From his involvement with seminal Australian bands The Cat Empire and The Bamboos, to his highly ambitious compositions and arrangements that have been performed by countless big bands and orchestras.

Considering his iconic status as a bandleader and large-scale composer, Irwin’s debut solo record, The Hunting Road, might then come as something of a shock. There is no stabbing brass, there are no sweeping strings, no jungle percussion breaks. It seems that Irwin, whose musical palette is colourful and wide ranging, has surprised us all with a record that is simple, thoughtful, and beautiful.

Having suffered a clean break of heart in 2009, Roscoe retreated to the Canadian mountains, rented a house on the lake and made friends with the creature and a cheap nylon string guitar. After three weeks of late autumn cold, another Yankees world series and many sing-alongs with the local folk and country misfits, Roscoe returned with a pocket full of songs, and soon after recorded The Hunting Road with producer John Castle (The Bamboos, Washington) at The Shed studio in Melbourne.

What is unique about this record is the way that Irwin has been able to focus his extremely colourful musical imagination into a bunch of deceptively simple folksy pop songs. The music appears at first familiar to us, warm and well-worn sounds – the tapping of feet on wooden floorboards, tasteful country fingerpicking and lo-fi drums – but it soon becomes clear that this music has a deeper layer to it, a harmonic complexity and dynamic scope that lies half-hidden behind its whisky-and-dust façade. Occasionally Irwin’s full, unrestrained extravagance shines through brightly, whipping the music into joyful hurricanes, but it is always a well-controlled process. Irwin might swing our heads up into the clouds, but he keeps our feet planted firmly on the ground, in old leather boots.

Irwin’s lyrical storytelling is also strikingly original. Equal parts Sundance Kid and Heartbreak Kid, he is as likely to take us on a darkly surreal journey through densely wooded hills as he is to leave us misty-eyed and sighing at the end of the pier. At its core this record seems to be about the conflict between our need to be loved and our need to be alone, the tension between the loving friend and the wild vagabond.

However, Roscoe James Irwin, whose bio on his Facebook page describes him as “Indie Pop’s suscpiciously energetic Mr. Nice Guy”, does not seem like he wants to leave us in a pensive mood for very long. More often than not, his songs reach a point of combustion, exploding into soaring, joyful harmonies. It’s almost as if he’s saying: ‘Well, I’ve told you my story, now I just want to wail.’  And wail he does, shifting gears beautifully into a powerful upper register. It is in these moments that we realise we are not just listening to another folksy troubadour or broken-hearted warbler. This is one of Melbourne’s most gifted and diverse artists baring his soul, and, more importantly, his imagination.

- Harry James Angus -

Recording Credits

Roscoe James Irwin The Hunting Road (2011)

Songwriter, Vocals, Piano, Harmonica, Trumpet, Organ, Harmonium, Producer

The Ross Irwin Soul Special – Little Soul Circus (2006)Roscoe James Irwin – The Hunting Road (2011)
Songwriter, Vocals, Piano, Harmonica, Trumpet, Organ, Harmonium, Producer

Songwriter, Vocals, Trumpet, Piano, Producer.

The Cat Empire – The Sun (2002)
Trumpet and Horn Arrangements

The Cat Empire – Tapes, Breaks and Outtakes (2003)
Horns and misc. arrangements

The Cat Empire – The Cat Empire (2003)
Horns

The Cat Empire – On The Attack DVD (2004)
Misc.

The Cat Empire – Two Shoes (2005)
Horns

The Cat Empire – Cities (2006)
Trumpet, Flugel, Backing Vox, Co-writes, Horn and String Arrangements.

The Cat Empire – So Many Nights (2007)
Trumpet, Piccolo, Flugel and Horn Arrangements.

The Cat Empire – Cinema (2010)
Trumpet, Flugel, Backing Vocals and Horn Arrangements.

