XAVIER RUDD is known as virtual one-man-band—enthralling audiences with his ability to wield many instruments at once. But that’s about to change.

“It’s been a dream of mine…to put a band together,” he tells the Herald.

Last year Rudd “put it out to the universe” that the time was right.

The response is a collective of amazing musicians from Samoa, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Australia and Germany.

“As soon as I put it out there, they came. All the members are the first ones to come up.”

Aptly named The United Nations the band features guitar, bass, drums, percussion, keys, horns, flute, saxophone and backing vocals for Rudd’s ninth album Nanna.

It pays homage to his own nanna, whose spirit he says guides his music, “and the great grandmother of creation”.

Xavier and The United Nations are part of a star-studded line-up at this weekend’s Blues and Roots Festival.

It includes home-grown success story the John Butler Trio, UK indie rocker David Gray, sultry Scottish crooner Paolo Nutini and Aussie songwriting god Paul Kelly, whose Paul Kelly Presents features Dan Sultan, Kira Puru and Vika and Linda Bull.

Hip-hop group Jurassic 5 is back, along with fantastic Mexican acoustic rock guitar duo Rodrigo Y Gabriela, and a heap more.

A fresh addition to the line is the US’ Charles Bradley and the Extraordinaires. Bradley launched his debut album in 2011—at the tender age of 62. The soul he sings comes from the heart, having been a homeless person and discovering his murdered brother’s body.

West Coast Blues and Roots is on Sunday, March 29, at Fremantle Park, Ellen Street, Fremantle.

by JENNY D’ANGER