australian artists including Alex Lloyd, Fantine, Skunk Hour, Coda, Rephrase, Groove Terminator, Christine Anu and Jenny Morris amongst many more.
Whilst living In Berlin in 2009, Al formed a close collaboration with Holger Marseille (Jazzanova, Jahcoozi) writing and recording original music in the Berlin band Jack Rabbit. Also collaborating and performing at major German festivals with electro rock band The Man.
Tam Morris bio:
Tam was thrust into the music industry at the age of 19 having co-written a hit song for his sister Jenny Morris. Break in the Weather went to #2 in Australia and found a large audience in Europe due to Tam’s quirky, breathless chorus complimented by the driving, reggae infused rhythm provided by Sly and Robbie and the hip, analogue funk production of legendary producer Nick Launay. Jenny Morris’ B-side track, Fear featured a Lee Hazelwood style vocal from Tam and zoomed into high rotation on the Australian national youth radio station, triple j.
With a publishing deal and a wanderlust Tam headed for England where he struck up a friendship with Danny and Jay Relf, sons of the Yardbirds front man Keith Relf. The three formed a 12-piece funk and groove ensemble called Zoot at the height of Acid Jazz. Zoot appeared at the Bracknell festival sharing the bill with Jools Holland. Tam was finding his feet as a performer and the festival crowd responded to his natural on-stage charisma.
Back in Australia Tam teamed up with his cousin Mat White and formed a jazz funk quintet called Vibrus. Crowds from Kinsellas to the Lyric found the musical maturity and infectious grooves of Vibrus irresistible.
In 1999 Tam finally found his musical home in underground electronica sensation Tracky Dax. Tracky Dax featured Al Goodman on keys, Ivan Jordan on drums and triggers and Tam singing and providing tasty keyboard stabs. Tracky Dax became a mainstay of the Love Seat dance parties of the early naughties. Tracky Dax single DJ was a lament at the death of live music over DJ sets. triple j picked up on the quirky mixture of sarcasm and groove and the track went into high rotation. Tracky Dax’s first album Crimes of Fashion was the perfect party album and received rave reviews from the toughest critics in Australia. Tracky dax enjoyed extensive interstate tour dates.
As Al Goodman spread his wings overseas, the line-up of Tracky Dax was re-shaped to include bass player Tim Curnick (The Hands) and soul singer Vanessa Baker. Ivan Jordan produced the second Tracky Dax album Watch the One which is permeated by Tam’s dark, ironic, post-9-11 psyche.
It was an inspired Al Goodman who returned from the rich musical environment of Berlin to find Tam hungry to create something and re-kindle their beautiful connection through the creation of Lo Five’s debut album Singularity.