Grafia album notes for "Ultimately Free". "Grafia" can be likened to a three-legged stool. The three core musicians , Rob Maunsell, Keith Austin and Stephan Schulz are the supporting legs, the music they make, the seat. Rob writes the songs and sings, plays acoustic rhythm guitar and harmonica Musical direction, keyboard and bass playing are Keith's domains. He also sings back-up vocals and produced the album. Stephan plays violin and recorder weaving his improvisational magic. The music that makes up the seat of the Grafia stool is a collection of original lyrically based songs which have an attractive complexity. They fit comfortably into the Folk/ Rock genre. The band members come from diverse musical backgrounds. Stephan, the most devoted to the discipline of classical music, pursued violin and composition studies at University, now applies himself to the fulltime teaching of music at a secondary school. Keith played classical piano for many years before discovering the challenges and joys of playing in rock bands. He has also developed an expertise in repairing and tuning pianos/keyboards, composing and arranging music in several genres. Rob has brought his love of blues, folk and rock music to the task of writing the songs presented on this album. He performs them with passion and personal expression, adding effective rhythm guitar and captivating harmonica playing. The musical palate Grafia has created offers a delightful experience, the stories depicted in the songs speak for themselves, the instrumental musicality is enticing. The musician collaborators who have augmented the songs making up the seat of the Grafia stool have lifted the efforts of the core players to another level of creativity, and are hugely appreciated for their contributions. This is another step on the Grafia journey to develop and express an individual sound, share it's musical visions, and tell stories that can be valued and related to. Go to www.grafia.nz for more info.