Blues, soul, and groovy rock ‘n’ roll

8 BALL AITKEN & TAYA CHANI

Two heavyweights of the Australian blues-rock-soul scene 8 Ball Aitken & Taya Chani have teamed up with a new album project ‘Nightbird’. Their Sydney Album launch (full band show) will be at Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville on Sunday September 21. All ticket buyers get a free CD copy of the album.

The title-track ‘Nightbird’ immediately hit #1 on the Australian AMRAP Regional Charts in March 2025 for two weeks in a row as did their second single ‘Miss You The Most’ in May. Their signature harmonies and groovy guitars have proved to be a winning combination. 8 Ball Aitken & Taya Chani are embarking on their second national Australian Tour in over the Autumn and Winter months of 2025. 

8 Ball Aitken has toured the world for more than a decade performing across twenty countries to date. 8 Ball moved to Nashville, Tennessee, USA in 2012 and worked for nine years with many of the best in the blues and roots business today. He won second place in the 2021 International New Orleans Cigar Box Guitar Festival.

Soul-blues singer Taya Chani released her debut album 'Restless Heart' widespread airplay and rave reviews in 2019. In 2023, the duo released their first collaboration, ‘Only Guiding Light’ from album ‘Ice Cream Man 2’ that both hit #1 on the Australian Blues & Roots Charts.

8 Ball and Taya’s mutual love for Southern American music, blues, country, soul and fancy jazz chords brought them together. Whilst on their first Australian tour in 2022, they began co-writing songs. They realised very quickly that they had an album worth if songs and set a studio date. 

The cast of musicians on the new ‘Nightbird’ album include USA saxophone legend Buddy Leach (George Thorogood & The Destroyers), drummer extraordinaire Declan Kelly, and 8 Ball’s younger brother Dillion James Aitken on keys. Check out the tour dates on8ballaitken.com