Jimi Hocking

Jimi has worked as a guitarist since leaving school in his teens. He started writing his own style of music and fronting bands in the early 80s, developing a few admirers along the way. From his blend of rock and blues to his solo acoustic and mandolin projects, his playing leaves audiences and peers in awe. Jimi has always maintained a full diary, recording and performing original material in his ‘Blues Machine’, also touring with seminal rockers ‘The Screaming Jets’ plus adding his playing and producing talents to other projects.

Jimi has released 13 solo albums to date, his most recent album ‘Live in the Moment’ spending quite some time in the Australian roots/blues charts. Over the past few years Jimi has worked on a variety of studio projects, producing and playing guitar and mandolin on 'Screaming Jets' frontman Dave Gleeson's first solo album; adding mandolin to James Reyne’s recent album, even producing and recording a number of solo piano albums with his father Kevin Hocking.

In 2004 Jimi was proclaimed the MBAS Blues Performer of the Year, and in 2005 he was the winner in the Solo/Duo section of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA. He is always working on at least two or three recording projects, including a new blues album, and spends a lot of time on the road – he recently returned from gigs in New Zealand and Nepal. His list of playing credits leaves nothing to the imagination. Jimi has fronted or performed with: The Astro Boys, Swanee, The Angels, Jimi the Human & Spectre 7, The Screaming Jets, and Jimi Hocking's Blues Machine.