The Cat Empire – Live on Earth (2009)
Horns, backing vocals, string arrangements

The Cat Empire – Live On Earth DVD (2009)
Misc.

Felix Riebl – Into The Rain (2011)
Producer

The Bamboos – Tighten Up 7” (2004)
Horns

The Bamboos – Step It Up (2006)
Trumpet and Horn Arrangements.

The Bamboos – Rawville (2007)
Trumpet and Horn Arrangements

The Bamboos Live at No Standing (Cassette) (2007)
Horns

The Bamboos – Sidestepper (2008)
Trumpet and Horn Arrangements

The Bamboos – Listen! Hear! The Bamboos Live! (2008)
Horns/Tambourine

The Bamboos – 4 (2010)
Trumpet, Flugel, Co-writes, Horn and String Arrangements.

Kylie Auldist – Just Say (2008)
Trumpet, Flugel and Horn Arrangements.

Kylie Auldist – Made of Stone (2009)
Trumpet, Flugel, Horn and String Arrangements.

Various Artists – Black Feeling (2008)
Horns

Various Artists – Black Feeling 2 (2011)
Trumpet, Horn Arrangements

Lanu – This Is My Home (2007)
Trumpet and Flugelhorn

Lanu – Her 12 Faces (2011)
String Arrangements

Cookin’ On 3 Burners – Baked Broiled and Fried (2007)
Horns

Cookin’ On 3 Burners – Soul Messin’ (2009)
Horns

Jackson Jackson – The Fire is on the Bird (2007)
Backing Vocals on “Eliza”

Regurgitator – Mish Mash (2004)
Horns

Paul Kelly – Stolen Apples (2007)
Trumpet on “Queenie and Rover”

Paul Kelly and Angus Stone – He Will Have His Way (2010)
Trumpet and Horn Arrangement on “Four Seasons in One Day”

Tex Perkins – The Man In Black DVD (2010)
Horns

Angus and Julia Stone – Misc (2011)
Horns

Miami Horror – Illumination (2010)
Trumpet on “Holidays”

The Paper Kites – Woodland (2011)
Horns and arrangement on “Featherstone”

The Wolfgramm Sisters – Self titled (2010)
Trumpet, Horn Arrangements

Electric Empire – Self titled (2010)
Trumpet, Horn Arrangements

Carl Cox – Misc. (2010)
Horns

NAB Dream Festival – Soundtrack (2009)
Producer, Co-Writer
Hating Alison Ashley – Film Soundtrack
Horns

Strange Bedfellows – Film Soundtrack
Horns

Film Clips.

The Cat Empire – Car Song

The Cat Empire – Two Shoes

The Cat Empire – So Many Nights

The Bamboos – King of the Rodeo

The Bamboos – On The Sly

The Bamboos – You Aint’ No Good

Regurgitator – The Drop

Live Performance Credits:

(Spanning over 150 Cities across 24 countries)

The Cat Empire
Band member (The Empire Horns) - trumpet, backing vocals

The Bamboos
Band member – trumpet, tambourine, backing vocals

Washington
Touring band – organ, vocals, trumpet, glock, harmonica, tambourine

Brooke Fraser
Touring band – keys, vocals, trumpet, glock, percussion

Belle and Sebastian
Touring Band (Aus) - trumpet

Tinpan Orange
Touring band – piano, backing vocals, trumpet.

Felix Riebl
Touring Band – electric and acoustic guitar

The Soul Special
Band leader – vocals, trumpet, synths, songwriter

Magonolia
Band member – flugelhorn, glock, co-writer

FGHR
Extended band member – keys, flugelhorn, vocals, percussion

Los Delincuente All-Stars
Band leader – composer/arranger, trumpet

Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2006
Special event – Arranger, trumpet, harmonica

