New Orleans blues from Australia

Producer and musical collaborator Isaiah B Brunt is enjoying being front and centre right now.

A New Orleans blues sound via Sydney is coming to town next week.

Isaiah B Brunt will be playing the Whanganui Musicians' Club next Friday (April 15) on his first lengthy tour of New Zealand.

The tour comes between last year's acclaimed album Just the Way it Goes, recorded in New Orleans, and the next, which he said was due later this year.

His latest release was voted best Australian blues album for 2015 by the North American Underground Blues Network.

Brunt said breaking into and earning acclaim in the United States market had been great.

"For a blues musician outside the US. It's very hard to get into that scene in the first place," he said.

"The next album will really blow the roof off things."

Brunt has spent much of his career behind the scenes, being based in Sydney for the past 30 years. A producer and former studio owner of Darling Harbour Studios, he's worked alongside some bid-name acts including Rob Hirst, Midnight Oil, Steve Prestwich, Cold Chisel and Julio Iglesias and his Orchestra. But now he's very much enjoying being front and centre. Joining Brunt on his New Zealand shows are two New Zealand seasoned veterans, Noel Lamberton (Midge Marsden) on drums and Rob Patterson (Larry Morris) on bass.

- Isaiah B Brunt is supported by The Blueveins. Doors open 7.30pm, show at 8. $15 entry.