TONY HILLIER writes about a new enterprise with quality music.

The Buddha Bar, a salubrious new venue overlooking the Esplanade, launches its music program in earnest this weekend with some sweet music from Rough Honey.

Buddha Bars around the world are synonymous with lounge and chillout music. The prototype, in Paris, helped spark the ambient DJ-bar revolution, and even spawned a record label.

"We’re trying to create something much needed in Cairns that has ambience, a quality food and drinks menu at reasonable prices and a musical atmosphere that is alive in instrumental music, world music and roots music sounds," program co-ordinator Ray Elias says.

Rough Honey fits the Buddha Bar’s criteria perfectly.

Byron Bay duo Mic Porter and Gabrielle O’Shannessy have only been in Cairns a few weeks, but they have already made an impression.

Those who saw them support Stringmansassy at the Tanks Arts Centre last month, in company with Dave Breeze, will readily attest to their capabilities. Rough Honey plays a mixture of jazz standards and self-penned songs, mellow but with a definite edge.

Lead guitarist Porter improvises masterfully over the solid groove provided by his partner, who has a captivating voice.

Jerome, who’ll be in action at the Buddha Bar on Saturday night, is another classy, honey-voiced singer who mixes pop and jazz.

He first came to Cairns in the ’90s with the band Man Overboard, having a long residency at that much-missed establishment Gypsy Dee’s.

Jerome will have a perfect accomplice in stringed instrument whiz Peter Ella (pictured), whose fleet-fingered picking and well-constructed lead breaks have illuminated some of Cairns’ finest bands.

Ella showed his expertise on guitar at last Friday’s "soft" opening and is equally adept on mandolin and fiddle.

Peter has performed around the planet – from the World Expo in Seville to international festivals in China, Denmark, Estonia and Finland.

Share this article