This is a collection of original tunes and reworked jazz standards featuring a collection of fantastic musicians I have had the pleasure to make music with.

On this recording I treid to show examples of a lot of the different styles or genres I love to explore. There's everything from swing to rock with some gentle acoustic guitar thrown in.

The guitars I have used in this recording are all exeptional instruments I have been lucky to have found and one in particular I had made for me. That one is my Selmer style guitar (the type Django Reinhardt played). Mine has been made by Sydney luthier Piers Crocker (serial number 010). It is a careful reconstructed hybrid cross of Selmer's 507 and 861 both of which Piers had access to in the making. The other guitars are an Alhambra Spanish made flamenco guitar I got from my good pal and very fine guitarist himself, Cameron Ford. I also use a G & L Leo Fender stratocaster I've had forever. The other guitar featured in this recording is my brother Ian's 1951 ES175 Gibson guitar which I'm still 'looking after' bro!

The songs are mainly recorded at 'jam sessions' I have had with my friends (a few quite unplanned). I selected these tracks from quite a library I had built up in the years 2009 to 2011. I spent a lot of hours carefully mixing and then mastering them to squeeze out the best sonic experience I can from them.

The players featured are;

Stan Valacos a brilliant bassist, guitarist and funny guy who operates a fantastic 'backyard' studio plays on quite a few tracks and I thank him for the use of it and his energy and time.

There's a couple of horn players on this recording and both are inspiring and powerful soloists Richard Booth and Stu Vandegraaff. Thanks fella's.

Tim Bradley my old mate is the most versatile drummer I've ever met. He always adds a lot of colour and plays great.

Fernando Delgado is a great drummer who was living in Sydney for a time but has now returned to his native Brazil where he is forging a big career for himself. Miss you brother.

Eddie Bronson is a musical legend in Sydney. I have worked with him for a long time. He plays accordion and other instruments as well. I thank you maestro.

I had a great jam one day with Bobby Donaldson and Chris Frazier with Richard Booth. I had only just turned on my amp for our session. Back at the Chicken Shack (track 5) is the result.

Daniel Weltlinger I have played a ton of gigs with now. He plays beautiful violin on the track 'Grandpa's Violin' and inspired another couple of tunes on this CD. Watch out for him in Europe and elsewhere.

John Maddox I have played 1000's of gigs now with. He is a phenomenon. I have no doubt he will be remembered as one of the most extraordinary musicians to come out of Australia. I would buy this CD to try and transcribe his bass playing!

Guys the cheques in the mail!

You can look me up on the web www.nigeldate.com, Twitter or Facebook or come say hi at a gig. I do a lot of them.

Hope you enjoy!

Nigel