Lozz is a real entertainer on stage. She is the centre of attention, driving the band from behind the drums with leadership and great panache, as well as singing flawlessly and entertaining the dancing crowd in her energetic and unique way.
– Jim Moginie, Midnight Oil
Lozz Benson graduated in 2012 from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Jazz Drums under the guidance of Andrew Dickeson & Simon Barker. After attending SIMA’s Young Women’s Jazz workshop, she was inspired by the likes of Judy Bailey, Zoe Hauptmann & Sandy Evans to pursue a career in music. She has since been tutored by Gordon Rytmeister, Toby Hall, Joe Accaria, Jim Peisse, Merv Dick, Dave Goodman, Daniel Glass and is now revered by her contemporaries as a multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist having worked alongside some of the country’s most celebrated songwriters & performers.
Keen to gig and learn the ropes in the Sydney music scene, Lozz was a member of many original projects throughout her university days including Dirty Lindy, The John Hardaker Direction, Professor, The Darkened Seas and Sirens Big Band – a 17 piece-super collective. Sirens worked with Sandy Evans, Joseph Towadros, Lanie Lane, Jeff Duff and Dan Barnett. In 2011, they appeared as the house band for Sydney Festival’s highly successful Trocadero Dance Palace, where they performed alongside Royal Crown Revue & Orkestra del Sol and again in 2012 on Festival First Night in front of a 10,000 strong crowd. They also appeared at Adelaide Festival, Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival, The Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival and Manly Jazz Fest.
In the following years, Lozz started her own rockabilly trio That Red Head (named after her most recognisable ginger curls). The trio supported Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats), The Snowdroppers and appeared at multiple festivals including Lady Luck, 50’s Fair, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Chromefest and Throttle Roll. Adding curation and design to her suit of skills, the Sydney-sider musician also hosted the sold-out Women of Rockabilly Night and Rockabilly Night of Mayhem at Sydney local venues Miss Peaches and Lazy Bones.
Lozz has recorded original material with Richie Belker (Jack Ladder, PVT) at Free Energy Device Studios for her various projects including Sessions and Benson and the Outlaws, as well as working on songs with Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil) at Oceanic Studios. She appeared on his EP Under the Motherlands Flag and recorded music for his compositions that accompanied the TV mini-series Brock.
In 2013, Lozz embarked upon her first national tour playing drums with Urthboy (Tim Levison) opening for Paul Kelly’s Spring and Fall Tour.
Lozz dabbled in music theatre, playing drums in Max Lamberts Miracle City at the Hayes Theatre in 2014. She then toured with Company 2’s 5-star reviewed circus show Scotch & Soda, which appeared at Woodford Folk Festival, Adelaide & Melbourne Fringe Festival. Lozz also played the role of Karen Carpenter for Meera Belle Webster’s highly acclaimed Close To You: A Salute To Karen Carpenter tribute show.
In 2016, she won the AUDW Up-and-Coming Drummer Award and received an endorsement from DW Drums & Meinl Cymbals. She then performed at the Australian Ultimate Drummers Weekend alongside Benny Greb and Eric Moore and was featured in DRUMscene.
Lozz continued to be apart of original bands including Hedgefund and Rackett, who supported The Darkness on their 2017 Australian tour. Additionally, she was a member of Joe Accaria’s Drummer Queens who performed at the NRL Grand Final and Cricket World Cup.
The year 2018 saw Lozz joining the John Butler Trio on percussion & backing vocals, touring Australia, Japan, Europe, NZ and America for almost 2 years, appearing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Sydney Opera House and Bluesfest. They shared the stage with Stella Donnelly, The Tesky Brothers, Dan Sultan, Dave Matthews Band, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell.
In the Australian country scene, Lozz has played drums with Fanny Lumsden, Bill Chambers, Andrew Swift, Imogen Clark, Nathan Cavaleri, The Morrisons, Blake Dantier, CK &, Jayne Denham, Jesse Redwing & Pat Capocci. She has co-written with Troy Cassar-Daley, Tom Wolfe (The Wolfe Brothers), Paul Kelly and Jim Moginie. She has continued to play with high profile acts including Mahalia Barnes, Missy Higgins, PJ Harding and has appeared on Triple J’s Like A Version with Tonight Alive & Hayley Mary.
She appeared in Joseph Calderazzo’s CCENT shows The Great Gig in the Sky tribute to Pink Floyd and the Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin Tribute that performed at the State Theatre and subsequently worked alongside Glenn Moorhouse, Mitch Anderson and Dallas Frasca.
Passionate about education, Lozz has worked closely with Roland filming educational material, taught drum workshops and worked at Evergreen Music. She recorded with The Vegetable Plot and was featured on drums & vocals for the song “Red Cabbage”.
During the 2021 lockdown, Lozz continued to record with multiple artists. She started writing, recording & performing with The Wiggles and is credited on Fruit Salad TV, Re-Wiggled and Superheros. She drummed on Murray Cooks ‘Soul Movers’ Album consequently working with producer Garth Porter (Sherbert) at Rancom Street Studios as well as playing on guitarist Duncan Toombs self-titled album produced by Matt Fell and Rod McCormack. She is featured on his second release “Complicated” on drums and vocals.
2021 also saw Lozz mentored by Keith Urban on The Voice. She was successful in getting through with her rendition of Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and through again into the final Top 20 (Keith’s Top 5) with “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac.
Lozz kicked 2022 off by joining Kate Ceberano’s band for her Sweet Inspiration Tour, playing at National Folk Fest and Bluesfest. She continues to work with Kate on a regular basis.
In mid 2022, Lozz sat behind the drums for the OG Wiggles Reunion Tour with sold out shows across Australia including QUDOS Bank Arena in Sydney and Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. She travelled to Tasmania to play with Marcia Hines for The Gospel According to Marcia as well as doing a special performance for ABC’s 90th Birthday. She also supported Tonight Alive’s frontwoman Jenna Mcdougal’s new project Heavenshe and continued to record with her & producer Phil Stack (Thirsty Merc) for her new EP.
In September, Lozz visited Nashville for Americanafest and performed at the Sounds Australia showcase at the world renowned Bluebird Café. She also teamed up with Misa Arriaga (Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, Joshua Hedley) to finish writing original material for her debut EP.
Upon returning to Sydney, Lozz joined the Ludwig family. With some of her favourite drummers being Ginger Baker, Mitch Mitchell, John Desmore, John Bonham and Ringo Star, she is absolutely thrilled to continue the legacy.
When Lozz isn’t on tour, she plays the role of Ginger Baker in the Australian Cream Experience and performs in her own tribute performance Women of Country; a showcase of songs & stories from some of the most iconic female pioneers of the country music genre. The band features Shawn Supra (Bob Wooton, Wanda Jackson) on Double Bass, Duncan Toombs (Adam Eckersley, Kasey Chambers, Lee Kernaghan) on Guitar and John Stuart (Rene Geyer) on Pedal Steel.
– September 2022
