DJ Gosper
Thursday 21st September
DeeJay Gosper has been performing for 20 years. She has a reputation as Australia’s Queen of the blues harp and songstress with an engaging and spirited stage presence.
After spending 2007 to 2008 recovering from breast cancer, DJ is“performing with a passion that knows no tomorrow.” (Bill Arnett, the Folkus Room, Canberra).
Gosper says “Before cancer I was a part-time musician with dreams of becoming full time. My career was just beginning to take flight when I was diagnosed. While the illness, surgery and treatment, has set back my career, it has also fired me up to live my dreams. I am now a full-time Musician, and as tough as it is I’m loving every minute of it!”
Her professional musical career began in 1995 fronting The Dynamic Lifters as singer, harmonica and keyboard player (she studied Classical and modern piano for 11 years). This band exposed DeeJay to a range of music, from original songs to obscure Folk songs to Pub-rock and Blues-rock covers and helped her to begin her journey toward finding her own sound.
As member of renowned vocal trio The Blues Cowgirls from 2002 – 2005, DeeJay played at various Australian Blues and Folk festivals. The independent release of ‘Ask Any Woman’ was awarded “Best CD of the Year” by Canberra Roots Music.
She formed KarismaKatz (now called The DeeJay Gosper Band) in 2004.
DeeJay’s harmonica, vocal and songwriting talents have been recognised over the years through various awards from the Canberra Blues Society including Best Blues Album “Hot Flush Blues”.
Her distinctive harmonica style has developed over the years. Influences have included Sonny Terry, Jim Conway and Charlie Musselwhite. These days she doesn’t try to sound like anyone else. She just plays!
While DeeJay gains most recognition through her Blues / Roots music, she enjoys branching into mainstream Jazz (originals and covers).
Her vocal style has been influenced by many of the great Jazz and Blues singers including Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Dinah Washington, Ma Rainey, Carmen McRae and Barbara Morrison. Lyricists, Nick Cave and Sixto Rodriguez have been influential in her writing style.
DeeJay has shared the stage with Fiona Boyes, Dutch Tilders, Jim Conway, Damon Davies, Damian Coen, Dave O’Neill, Kate Meehan, Jan Preston, Glen Terry and the USA’s Eugene Hideaway-Bridges and Austin Walking Cane.
DeeJay regularly tours Australia, wowing audiences with her chops and charm!
Blues Awards
2005: The independent release of The Blues Cowgirls CD ‘Ask Any Woman’ was awarded Best CD of the Year by Canberra Roots Music.
2007: Canberra Blues Society Blues Awards: Best Vocalist, Best Instrumentalist and Best Song (Burn Baby Burn, co-written with Christo Carlsen).
2009: With a record number of entrants in 2009, DJ again scooped the Canberra Blues Society Blues Awards this time winning Female Blues Vocalist, Blues Song “Baby Rose” (co-written with Lynnie Gosper) and Best Blues Album “Hot Flush Blues”.
