Australian Music Artists

Dream Drone Serenity

April 6, 2014 by Beaver on the Beats Leave a Comment

Know what it feels like to have the sounds and vibrations of 2 didgeridoos being played into the front and back of your body, meeting together in the middle of your chest cavity?

I guess most people in the world don’t know. I had that incredibly special and powerful experience this week in Dream Drone.

That meeting of sounds and vibrations inside me was just the beginning of the Dream Drone journey. The experience as a whole, was even more special and powerful than how it began.

Yearning and Aching

I’ll just tell you this about how the meeting of those didgeridoos felt:

As the creators and facilitators of Dream Drone (Si Mullumby from Wild Marmalade and Jon Worsley) moved towards me with their didgeridoos in the small circle of people I was sitting with, I felt a physical yearning in my body for whatever it was that I had coming to me.

When they left me and continued around the circle, I felt an intense physical ache for they and the feeling they had just created inside me, to come back again.

Naturally Alive

With eyes closed for the rest of the 90 minute Dream Drone session, I can only guess what was happening in the Dream Drone space.

All I know is what I heard, and what I felt:

No rhythms. No melodies. Just the gentle, warm, acoustic sounds of didgeridoos interacting, their frequencies, and their vibrations.

Waves of sounds and vibrations of different intensities moving through every cell in my body, making every one of them feel alive.

Strange and wonderful sounds and vibrations moving everywhere around me in the Dream Drone space.

Those sounds and vibrations felt like something magical, but at the same time like a state of being and consciousness ever so natural – one I just needed help to access.

Two of a Unique Kind

I also don’t know what exactly it is that makes the Dream Drone experience so unique and powerful. I can guess some of the elements:

The musicality and playing tones of Jon Worsley and Si Mullumby. And the personal and musical connection between them.

The warm sounds of the unique type of elongated didgeridoos they play called YiDaChi – designed and made by Jon Worsley himself.
The intentions of the facilitators and everyone else in the Dream Drone space.
The physical design and sound resonance of the venue where its held.

Dream Drone Serenity

Whatever it was that happened in the Dream Drone space this week, and whatever it was that made it such a special and powerful experience, I do know 2 things about it.

I know I left the Dream Drone space with a feeling of true serenity. A rare feeling in this life yes?

I know I want much more of everything I felt, heard and otherwise experienced in Dream Drone.

If you’re in Northern NSW over the next 2 months you can book in for your own personal Dream Drone experience at Tyagarah. Make yourself available for 5 weeks running and you have the opportunity to participate in a Dream Drone course being run in line with the Lunar cycle (29th April – 27th May).

If you’re in the rest of the world I’m sure the Dream Drone experience will find its way to you soon. Keep your eyes on the Dream Drone website to find out.

Filed Under: Australia, Dream Drone Tagged With: Dream Drone, Dream Drone Australia, Dream Drone Byron Bay, Jon Worsley, Si Mullumby

The WOMADelaide Experience – What Everyone Wants

March 19, 2014 by Beaver on the Beats 2 Comments

Everyone I know who experiences WOMADelaide festival, wants to experience it again. Everyone I know who’s heard about the WOMADelaide experience, wants to have it.

That’s because it’s one of the world’s best musical festivals, and Australia’s very best. Fundamentally for the quality of music and its friendly festival people, but for so many other reasons too.

So declares I anyway – and anyone I’ve ever spoken with about it who’s in the know.

I’ve just experienced WOMADelaide 2014 with about 90,000 other people. Over four days I was reminded over and over again (as they probably were too), of all the reasons we were counting down the days to WOMADelaide 2014 since the end of WOMADelaide 2013.

The People Will Come

Artists love playing at WOMADelaide. They are treated well, and valued, as artists should be valued. They get to play their music (and sell CDs on-site) to friendly, musically-open-minded and appreciative crowds of people who might otherwise never be exposed to it.

Artists not playing at WOMADelaide, who don’t usually take themselves to festivals or gigs unless they are their own, love to go to this festival to hear its global artists.

Femi Kuti

Hanggai

The friendly people of Adelaide love to go to their home festival – set up base-camp under an old, shady Botanic Park tree – and enjoy the festival with family and friends. Some of them have been to every WOMADelaide since 1992.

Parents love to go because they can relax and enjoy the festival knowing their kids are happy and safe somewhere nearby on-site.

Lovers of diverse music who live in other parts of Australia, love to make the music pilgrimage to WOMADelaide whenever possible.

NGAIIRE

Femi Kuti & The Positive Force

Sounds of the Planet

“It doesn’t matter which artists are in the line-up. Turn up to the festival any ole year and you’ll hear amazing artists from all over the world.”

My musician friend who “hates most music”, said that to me about WOMADelaide many years ago. At every WOMADelaide I’ve been to since, his words about the festival’s line-up have rung absolutely true.

WOMADelaide 2014 saw about 500 very diverse artists, representing 20+ countries, performing across 7 festival stages.

