Multi award winner Patou swings with kings and untouchables alike.
With a career that spans over four decades and right across the globe, Pat Powell (Patou) is one of Australia’s most accomplished vocal talents. He is the artist that everyone wants to work with.
Having shared a stage with a number of musical giants over the past four decades, Patou has had time to hone the art for commanding attention. His genius as a vocalist is a unique combination of soulful understatement and compelling passion. In charismatic exchanges with his audience he appeals to young and old with his message of joy and social justice.
The empowering lyrics that fuel Patou’s songs were seeded in him as a young Jamaican man making his way in a troubled 1960s-70s Bristol. Persecuted by the cops on the streets throughout his teens, Patou would find solace in the Jamaican dance tunes played by his folks, and in the RnB clubs that he snuck out of home to DJ in.
From ska to blues. Hip-hop to soul. RnB to reggae. The extraordinary depth of Patou’s musical versatility was crafted over years of touring Europe with a variety of acts during the 70’s. His talent descended on Sydney with great force in the 80s, filling bars and clubs across Australia with his pioneering acts including Caribbe and Club Ska. Always staying true to his Caribbean roots but moving with the new wave of hip hop and electronica, Sydney - and indeed Australia’s touring circuit - didn’t know what had hit it.
By the time the 90’s rolled in, Patou was one of Australia’s most demanded studio artists, recording with the likes of James Freud, Jenny Morris, Lisa Maxwell, Max Q and Margaret Ulrich, to name a few. He continued to record and perform with his own groups Lovetown, Ten Wedge and Neptune St, laying down several singles and continuing to fill music venues across the country.
Before long, Patou was being picked up to support acts in the league of James Brown, Queen, Eurhythmics, Double O & Velour, Adeva, Sydney Youngblood, Redhead Kingpin, The Beloved, Beats International, Boy George, Crowded House, Horace Andy and Luciano, Tina Arena and George Benson. It was at this time that he joined the touring party of one of Australia’s most successful exports, Kylie Minogue. Pat toured extensively throughout Australia, Asia & Europe as Kylie Minogue’s backing vocalist, including feature solos and acapella duets.
In his own right Patou has recorded over 20 singles, one album and recorded vocals for more than 14 artists. He has been seen performing in a myriad of films from Mad Max 3 to Whipping Boy and stage productions such as Dealers Choice at the Adelaide Festival Arts Centre. He also continues his commercial voice-over recording work and mentors a vast diversity of artists at various stages in their careers, from high school students to accomplished artists.
Finally it's here, his debut album "About Time" released in June of 2018.
Patou says “It feels like everything I’ve ever performed, everyone I’ve ever worked with, mentored, looked up to, challenged and been blown away by has played a part… It’s all important. It all feeds in. It’s all culminated to this time and presentation, I’m ready to give all of it........in the studio, on stage and with a bit of luck on air.”
Patou currently has many musical projects on the boil, each simmering with a mix of originals and covers handpicked from Pat Powell’s eclectic music influences:
The Melbourne Ska Orchestra
Declan Kelly Presents: Diesel n'Dub
The Protesters
Jazrie Sound System
Dancing in the Shadows of Motown
Blues and Soul Extravaganza
The Pat Powell Band
Chocolate Jazz: From the blues to bebop
DJ: Jazz/Funk/Reggae/Soul/Blues
Plus collaborations with:
The Ska Vendors
DJ Omegaman
Illya Szwec's Groove Depot
The Midnight Tea Party
Specialized Project
Diesel n Dub: https://vimeo.com/369052372
PATOU: In Black & White
55 minute documentary; completed in July 2022.
TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/723378795
SYNOPSIS
With a career that spans over four decades and across the globe, Jamaican singer
Pat Powell (Patou) is one of Australia’s most accomplished yet hidden vocal talents.
He is the artist that everyone wants to work with – the singer’s singer who sings
with 15 bands, including the ARIA award-winning Melbourne Ska Orchestra.
Born in the UK to Jamaican parents, Pat left the racism of the UK as soon as he
could, although ‘stupidly’ found his way to Australia with its own racism issues.
Father to four children from different mothers with varying ethnic backgrounds,
Pat’s children all identify differently and raise a discussion about racism and
where identity comes from.
AWARDS/ SCREENINGS
Best Music Documentary at 2022 Byron Bay International Film Festival, AUS
Best Documentary at 2022 Mannheim Arts & Film Festival, Germany
Best International Documentary Film at 2023 Santa Cruz Independent Film Fest
Best International Documentary Film at April 2023 Austin International Art Festival, USA
Best Feature Documentary at 2023 SounDance Film Festival, Spain & Argentina
Best Foreign Feature at 2022 Santa Clarita International Film Festival, USA
Best Director at 2023 Consonance Music & Dance Film Festival, Georgia
Best Music at 2023 Real Image Film Festival, Spain
Runner Up for Best Music Documentary at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Runner Up for Best Melbourne Documentary at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Nominated for Best Documentary at 2022 Maverick Movie Awards, USA
Award of Excellence Special Mention at 2022 Accolade Global Film Competition, USA
Award of Excellence Special Mention at 2022 IndieFEST Film Awards, USA
Bronze Award for Best Half-length film at 2023 Dubai Festival
Semi-finalist at 2023 Santa Fe Independent Film Festival, USA
Semi-finalist at 2023 Madrid Arthouse Film Festival, Spain
Finalist for Best Documentary at 2023 Real Image Film Festival, Spain & Argentina
Official Selection at 2022 Urban Mediamakers Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2022 Anatolia International Film Festival, Turkey
Official Selection at 2023 Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2023 Maryland International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2023 Symbiotic Film Festival, Ukraine
Official Selection at 2023 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2023 Boomtown Film & Music Festival
Official Selection at 2023 ReelHeART International Film Festival, Canada
Best Music Related Film . ReelHeART . Canada - Patou. Dir. Fiona Cochrane – Australia. Featuring Pat ‘Patou’ Powell
CREATIVE TEAM
Producer/ Director – Fiona Cochrane
Editor – Sioux Currie
Cinematographers – Chris Cochrane-Friedrich & Mark Street
Sound – David Muir, Chris Cochrane-Friedrich, Mark Street & Keith Thomas
Music – Pat Powell Band, Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Ska Vendors etc
All reactions:
396Caroline Buckingham, Jonny Simons and 394 others
