Kaz Hawkins Band

Northern Ireland blues darling Kaz Hawkins is no longer its best-kept secret. The musical prodigy won the Pure M Award for 2015 All-Ireland Best Female artist in a ceremony streamed live to the world on 26 September 2015. Beating nine acts to the prize, the Belfast East Side Arts ambassador flew the flag for Northern Ireland at the Pure M Awards, just as she did when she accepted the prestigious Barry Middleton Award for Emerging Artist at the British Blues Awards on 15 September. Kaz was also nominated for Northern Ireland's prestigious NI Music Prize in 2014 and again in 2015.Kaz's stellar rise to success will be no surprise to Northern Ireland music aficionados and her blues fans world-wide, whom she's been wooing for years with her deep, powerful voice, original song writing and soulful tracks. The latest featured on her Get Ready album which won the Blues Matters Writers Poll Best Studio Album of 2015, beating Roger Daltrey and Wilko Johnson. No mean feat for the 42 year-old Belfast woman who owes surviving a life of physical and emotional hardship, to music and a larger-than-life personality that doesn't take setbacks lying down! Kaz and her band are currently in recording for a second album to be released in spring 2016 just ahead of the band's 2016 UK Tour. Kaz has also changed the line up to increase the band sound. The one remaining original member, Nick McConkey on guitar has been with Kaz for almost four years. On the band's 2015 Hallelujah UK Tour, Kaz added Peter Uhrin on drums and as awards came Kaz decided to change things around with the addition of the drummer's brother on Bass. Yani Uhrin joined, already firmly locked in musically with his brother, meaning the band now have a powerful close knit rhythm section. Kaz also wanted to improve the melodic side to the band sound and has added Deanne Jones on backing vocals, adding more flavour and a fresh dynamic to the already award winning sound of the Kaz Hawkins Band.Kaz Hawkins (Vocal,Guitar,Percussion)Nick McConkey (Guitar)Pete Uhrin (Drums)Yani Uhrin (Bass)Deanne Jones (Backing Vocalist)www.kazhawkins.comhttps://www.facebook.com/kazhawkinssongshttps://soundcloud.com/kaz-hawkins-1 https://twitter.com/kazhawkins