All of those artists were good, most were fantastic and many were phenomenal.

: Femi Kuti

: Ngaiire @ WOMADelaide 2014

: Thelma Plum

: The Positive Force

: Rachid Taha

: Mokoomba

: The Brown Hornet

: La Chiva Gantiva

: Dub Inc

: Fat Freddys Drop

: Hanggai

: Red Baraat

: Buika live @ WOMADelaide 2014

: Carminho

: Red Baraat

: Roberto Fonseca

: La Chiva Gantiva

: Hiatus Kaiyote

: Fat Freddys Drop

: Rachid Taha

: Femi Kuti & The Positve Force

: Ramses Rodriguez

: Quantic @ WOMADelaide 2014

: Red Baraat

: La Chiva Gantiva

Australia Represented

Australian music that I absolutely love, is rare to find. Last year I found two musical diamonds in Ngaiire and Hiatus Kaiyote.

WOMAdelaide programmed both of them at this year’s festival – and their shows were amongst the best I saw.

Hiatus Kaiyote

Ngaiire

Hiatus Kaiyote

A live Hiatus Kaiyote experience amongst the trees at Botanic Park…it was all a bit magical really.

Hiatus Kaiyote

The spunky Nai Palm on guitar and vocals, smiling all through the set – plus her incredibly talented band members – put a huge and long-lasting smile on my face too.

Nai Palm – Hiatus Kaiyote

Hiatus Kaiyote

Hiatus Kaiyote’s music, along with Cuba’s Roberto Fonseca’s music, was the most inspiring and happiness-inducing music of all the music I heard at WOMADelaide 2014.

Videos of Hiatus Kaiyote’s one and only WOMADelaide show here…

Hiatus Kaiyote is supporting Queen Erykah Badu at her Australian shows in a few weeks. Lucky me, I’ll be there in Melbourne at what I predict could be the most special live show of 2014 for me 🙂 .

NGAIIRE

At her WOMADelaide 2014 show Papua New Guinean born, Australian based NGAIIRE, was exactly like NGAIIRE always seems to be – absolutely mesmerizing to hear and see.

Ngaire @ WOMADelaide 2014

She was accompanied greatly by her skilful band, with a slightly different line-up to usual.

Check out this video of a new Ngaiire track played live for the 1st time at her WOMADelaide shows…

Sounds of the Rest of the Planet

Aotearoa (New Zealand) – Fat Freddys Drop

I’ve always said that as great as Fat Freddys Drop‘s studio recordings are, their live shows are the ultimate experience of this band.

Fat Freddys Drop

Well, I left Fat Freddys Drop’s WOMADelaide show before it finished. And not because I had anywhere else to be. I just wasn’t feeling moved or inspired where I was.

Video of their festival show here. Maybe you’ll be inspired…

China – Hanggai

Hanggai’s music was probably the most foreign and novel to me at WOMADelaide 2014: rock mixed with traditional Mongolian music. The live experience of this band was a totally unique and entertaining one.

Hanggai

Check out Hanggai’s WOMADelaide show on video here…

Colombia/Belgium – La Chiva Gantiva

It’s always a treat for me to hear the sounds of traditional Colombian music like cumbia and chirimia in the mix with the likes of funk and afro-beat. Also to get a dose of the distinctively joyous Colombian energy put out by los Colombianos in La Chiva Gantiva – as well as that of their Flemish, Belgian and Vietnamese band members.

La Chiva Gantiva

La Chiva Gantiva wins the WOMADelaide 2014 prize for crowd participation.

La Chiva Gantiva

Videos (of their more subdued tracks) from both La Chiva Gantiva’s WOMADelaide shows here…

Cuba – Roberto Fonseca

Roberto Fonseca and his phenomenal accompanying band – which included Malian kora and tama player Cherif Soumano – were the musical jewel of the WOMADelaide crown for me.

Once upon a time, Roberto Fonseca was a young piano player with Ibrahim Ferrer’s Orchestra. Now and for many years past, he’s been an established artist in his own right. In these days Robert Fonseca’s still young -and is creating stunning Latin Jazz music that explores sounds of traditional African roots music and electronica.

Roberto Fonseca

Both the music and the musicianship of this group were an absolute joy to experience live.

Cherif Soumano

Yandy Martinez

Ramses Rodriguez

Joel Hierrezuleo

Roberto Fonseca’s album Yo was one I made sure I bought home with me from WOMADelaide.

Glimpses of the magic of Roberto Fonseca’s WOMADelaide shows here on video…

France – Dub Inc

A french fusion of ever-so-danceable sounds of dub, reggae, dancehall, ska, ragga, hip-hop, Arab and African music.

Dub Inc

The really unique thing about this band is the voices and vocal combinations of Hakim “Bouchkour” Meridja and Aurélien “Komlan” Zohou.

Dub Inc

See what I’m talking about here on these videos from Dub Inc’s WOMADelaide 2014 shows…

Nigeria – Femi Kuti & The Positive Force

Femi Kuti needs no description. Nor does his music.

