Funkdafied & Red Karpet Music presents: OMAR (UK) with special guests Friday 9th November 2012, Doors 9:00PM

Funkdafied & Red Karpet Music are proud to announce that Soul legend Omar will be performing at the Prince Bandroom with Full live band on Friday 9th November.

For the first time in Australia, this promises to be a very special evening Full Supporting line up to be announced very soon.

"When I grow up I wanna be like Omar", Stevie Wonder

Internationally acclaimed Soul singer/song writer and multi instrumentalist OMAR LYE FOOK, known as Omar, is a classically trained musician crafting his skills in piano, percussion and trumpet. Omar's discography articulates a man of quality control with a career spanning over 22 years, 6 albums, 14 singles and collaborative joints mostly accomplished with friends or those who were a fan of his music.

Omar first propelled himself into the UK Singles charts with his definitive debut single 'There's Nothing Like This' reaching #14 on re-release in 1991. There are very few artists that have had the privilege of being promised a number one track from legendary Stevie Wonder. Upon hearing his debut single 'There's nothing like this' in 1992, Stevie Wonder promised to write Omar "his first number one" - a promise that would be honoured 14 years later.

The 14-year wait turned out to be well worth it when one day Stevie called Omar out of the blue and told him he was in London. A jam session later followed, and the irrepressibly funky and melodic 'Feeling You' with Stevie on vocals and keyboards was born. The simple truth is that Stevie has been a fan of Omar's music since his humble beginnings.

You can always tell an artist by his collaborative guests. Omar's collaborative works have been long-standing admirers of Omar's work, namely Angie Stone. Over the years, Angie Stone has publicly broadcasted Omar's name in interviews, recording her own version of Omar's track 'Little Boy', furthermore, providing co-lead vocals on Omars track - 'Be Thankful'.

Hip-hop don, Common has also worked with Omar, with the UK soul man lending his talents to Common's Electric Circus album. His 2011 'Sing [If You Want It]" recently released on Tru Thoughts is Omars sixth and funkiest album so far, featuring guest appearances from Stevie Wonder, Angie Stone, Common, Estelle, Rodney P, JC Bentley, Canitbe and Ashman, with production from Omar's brother Scratch Professer.

"Best By Far was very influenced by soundtracks and Latin jazz," explains Omar. "This time I wanted something a bit more funky, something to put my music back in the clubs. I still use the live instruments and the strings when I feel them, 'cause that's me, but the kick and the snare are much louder this time and heavy on hip-hop beats." In addition to his collaborations, Omar has worked alongside legendary Motown producers LEON WARE and LAMONE DOZIER, teaming up with LA based producer David Frank on '97's 'This Is Not A Love Song', and covering The Stranglers' 'Golden Brown'.

Furthermore, Omar was able to collaborate with one of his all-time favourite vocalists, Syreeta Wright. Back in the UK, MOBO winner Estelle supplies a poignant rap to the anti-gun tune 'Lay It Down', adding potency to one of Omar's best ever lyrics. Meanwhile ace new vocalist JC Bentley flows sweetly over the bossa groove that is 'Be A Man'.

With America, the Far East, and the UK experiencing his dynamic performances, at last Omar is reaching out to the massive underground support that he'd always known was there. Whilst recently on tour with Incognito - a venture that brought him to audiences in Indonesia, Omar performed to a crowd of 10,000 strong singing back 'There's Nothing Like This', unaware the extent his musical recognition had reached. Like us, they've been following Omar's adventures since he first came to prominence more than a decade-and-a-half ago first released on Gilles Peterson's Talkin' Loud label.

With signature songs such as Saturday, Outside and the Erykah Badu s favourite Little Boy, Omar continues to produce more music with his new album, teaming up production work with Zed Bias, King P, Dru & Perez & Live Tropical Fish. He is what others would describe as a musicians musician, and for the first time ever, Australia will witness the crafty brilliance of OMAR.

"Omar is one of my favourite artists ever" - Erykah Badu

"This cats shit is banging" - Ol' Dirty Bastard (Wu Tang Clan)

"The original nu-classic soul guvnor" - Trevor Nelson

"The reigning don of UK Soul" - The Face Magazine

"A songwriter who values true classic form, a singer whose phrases are instinctively seductive" - American GQ Magazine

"Distance is the only difference between Babyface, the reigning king of black pop, and Omar" - Rolling Stone Magazine