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Blue Drag Nigel MacLean Martin Elepans Kate Ceberano Joe Chindamo David Hirschfelder
	Musical History At the age of eighteen Martin Elepans was essentially playing the blues and had discovered the musical ways of Lightening Hopkins and Muddy waters; a black country fingerpickin' style. A move to the city and a yearning to widen his harmonic knowledge then led him naturally into jazz. ‘The first band I was actually invited to play in was a Django-style band, that was the first time I heard that music, I had to try and copy that guy, it was so hard, he blew me away’ A thirst for knowledge of how Django thought to play the way he did, meant many years of practice for Martin as he grasped the gypsy’s methods. He then went on to become the founding member of ‘Hot Café’, which was well known to audiences on both sides of the Tasman i.e. Australia and New Zealand. A sudden shift occurred at 26. And Martin switched guitars and styles for flamenco, basing himself in London. Martin studied and played around Europe and the Middle East and then after a few years ended up settling in Melbourne partly because of it’s Spanish population and European influence. As it turned out, the jazz scene in Melbourne was extremely vibrant and it didn’t take long before Martin was back into Gypsy swing. Today Now in 2006 Martin has reached a point where he feels he has developed and broadened his song-writing and compositional capacity. “I could be tortured by the jazz police if they caught me, I see myself more as a musical renegade these days”. Martin has teamed up with Nigel Maclean who had formed Filmharmonix as a production vehicle for film and music projects in Australia. In the 90’s they had played together for many years in Hot Café, trading Django solos note for note in festivals up and down the country. “It all seemed to click, our shared history, our influences and our common purpose and drive” Martin is excited by the notion that people can work together effectively and intuitively, that within artistic projects visions can be shared, and the result can spiral out into realms that one person may have been unable to create or imagine alone. In August 2006 Nigel Maclean and Martin Elepans under Filmharmonix have completed a CD by Blue Drag titled “ I’ll see you there” which stars Kate Ceberano and Joe Chindamo. They also have recorded music for a short film by David No. And work for a new CD for Kate Ceberano “19 days in Paris” album has begun, and recording will commence in the New Year 2007. Martin and Nigel’s will promote their Blue Drag Album with live performances commencing in Japan September 2006. There, Joe Chindamo and Chantal Mitvalsky who guests on the album will join them. For Martin“ The future looks bright, we have a million ideas, and we are lucky to have access to world-class musicians and performers here in Victoria and Australia. We want to continue to realise all of our dreams and develop and create projects utilising and harnessing the talent of those around us. Martin Elepans: Festivals and Ensembles Some History Port Fairy Folk Festival Castlemaine Festival-2005 Wangaratta Jazz Festival-2005 Melbourne Festival Thredbo Festival Manly Jazz Festival Montsalvat Jazz Festival Brisbane Festival….etc Local St Kilda festival-2005 Moonee Valley festival-2005 Mt Beauty Festival-2006 Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Mornington Wine Festival…etc Tours Victorian -Regional Tour 2005 c/ ‘Just shows to go’ Band-‘Blue Drag’ Victorian -Regional Tour 2003 c/ ‘Just shows to go’-Vic. Arts sponsored Band-‘The Great Chefs Of Europe’ Singapore Food Festival 1998 Band-‘Gypsy Fingers’ represented Australia Soho Jazz festival-London 1990 Band-‘Hot Café’