Hearing Femi Kuti play saxophone took me somewhere heavenly.

His supporting band and dancers The Positive Force, were as incredible to hear and watch as you’d expect them to be.

Femi Kuti & The Positive Force

Videos of Femi Kuti’s one and only WOMADelaide show here. Check out the chops of the Positive Force band towards the end of the first one…

Spain/Guinea – Buika

Contemporary sounds rooted strongly in traditional flamenco – sung and played exquisitely.

Buika was absolutely divine.

Buika

The guitarist accompanying Buika is amongst that group of phenomenal artists I heard at the festival.

Videos from one of Buika’s two WOMADelaide shows here…

Sample tracks (mp3 only) off Buika’s album En Mi Piel here too…

Mi Niña Lola – Buika – En Mi Piel

Somos (Featuring Chucho Valdes) – Buika – En Mi Piel

USA – Arrested Development

You all know who Arrested Development are and what they do. Hip-hop of the inspiring kind.

Arrested Development

Well, the line-up of the group might have changed. But I think they’re still doing what they’ve always done, in style. With new music and a new album coming.

Arrested Development

The live Arrested Development experience is one to have. Check out a video here…

USA – Red Baraat

Red Baraat blends North Indian Bhangra rhythms with the delicious sounds of jazz, brass-funk and hip-hop.

This awesome New York-based group was musically one of my favourites at WOMADelaide 2014.

Red Baraat

Their 5-piece-strong brass section was an extra special delight for my musical senses.

Red Baraat

Videos from each of Red Baraat’s WOMADelaide 2014 shows here…

Red Baraat’s 2nd album Shruggy Ji is also in my bag of music goodies that I bought home from the festival.

Zimbabwe – Mokoomba

Mokoomba fuses traditional sounds from African music with more modern ones, some of them even disco-like.

Mokoomba

Have a listen to the vocals of this group here on video. They’re sung in traditional Tonga language (unknown to most, even in Africa).

Other corners of the world represented live at WOMADelaide 2014 were Algeria, Bulgaria, India, Iran, Indonesia, Japan, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Reunion Island, Tunisia and Scotland.

Rachid Taha (Algeria)

Carminho (Portugal)

DJs Represented

Towards the end of your WOMADelaide nights, when you’re feeling happy and revitalized from all the amazing live music you’ve just experienced and want to keep dancing, you can.

Just head to the Speakers Corner stage and find yourself a spot amongst the trees. There you can have your last dance of the festival day to DJs spinning tasty tunes.

WOMAdelaide 2014 had some of the world’s best DJs on offer…

1. DJ Yoda (UK)

2. DJ Muro (Japan)

3. Awesome Tapes From Africa (USA) – DJ Brian Shimkovitz with his samples from 4000+ rare and random cassette tape recordings collected from Africa for more than a decade. You can check it out on his blog.

4. Will Holland (aka Quantic) (UK)

Will Holland makes some of my favourite music in the world.

Will Holland (aka Quantic) @ WOMADelaide 2014

Quantic DJ Set @ WOMADelaide 2014

Will Holland (aka Quantic)

In his WOMADelaide set he delivered a mix of old and new Quantic concoctions from his large collection of musical productions of the funk, soul and Latin flavoured kinds. So for me it was possibly the best DJ set I’ve ever experienced.

Check out a video snippet of a new concoction here…

[You can read more about Will Holland’s diverse musical projects, including Ondatrópica, and hear sample Quantic tracks, here.]

More Than Music

Incredible music, a friendly community of people and a green, open-air festival space. WOMADelaide has those fundamental festival ingredients.

It’s got lots more too – all a part of making it the positive festival experience it is.

Amongst the music and dancing there are activities of all sorts to be found around the festival site…

Find your favourite festival artists cooking up their traditional home dishes at Taste The World – giving a talk – or a music or dance workshop.

The Positive Force dance workshop

Listen to environmental talks and panel discussions at The Planet Talks.
Interact with a roving theatre performer.
Join in or watch the Parade.
Lay on the grass in the Pines and watch a visual installation of the best dancers from around the world in slow motion.

Slow Dancing (After Dark)

Get creative at an art workshop.
Eat delicious foods, drinks delightful wines, and browse artisan markets at the Global Village.
Nourish your weary body with a massage at The Healing Village.
Or entertain yourself and others in any other ways you want…

Importantly too, festival runnings are professional and smooth. Shows start on time. Set change-overs are efficient. Lighting and sound are quality. Stage emcees do a great job.

The wonderful experience of all that is WOMADelaide, comes at a comparatively cheap festival ticket price too. At its most expensive (post early-bird rates) the cost of a 4 day pass for 2014 was just over $300.

WOMADelaide Bliss

I think I’m on solid ground for declaring WOMADelaide to be one of the world’s best, and Australia’s very best music festival. Don’t you?

The ‘best’ or not (it’s subjective, I know), one thing is for sure. People who have the WOMADelaide experience get happier with each passing festival hour. Somewhere during those 4 festival days, music and festival bliss kicks in.

