They use elements of folk, jazz and acoustic pop built around a warm combination acoustic guitar and piano accordion.

Their genre-bending sound has been described as gypsy-romantica, French-cafe, jazz-pop and seductive country. Paul Grabowsky has compared John Baker’s songwriting with that of Leonard Cohen, Carole King, Paul Simon and James Taylor.

The core of the Baker Suite is John Baker (guitar, vocals) and Gayle Buckby (accordion, vocals). Their motivation to collaborate sees them performing and recording with numerous musicians, most commonly with rhythm section John Aue (double bass) and Enrico Mick Morena (drums).

Based in Adelaide Australia, The Baker Suite regularly tours across Australia and internationally to Germany, Czech Republic, France, Japan and New Zealand. Festival appearances include the Bohemia Jazz Festival (CZ), Okayama Cultural Festival (JP), Nelson Arts Festival (NZ), International Guitar Festival (AU), Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide Cabaret Festival and The National Folk Festival, Canberra. The Baker Suite has opened for Elton John, Kate Ceberano, Archie Roach & Ruby Hunter, Vika and Linda Bull, The Audreys, Francoiz Breut (Fr) and Mary Gauthier (USA).

'Harks back to great writers such as James Taylor, Jimmy Webb, Carole King and Burt Bacharach.' Paul Grabowsky

'Like a Hemingway novel . . . truth, beauty and violence in equal measure: Get in your car, put it on and don't stop until you get there.'

Kate Ceberano

'(John Baker's) lyrics have that hazy, oneiric quality you feel when awaking in the morning convinced you've already been up . . . and the last dream was real.'

John Shand Sydney Morning Herald

Since forming in 2002, The Baker Suite has released three albums, with a fourth due for release on 11 October 2013. Your Dreaming Self is produced by Shane O'Mara and was recorded in both Adelaide and Melbourne. It includes cameo performances by Australian luminaries Paul Grabowsky, Kate Ceberano and Ross Hannaford as well as Adelaide bands Zephyr Quartet and The Yearlings. The first single from the album, The Evidence of Love is currently receiving national airplay on ABC (Radio National and State) and community radio. The Baker Suite will embark on their second European tour in September 2013 before returning to Australia to release Your Dreaming Self across Australia.

Discography

Albums:

The Raft, John Baker (2004)

Slow Music, John Baker Duo (2006)

A Quartet For Car Horns And Brakes (2010)

Your Dreaming Self (2013)

Compilations:

Semaphore Songs (2012)

Sounds LIke Cafe Volume 29 (2010)

Sounds Like Cafe Volume 17 (2007)

Three D Radio Compilation CD, Depthcharge 5 (2006)

Fuse Festival Compilation CD (2006)