Illya Szwec

Bio

Illya has frequent flyer points and his car needs regular tyre changes!

Illya plays the full spectrum of live music shows - from music festivals to tiny watering holes all around Australia

Illya has spent the last 20 years playing in bands for some of Australia's finest in the blues & roots field, including:

'Continental' Robert Susz - in the Continental Blues Party, The Rinky Dinks, and the Soul Kinda Feeling Revue
Don Hopkins - in duos, trios, the Swamp Elixir, the Tribute to Fats Domino, the 50s rock'n'roll bands and a whole lot more
Declan Kelly - onstage and on his Adrift CD
Kate Meehan - at festivals all over NSW, QLD & VIC and on her As Long As I've Sung the Blues and Soulshaker CDs
Mick on Wheels - in his Mick on Wheels Band, in the 'Voices of Soul Revue' and 'Ray Charles & Friends' shows
Pat Powell - playing soul, funk, reggae & all flavours of the blues
Stephanie Marchant - holding down a residency at The Merton Hotel in Sydney's inner west for the past 6 years
Clayton Doley - at festivals & special events across NSW & QLD to promote Clayton Doley's Bayou Billabong CD
Tomcat Playground - playing Mississippi delta & West Coast jump blues at blues festivals in NSW & Victoria and on their Lock Stock & Everything CD
The Sicarios - a project led by the dynamic Lloyd G - that covers the classic songs of Neil Young, CCR and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Illya also regularly 'fills in' for absent guitar players - and the likes of Darren Percival, Gail Page, Bruce Bongers, Jim Conway, the Australian Rolling Stones Tribute Show, Matt Ralph's Bob Dylan Tribute Show, Johnny G & the E-Types, Bonnie Kay & the Bonafides and a whole lot more have called on his services at a moment's notice.

Illya has had the opportunity to work with some of Australia's musical icons, including Wendy Saddington (RIP), Harry Brus, Tim Partridge (RIP), Mark Kennedy, Leo De Castro (RIP), Tina Harrod, Margret Roadknight, Jeannie Lewis, Dave Warner, Fantine Pritoula, Martin Cilia, Robbie Souter (RIP), Hamish Stuart, Jak Housden, Lloyd G, Tim Gaze, Bob Daisley, Monica Trapaga, Katie Noonan, James Greening & Miroslav Bukowsky - either onstage or in the recording studio.

Illya has also donned the headphones and been tucked away in the corners of the odd recording studio, appearing on:

Elephant In The Room - The Older We Get, The Better We Were (2020)
Tomcat Playground - Lock Stock & Everything (2019)
Bob Daisley & Friends - Moore Blues For Gary (2018) featuring Eric Singer, Steve Morse, Steve Lukather, John Sykes, Joe Lynn Turner ... and Illya Szwec!
Elephant In The Room - The Finn (2014) http://robgrosser.com/elephant-in-the-room
Introducing Illya Szwec (2013)
Declan Kelly - Adrift (2009) http://www.vitamin.net.au/albumdefault.asp?ai=270
Chris Mawer - One Way Ticket (2008)
Illya Szwec's Groove Depot (2005)
Women'n'Blues - a CD featuring Wendy Saddington, Sally King, Margret RoadKnight, Kate Dunbar & Jeannie Lewis (2003)
Kate Meehan - Soulshaker (2003) Chain award winner!
The Wolverines - Wolverines'n'Roses (2003) Golden Guitar winner!
Kate Meehan - As Long As I've Sung the Blues (2000) Chain award winner!
TJ Blanch File (1999) Chain award winner!

And he's played at a few different places, like:

The Gympie Muster, Thredbo Blues Festival, Blues at Bridgetown in WA, Darling Harbour Jazz & Blues Festival, Bellingen Blues Festival, Great Southern International Blues Festival in Narooma, Wangaratta Jazz & Blues Festival, Echuca Blues Festival & Bendigo Blues Festival in Victoria, The Sydney Opera House, The Enmore Theatre, The Basement, The Mac in Surry Hills, The Opera Bar and The Pyrmont Bridge Hotel in the city of Sydney, Lizottes in Newcastle, Perisher Peak Festival in NSW snow country, the Beach Hotel in Byron Bay, the Palmwoods Hotel on QLD's Sunshine Coast, Blues at Broadbeach and the Noosa Jazz & Blues Festival, playing for the Launceston Blues Society and Red Hot Music in Devonport in TAS, and the Rainbow Hotel and St Kilda Bowling Club in Melbourne!

Groove Depot and Irie Man! Have a look & a listen!