What do you say peoples? If you’ve already had yourself the WOMADelaide experience, did I get this declaration right? If you haven’t had it yet, surely you want it now?

We’ve only got about 50.5 weeks to wait until WOMADelaide 2015 !

Filed Under: Aotearoa (New Zealand), Arrested Development, Australia, Belgium, Buika, China, Cuba, Dub Inc, England, Fat Freddys Drop, Fela, Femi & Seun Kuti, France, Guinea, Hanggai, Hiatus Kaiyote, La Chiva Gantiva, Mokoomba, Ngaiire, Ngaiire, Nigeria, North America (USA), Papua New Guinea, Quantic / Will Holland, Red Baraat, Roberto Fonseca, Spain, WOMADelaide, Zimbabwe Tagged With: femi kuti, hiatus kaiyote, ngaiire, roberto fonseca, womad, womadelaide, womadelaide 2014

Ngaiire Gifts Again

March 3, 2014 by Beaver on the Beats Leave a Comment

Lately I’ve gone on about the awesome musical gifts of Ngaiire: her AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013 gig; Mullum Music Festival 2013 with the Barefoot Divas; and her 2013 album Lamentations. Well, now I have some more Ngaiire gifts.

The Papua New Guinean born, Australian based artist has been ever so busy since those recent ravings of mine.

Her and the Barefoot Divas have wowed the USA and Canada with their amazing shows.

Ngaiire & Barefoot Divas @ Mullum Music Festival 2013

Ngaiire (right) with Barefoot Divas @ Mullum Music Festival 2013

Ngaiire and her band have also been playing festival and other venue gigs all around Australia; doing radio shows; releasing the film clip of ABCD; and playing with the Australian Art Orchestra at MONA MOFO.

Ngaiire @ AWME (Australasian Worldwide Music Expo) 2013

Somehow amongst that very busy schedule, Ngaiire has found time to start writing a new album for us all.

Since discovering Ngaiire at AWME, I got busy trying to find myself some more Ngaiire gifts…non-mp3 copies of her studio releases before Lamentations. I had success on-line, buying Songs For No One and Two Minds from Waterfront Records.

No, they’re not vinyl. But they are definitely not mp3s. They are real discs, real sleeves and real inserts filled with beautiful images and words – things I can touch, see and smell. Most importantly on those discs is what I can hear – the music of Ngaiire as it was recorded to be heard – with uncompressed, good sound quality.

Good sound quality – and good music. More of the beautiful, raw, unique vocals and music of Ngaiire I love so much. Two Minds and Songs For No One probably won’t get as much play time as Lamentations does, but they are getting plenty nonetheless.

Here’s your gift of these super-compressed mp3 sample tracks from Two Minds and Songs For No One. You now know where to find and buy the real CDs yourself.

Two Minds (2010)

Two Minds (Sold Out Sam Remix) – Two Minds (2010)

Songs For No One (2008)

Never Forget I – Songs For No One (2008)

You can also hear Ngaiire singing versions of these songs on the Barefoot Divas live album Walk A Mile In My Shoes.

Guess what folks? In just 5 more days I get to have the gift of Ngaiire and her band live at WOMADelaide 2014.

Who’s coming??? Come on. You know you want to 🙂 .

Filed Under: Australia, Ngaiire, Ngaiire, Papua New Guinea Tagged With: ngaiire, songs for no one, two minds

Hiatus Kaiyote – Tawk Tomahawk Forever After

January 19, 2014 by Beaver on the Beats Leave a Comment

“I can’t believe that you haven’t heard of Hiatus Kaiyote! Where have you been? They’re an awesome Melbourne band that Erykah Badu’s been promoting.”

My friend with great taste in music, said that to me recently in Melbourne. Recommended by both he and Queen Badu, find Hiatus Kaiyote I had to.

So find, listen to, love and buy their 2012 album Tawk Tomahawk at a local independent record store I did.

He was right…Where had I been? I should have heard this music sooner.

Exceptional Australian Music

In my last post I came clean with my unpatriotic truth that there’s not much Australian music I find that blows me away. That’s not a criticism of Australian musicianship. Australia has lots of brilliant and innovative musicians. It’s simply that most of the music created here (at least that I find) just doesn’t excite me.

Hiatus Kaiyote’s music is an exception.

I’m happy to have added an Australian album to my collection that is equally as interesting and loveable to me as the rest of the collection of music by artists from elsewhere in the world. It’s a lesson to me that maybe I just need to look harder in Australia to find the amazingness.

Flavours & Sounds

Hiatus Kaiyote is the very talented and innovative Nai Palm (vocals & guitar; Simon Mavin (keys & synths); Paul Bender (bass, guitar, synths & effects); and Perrin Moss (drums, percussions, synths & effects)….

…making beautiful and ever-so-loveable music together.