Paul Kelly
Guest musician – trumpet

Brian May and Roger Taylor (Queen)
Special event – arranger, trumpet

Karnivool
Guest musician - trumpet

Axis of Awesome
Special event - trumpet

Leroy Jones
Concert – musical director

Regurgitator
Guest musician - trumpet

Gin Wigmore
TV Performance – trumpet

Dan Sultan
TV Performance – trumpet

James Morrison
Misc. – trumpet, arranger

David Bridie
TV performance - trumpet

Chuck Findley
Concert – musical director

Nic Cester (JET)
Special Event - trumpet

Human Nature
TV Performance - trumpet

Eagle and the Worm
Guest musician – trumpet

Hey Ocean!
Guest musician – trumpet

King Curly
Guest musician - trumpet

Ross Wilson
Special Event - trumpet

Michael Feinstein
Tour show - trumpet

Brian Cadd
Guest musician – trumpet

Joe Camilleri/The Black Sorrows
Session member - trumpet

Diesel
Special event - trumpet

Marci Hines
Touring band – trumpet

Deni Hines
TV performance - trumpet

The Resin Dogs
Touring Band - trumpet

Jimmy Barnes
Special event - trumpet

Harry Connick Jr.
TV performance – trumpet

John Butler Trio
Guest musician – trumpet

Custom Kings
Guest musician - trumpet

Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
TV performance – trumpet

Thirsty Merc
TV performance – trumpet

End Of Fashion
TV performance - trumpet

Hugh Jackman
Special event – trumpet

Ella Hooper
TV Performance - trumpet

The Red Ball
Special event – musical director/orchestra contractor

Eddie Floyd
Touring Band (Aus) – trumpet, arranger

Leah Flanagan
TV performance – trumpet

Black Joe Lewis
TV performance – trumpet, arranger

Betty Harris
Touring Band (Aus) – trumpet, arranger

Syl Johnson
Touring Band (Aus) - trumpet

Festival Credits:

Australia:

Big Day Out - (National)
Falls Festival - (VIC/TAS)
Byron Bay Blues and Roots - (NSW)
West Coast Blues and Roots - (WA)
Meredith - (VIC)
Golden Plains - (VIC)
Bass in the Grass - (NT)
Homebake - (NSW)
Park Life – (National)
WOMAD – (SA)
Sydney Festival – (NSW)
Ripe Festival – (QLD)
Sunset Sounds – (QLD)
Southbound – (WA)
Woodford Folk Festival – (QLD)
Chill Island – (VIC)
Chill City – (VIC)
Livid – (NSW)
Days Like These – (NSW)
Melbourne Jazz Festival – (VIC)
Manly Jazz Festival – (NSW)
Noosa Jazz Festival – (QLD)
Adelaide Cabaret Festival – (SA)
Sydney Soul and Funk – (NSW)
Splendor in the Grass – (QLD)
Caloundra Music Festival – (QLD)
St. Kilda Festival – (VIC)
Margaret River Masters – (WA)
A Day on the Baseline – (VIC)

International:

Glastonbury – (UK)
O2 Wireless – (UK)
Edinburgh Festival – (UK)
Summer Sonic – (Japan)
Blues Balls – (Switzerland)
Nuke Festival – (Austria)
Osheaga – (Canada)
Winnipeg Folk Festival – (Canada)
Ottawa Blues Festival – (Canada)
Big Day Up – (Canada)
Calgary Folk Festival – (Canada)
Rock am Ring – (Germany)
Rock am Park – (Germany)
Festival D’ete Quebec – (Canada)
Festival Mundial – (Netherlands)
Oerol Festival – (Netherlands)
KulturArena Festival – (Germany)
JRF Festival Vercelli – (Italy)
WOMAD – (New Zealand)
Queenstown Festival – (New Zealand)
Oshkosh Waterfest – (USA)

TV Credits:

The Arias
MTV
Music Max
The Panel
Rove Live
Live at The Chapel
Australian Idol
The Sideshow
Hey Hey It’s Saturday
AGT
Starstruck
The X Factor
Sunrise
The Today Show
Good Morning Australia
Breakfast Toronto