8 Ball Aitken Band + Taya Chani

Two heavyweights of the Australian blues-rock-soul scene 8 Ball Aitken & Taya Chani have teamed up with a new Americana album project ‘Nightbird’.

The first single and title-track immediately hit #1 on the Australian AMRAP Regional Charts in March 2025. It’s a melodic, rootsy, ethereal duet with plenty of their signature harmonies and slide guitar.

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.

Sydney based musician Taya Chani released her debut album 'Restless Heart' widespread airplay and rave reviews in 2019. In 2023, the duo released their first collaboration, a soulful 6/8 ‘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 and jazz chords brought them together. Whilst on their first Australian tour, 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.

8 Ball Aitken & Taya Chani are embarking on their second national Australian Tour in over the Autumn and Winter months of 2025.

8ballaitken.com Tayachani.com