Hiatus Kaiyote

‘Future soul’ and ‘Neo-soul’ seem to be the phrases used most to try to describe Hiatus Kaiyote’s music…some blend or other of sounds from soul, hip hop, electro, r&b, jazz, opera, pop, Latin and Afro genres.

So many musical flavours. So hard to put into a genre box. That’s why I love this music. It’s totally unique.

And whatever it is and whatever it’s named, it is true that it’s simply awesome Australian music that should be heard.

Hiatus Kaiyote on Vinyl Forever

Check out these mp3 [only] sample tracks from Tawk Tomahawk yourself for a small taste of the diversity of sounds on the album…

Tawk Tomahawk (2012) – Hiatus Kaiyote

Lace Skulls

Nakamarra

Awesome songs aren’t they? The rest of the tracks on Tawk Tomahawk are as well – including the bonus remix of Nakamarra, featuring Q-Tip – nominated for ‘Best R&B Performance’ in this year’s Grammy Awards no less.

The entire Hiatus Kaiyote album – in it’s CD or Vinyl glory – is abundantly worth hearing, buying and having in your music collection to enjoy forever after.

Remember I shared some beautiful tracks with you from Ngaiire’s album Lamentations? Well Nai Palm’s gorgeous, soulful vocals feature with Ngaiire on one of them. Find Dirty Hercules here.

Hiatus Kaiyote Live

Lucky I am then, and lucky is anyone else going to WOMADelaide Festival in March. We get to have ourselves the live Hiatus Kaiyote and Ngaiire experiences there – plus more with a bunch of other diverse and incredible artists from different corners of the world. Only 7 more weeks to wait until my musical Christmas comes!

Until then people in Melbourne can try to find a Hiatus Kaiyote show or one of Nai Palm’s solo gigs. Just one more of so many other musical reasons to be in Melbourne really :).

Nai Palm

Another one is that after WOMADelaide, incredibly lucky is anyone who has themselves a ticket for Erykah Badu‘s April show in Melbourne where Hiatus Kaiyote will be supporting.

Filed Under: Australia, Hiatus Kaiyote Tagged With: hiatus kaiyote, lace skull, namakarra, tawk tomahawk

A Magical Woodford Folk Festival World Away

January 6, 2014 by Beaver on the Beats 4 Comments

Being at Woodford Folk Festival is to live in a beautiful, magical, far-away world of its own.

A World Away

You move into a temporary village of lantern-lit streets and paths, nestled amongst the hills. Those paths are lined with restaurants, bars, venues & stages, artisan market stalls, art works and more. Surrounding them are the many different camping grounds.

All of that is spread across a huge 500-acre festival site.

Your new home is in the beautiful South-East Queensland countryside…Jinibara Country.

You are instantly part of a community of 100,000+ people who come to Woodford Folk Festival between 27 Dec and 1 Jan. They are super friendly, diverse, arts-loving people from all over Australia and overseas.

Like you, they become happier and more relaxed with each passing festival day.

After landing in the festival village, the rest of the world and its bad news stories feel far away. Selfishly, I don’t want to know about that other world during my festival days and nights. I just want to immerse myself completely in the small utopian world of Woodford Folk Festival, while I can.

Endurance & its Rewards

To live in the magical world of Woodford Folk Festival requires endurance. My friend says it’s like being a contestant on the reality television show Survivor.

The festival is (if you choose) 6 days & nights of camping in the extreme Queensland Summer heat and dust, some times heavy rains.

It’s also 6 days and nights trying to squeeze in as much as possible of the goodies on offer in the festival program.

On offer is non-stop live music, dance, theatre, film, comedy, circus, parades, talks, debates, ceremonies, events, and other arts, health & educational activities…

…all happening in over 35 official (+ more unofficial) venues across the Woodford Folk Festival site.

Woodford Folk Festival is an epic adventure to end the year with, and you’re unlikely to go home from it feeling physically rested. But the rewards of endurance are one week in the countryside with friendly festival people and music – and that means leaving the festival feeling recharged and inspired in every other way.

2013/2014 Woodford Folk Festival Music

For me and my personal musical tastes, I can’t say Woodford Folk Festival is my absolute favourite Australian festival. That has to be WOMADelaide – because of its focus on music from all over the world crossing so many diverse genres.

The Woodford Folk Festival program is like its name says – folk music focused – with lots of other genres on the fringe.

But with so many different musical (& other) options on offer throughout the festival week (2000+ performers), everyone can find something to love.

Musically what I love most about Woodford Folk Festival, is that just about all day and all night you can hear some type of music played around you wherever you are on the festival site.

Constantly hearing music makes me feel happier (even if it’s music I’m not into). I think it makes other festival-goers happier too – even if my camping comrades mightn’t say so about the music played by our banjo-practising neighbour.

Here’s some good artists I heard at Woodford Folk Festival in my last days of 2013 (keeping in mind that I, like every other festival goer, can only possibly see a small % of the whole program)….

International Artists

Babylon Circus

Babylon Circus hail from France. They play a fusion of gypsy, punk, reggae, ska, afro-beat and chanson.

