Legendary bluesman Ivan Zar at The Retreat

Performing Sunday 1st November 2015 at The Retreat Hotel, 280 Sydney Road, Brunswick between 5 – 7pm.



Delta Bluesman Ivan Zar.
Born in Alexandria, Egypt in Memphis Street, Ivan Zar migrated to Western Australia with his parents age 13. He was drawn to the Blues at an early age and taught himself to play the harmonica and Delta Blues style guitar.

In 1968 he began writing his own songs and formed his first band “King Biscuit Co”. Since then, Ivan has supported many of the international touring acts as either a solo performer or with one of his many subsequent bands.

Noted for his raw and passionate, rhythmic country blues on his trademark Dobro Ivan has traveled extensively throughout the Kimberly promoting blues and mentoring blues artists.


Kankawa Nagarra (Olive Knight)
This coming Sunday Ivan will be joined by a special guest in Kankawa Nagarra (Olive Knight) who is a Walmatjarri elder from the community of Wangkatjungka.

Olive and Ivan first meet while Ivan was touring the outback in the 1990’s. In 2010 Olive commissioned Ivan to produce her first album. Not long after Olive was making her Broadway debut with ‘Hugh Jackman, Back to Broadway’, supported by her son, fellow singer Clifton Bieundurry and didgeridoo players’ Paul Boon and Nathan Mundraby.

In November and December this year Olive will again be performing with Hugh Jackman in Broadway to Oz on a national tour.


by Kerrie Pacholli