Blackwood is a three-piece cover band based in the Belgrave/Monbulk area.
Our repertoire ranges from acoustic golden oldies/easy-listening songs and a bit of jazz, through to bluesy rock and good old dance-off-the-dessert rock.
Blackwood is the band you call on to deliver classic hits from the Rock and Roll era of the 50’s, through the psychedelic 60’s and 70’s and the bold brassy harmonies of the 80’s into the modern bands and soloists from the last 30 years.
We have an extensive lists of popular country music and a selection of jazz songs including some standards.
Peruse our music sets and take some time to listen to the ‘grabs.’
As a three-piece band we have a smaller footprint than most, with a wide range of musical ability and talent!
The band is suitable for weddings, functions, fêtes, parties, celebrations, or any other excuse you can think of for hiring a band to entertain you and liven up an event.
Note: we will always require wheelchair access at our gigs!
(for more grabs, visit the ‘Sets’ page!)
MEET THE BAND
Chris Walker
PIANO, GUITAR, BASS GUITAR, UKULELE, THEORY OF MUSIC
I began music lessons, like all ‘boomers and post-‘boomers, with piano lessons at the age of eight. My early musical interests were restricted to classical, but as I got a bit older, I deigned to include a bit of jazz in my listening diet. With the onset of puberty came the inevitable pull of rock ‘n’ roll music, along with a desire to play the guitar. My method of learning this instrument was bashing out Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Creedence songs with the mates in someone’s dingy, smoky bedroom.
By the time I started uni, music was an all-consuming passion – in both performing, and teaching anyone I could badger into taking
lessons from me. As a consequence, I left my BSc (Physics) unfinished (barely started!), got a job, and pursued a life of performing solo and with various amateur bands, most of which I led, playing guitar and singing, whilst continuing to study the piano.
Eventually, I’d had enough of trying to pretend I could do a real job, and bailed out of being an employee to take up full time private music teaching, and performing wherever I could.
I formed Blackwood with a small group of parents and friends for a fundraiser at my kids’ school back around the mid-1990s. We’ve kept playing together on and off, and in different configurations since then.
Sandra Waldron
FLUTE, TENOR AND ALTO SAXES, VOCALS, PERCUSSION
I started my musical life learning piano at eight and then flute at twelve, graduating with a Bachelor of Education in classroom and instrumental (woodwind) music at twenty-one.
I have been teaching woodwind and classroom music at schools for many years. along the way I have been musical director of many many musical productions and variety performances.
I was Head of Music at Mater Christi College in Belgrave for years, resigning this position to focus more on playing, and on family.
I am still teaching woodwind and voice there on a part time basis, involving myself in the ensemble program at Mater. You can often catch the MCC rock band that Chris and I jointly run at local fètes.
In the local community I have directed a Sweet Adeline’s (female barbershop) group, and taken part in community/school productions and performances, either in the chorus or involved in the band or orchestra.
I also help Chris out at the Monbulk carols conducting, every Christmas.
MY ROAD TO BLACKWOOD!
Chris and are I colleagues at Mater Christi College.
He invited me to join his band about eight years ago. Admittedly I was very nervous, having such a classical music background, but it has been such fun producing the variety of music that we play.. extending our skills constantly. We are forever challenging ourselves with new styles, recently including some jazz and popular songs.
Rob Tripodi
BASSIST, VOCALS
My musical journey first started back in the early 1990s after I suffered an horrific accident losing both legs changing my life for ever, After nearly 2 years of recovery and gruelling rehabilitation I was well enough and able to go home.
One day a brother in law of mine who played the guitar suggested I learn the bass guitar so I decided to give it a go. I invested in a three hundred dollar bass and started trying to teach my self, after a few months of trying to teach my self I decided to find my self a teacher, I was looking through the news paper one day and saw an ad for a guitar teacher so I decided to ring and that’s when I first met Chris Walker.
Then one day after having lessons for a year, Chris asked if I would join a band he was putting together for a school fète. I gave it a go and it was a success! … and that’s how I became a member of Blackwood!