Babylon circus have an awesome horns section. Overall the music didn’t move me enough to take the CD home – but both the musicianship and stage presence of all 9 band members made it a worthy and fun live experience.

Videos from a Babylon Circus festival show here (impressively played in 40+ degrees heat)…

Beth Orton

I have listened to Beth Orton’s recorded music for a long time. To experience her and her 2 band members play live at the Ampitheatre was special, and felt ever so intimate.

To watch Beth Orton perform on stage in her shorts and her rain jacket, and hear her anecdotes about Australia and Woodford Folk Festival, was lovely too.

xxx

Videos from Beth Orton’s Ampitheatre show here…

Jaaleekaay

Jaaleekaay was the ‘one that got away’ from me at Mullum Music Festival. This trio is Australian-based Steve Berry on guitar and Gambian vocalist and kora player Yusepha Ngum and Amadou Suso musically united. They were joined on the Woodford stage by innovative Australian percussionist Greg Sheehan.

I made sure I heard Jaaleekaay at Woodford Folk Festival – and my friend was right about them. Amadou Suso’s playing was amazing. His long lineage of kora players can be heard in every single sound he plays.

Video from 1 of Jaaleekaay’s festival shows here….

Julian Marley

What I’ll say about Julian Marley’s Woodford Folk Festival show is that the musicianship was faultless. I could have stayed on that Ampitheatre hill all night to listen to those musicians play whatever they wanted to play.

This show bought back good, good memories of Reggae Sumfest where I was blessed to hear that incredible Jamaican musicianship over three long festival nights.

The only other thing I’ll say is that Julian Marley’s most interesting music were the songs that weren’t covers of Bob Marley songs – and had dub or groove beats in the reggae mix.

Check out these Julian Marley videos yourself. Marley fans, what say you?

The Sojourners

Three Canadian gospel singers and their band, on a festival stage.

The Sojourners are talented. I guess the experience I really wanted though, was to hear them in a parish environment, arms and voices raised high amongst the rest of the congregation. I think I need to leave Australia to find that 🙂 .

Video of the festival experience of The Sojourners here...

Australian Artists

Kingfisha

Brisbane’s Kingfisha have developed their own unique sound that sets them apart from other Australian bands creating music in the reggae/dub genres.

Most songs Kingfisha played in their Woodford Folk Festival shows were new ones from their forthcoming album. Each is musically great – an interesting song journey in itself with lots of changes throughout and cool electronic sounds from 3 synths. That music combined with Anthony Forrest’s gorgeous vocals makes for unique, great sounding tunes.

Videos from 2 of Kingfisha’s festival shows here…

The Crusty Suitcase Band with Company 2

Scotch & Soda is an entertaining circus and music show by the Crusty Suitcase Band and Company 2.

The most special part of this show for me was the music by the Crusty Suitcase Band – another brilliant musical project of Australian percussionist Ben Walsh.

At Woodford The Crusty Suitcase Band had a bass player – but it’s only usually Ben Walsh on drums with a group of some of Australia’s top horn players. They create funky ‘gyp hop’ instrumental music influenced by sounds from some of the world’s best musical sources (Cuba, Africa, Jamaica eg.).

The Crusty Suitcase Band’s music is heavenly for horns-lovers like me. Even with only drums and horns the music sounds full, is missing nothing, and is played with stellar musicianship.

To my ears this is some of Australia’s finest contemporary music on offer.

Check out this video of The Crusty Suitcase Band in Scotch & Soda at Woodford…

Catch Scotch & Soda at the Sydney Festival this month if you can.

Wild Marmalade

Wild Marmalade’s music has always sounded unique in this world: live, organic, improvised dance music usually created by only a didgeridoo (Si Mullumby) and a drum kit (Matt Goodwin).

Their live shows are mesmerizing – and the visibly strong connection they and their music make with the audience is a special thing.

The recent addition of Tijuana Cartel’s flamenco-inspired guitarist Paul George to the Wild Marmalade mix, makes their music sound more diverse, interesting and unique than ever before.

Videos from 2 of Wild Marmalade’s Woodford gigs here…

In this one Si Mullumby puts down his didg to play flamenco guitar…

The Ones That Got Away

Like at every festival, especially one with such a huge program over such a large site, I missed a lot of music I’d wanted to hear.

Hearsay I know, but I’m told the Hi-Tops Brass Band (Sydney hip hop with lots of live horns); Yirrmal & The Yolgnu Boys (Indigenous Australian); The Basics (Melbourne based, and including Gotye), were ones I should have caught.

I know from experience The Crusty Suitcase Band playing their own gig on New Years Eve was probably the biggest musical catch of Woodford Folk Festival 2013- one I sadly had to miss.

Back To The Real World

It’s a lovely thing to sit on a hilltop at dawn and watch the first sun of 2014 rise – surrounded by a community of good people you’ve shared Woodford Folk Festival life with.

To sit in the Ampitheatre with those people and thousands more later that night to watch the spectacular closing Fire Event, is another special experience.

The experience of leaving the magical world of Woodford Folk Festival to return to the world of reality, can be a hard one. It was for me this time.

My completely sunny outlook above, comes after an almost rainless 2013/2014 festival by the way. I also have stories of being there for a rainy, wet, muddy time 🙂 . A beautiful thing is that after 28 festival years, there must be countless Woodford Folk Festival stories that exist in this world.

Share any good Woodford stories you have here…especially if it’s to tell me about some amazing music I missed at the festival last week.

Filed Under: Australia, Babylon Circus, Beth Orton, Canada, England, France, Gambia, Jaaleekaay, Jamaica, Julian Marley, Kingfisha, The Crusty Suitcase Band, The Sojourners, Wild Marmalade, Woodford Folk Festival Tagged With: babylon circus, julian marley, kingfisha, wild marmalade, woodford folk festival, woodford folk festival 2013

La Rumba’s Street Music Pays The Rent

December 21, 2013 by Beaver on the Beats Leave a Comment

Hearing music in the streets makes people happier. It makes their days and nights in public spaces better – even if they don’t realise it. So says I anyway.

If it’s original music being played on the streets, even better. The people in those streets are blessed with exposure to new music. It’s also a grass-roots way for artists to share their music with the world. Successful Australian bands like Blue King Brown and Wild Marmalade made their way on to venue and festival stages from busking in the streets of Byron Bay.

Wild Marmalade – Busking in Byron Bay (2004)
www.pbase.com

Wild Marmalade 2013
www.last.fm

For many artists, playing music in public spaces is a regular and sure income they can rely on to pay their rent.

The Papa Bear of Latin music in Melbourne, Leo Salvo, plays different gigs in venues around the city every week. When I spoke with him in Melbourne recently his gig count for that weekend was 6.

One group he plays with is La Rumba.

La Rumba

Leo told me he makes more money playing a few short Saturday sets in the Bourke Street Mall than he gets paid for playing a whole week of gigs in Melbourne venues. That money is made just from the band selling CD’s. No guitar case or hat to take donations. For Leo Salvo and the rest of La Rumba it is a sure and regular income to pay the bills.

Here’s a video of La Rumba playing in Bourke St Mall…

La Rumba Video on Youtube

Shame on the venues.

Good on the people in the streets of Melbourne for supporting the artists whose music makes their days and nights better.

Filed Under: Australia, La Rumba, Leo Salvo, Street Music Tagged With: la rumba melbourne, leo salvo, melbourne music, street music

The Gift of Ngaiire

December 17, 2013 by Beaver on the Beats 2 Comments

My Gift of Naiire

Last month AWME gave me the gift of Ngaiire and her band live in Melbourne, plus their debut album Lamentations to take away.

AWME showcase (Melbourne)

On the next weekend Mullum Music Festival blessed me with the gift of Ngaiire performing amongst the Barefoot Divas.

Mullum Music Festival 2013

In between those two shows and since, I have listened to the 9 beautiful songs on Lamentations over, and over again.

Lamentations (2013)

It’s music self-described as ‘future folk/soul’. I guess that’s true, but I don’t even want to think about naming it. It’s just special.

Think Erykah Badu. Me’Shell Ndegéocello. Nneka.

Erykah Badu

Meshell Ndegeocello

Nneka

Ngaiire’s music, nor her vocals, sound like theirs do.

Sydney based, Papua New Guinean Ngaiire, sounds like Ngaiire.

Ngaiire

But all 4 of those contemporary female artists create innovative, unique and diverse music. They all have divine voices and use them in incredible ways.

Ngaiire is now amongst Erykah, Me’shell and Nneka in my group of musical heroines.

Your Gift of Ngaiire

2 sample tracks from Lamentations

They’re just a tiny taste of the diverse musical and vocal flavours on the album – but hopefully enough to make you want more. I promise you the creations of Ngaiire and her musical collaborators (Aaron Choulai – Tim Curnick – Chris Townend – Nai Palm – Elana Stone – Brian Campeau) sound much better on the original CD than in this here mp3 style.

Lamentations (2013)

Dirty Hercules (Feat. the beautiful Nai Palm from Hiatus Kaiyote) – Lamentations (2013)

ABCD (For Ommo) – Lamentations (2013)

A special gift yes? 🙂 I think so.

You can buy yourself Lamentations on-line…or on foot in good music stores.

You can also find Ngaiire’s past releases on-line. Or you can try to find 2 copies of the original CDs – 1 for you, and 1 for me please.

: Filthy (2011) Single

: Two Minds (2010) EP

: Songs For No One (2007)

Her Gift of Ngaiire

It’s a very rare thing that I’m brave enough to buy a music CD for someone by an artist they don’t know about. A risky gift to give yes?

This Christmas I’ve bought Lamentations for someone. I’m not worried though. I have complete faith in the value of Ngaiire’s music being heard.

Future Gifts of Ngaiire

The gift of the live Ngaiire & band experience is on offer to folks all around Australia in coming months. They’ve just started their Summer tour with a support slot for Alicia Keys.

We can get the gift again at Ngaiire’s WOMADelaide show in March – on the festival program amongst other amazing worldwide artists.

Filed Under: Australia, Ngaiire, Ngaiire, Papua New Guinea Tagged With: ABCD (For Ommo), dirty hercules, lamentations, ngaiire

Mullum Music Festival 2013 – Satisfaction +

December 14, 2013 by Beaver on the Beats Leave a Comment

What do you need most from a music festival to go home feeling satisfied?

For me the two most important things are:

some amazing music; and
a good, friendly community of people to share the festival experience with.

I went home from Mullum Music Festival 2013 having experienced both of those things plus more.

Amazing Music

The more amazing music you hear at a festival the better, right? Of course.

But me I’ll go home musically satisfied if I’ve heard at least one artist who absolutely blew me away. Some music that moves me to a place where I am truly present in the moment with it. Without thoughts. Just feelings. Magnificent ones.

Barefoot Divas Were the One

This year at Mullum Music Festival the Barefoot Divas were the artists who put me in that place. Their powerful show on Saturday night made every part of my being feel alive. It was hard for me to come back into my mind, and to talk to people afterwards. I wanted to stay in that place of goodness the Barefoot Divas had taken me to.

Each of the 6 Barefoot Divas are incredibly talented and well established independent female artists in their own right.

Ursula Yovich (Serbia/Burarra)

Merenia (Maori/Welsh/Roma Gypsy)

In this show together, the unique artistry and personality of each woman is given space to shine as they generously share through spoken word, poetry and song, aspects of their respective Indigenous heritage, cultures and personal life experiences. The content is socially and politically conscious. Delivery is with heart and soul. The result is inspiring.

Ngaiire (Papua New Guinea)

Whirimako Black (Maori)

Maisey Rika (Maori)

Emma Donovan was missing from the Mullum shows 🙁 .

Emma Donovan (Gumbayngirr NSW)

Not for a long time has a musical experience moved me as much as the Barefoot Divas did. Everyone at their Saturday night show I could eventually speak to afterwards, felt the same way.

Check out these videos from their Mullum Music Festival shows…

Merenia Gillies

Ursula Yovich

NGAIIRE

Since there’s no videos here of 3 of the Divas, you can listen to some sample tracks by them from the Barefoot Divas (live) album – Walk A Mile In My Shoes.

Walk a Mile In My Shoes-Barefoot Divas (live)

Repeat Offender (live) – Maisey Rika (Barefoot Divas)

Wahine Whakairo (live) – Whirimako Black (Barefoot Divas)

Ngarraanga (live) – Emma Donovan (Barefoot Divas)

Videos or low quality mp3s can never compare to the live experience with these beautiful artists and women, and the great band of musicians playing with them. They’ll give you just a bit of an idea until you can find yourself a live show to get to (North America or Canada early 2014 anyone?).

Around The World With Greg Sheehan

Greg Sheehan is one of Australia’s most respected, innovative and brilliant percussionists. I’ve said those type of things before about other percussionists, but hearing Greg Sheehan play makes me want to take some of my words back.

The 2013 Mullum Music Festival was deservedly dedicated to him.

Greg Sheehan

In his Sunday night show at the Civic Hall, Greg Sheehan put together a collective of some of Australia’s other finest musicians. They took us on a world-wide journey of his musical life and influences – finishing it back in Indigenous Australia with dance artists joining them on stage for a unique hip hop & traditional Aboriginal dance fusion.

Charles Wall

Ben Walsh (The Bird, Circle of Rhythm, PNOMAD, Orkestra of the Underground, The Crusty Suitcase band, Groovelands Soundsystem), Charles Wall (aka Bobby Alu + Kooii) and Matt Ledgar (Wild Marmalade) were the percussionists amongst them.

Cye Wood

Within the percussion heavy collective were Cye Wood on violin and Matt Ostila on bass, both rising high to their grand melodic challenge. Matt Ostila’s skills on the bass especially impressed me at this gig.

Very short taste of Greg Sheehan’s gig here…

Jaaleekaay – The One That Got Away

Jaaleekaay are ‘an Australia/Gambia convergence‘ between guitarist Steve Berry, phenomenal young Kora player Amadou Suso, and vocalist Yusepha Ngum.

Theirs was the music at Mullum Music Festival that absolutely blew my friends away, and I missed 🙁 .

Jaaleekaay

I’m sure from the program there were others great artists too, probably some amazing ones. I missed 2 of the 4 festival days. On those 2 days I was feeling a bit lazy thanks to good people to talk with plus some Australian festivals fatigue 🙂.

2013 Artists

Check out some videos here of 2 other quality festival acts I caught…

Kingfisha

Brisbane’s Kingfisha – sounding stronger with each gig of theirs I hear – and playing 3 great new tracks, including this one here…

x

Raul Midon

Jazz/r&b/flamenco fusion artist from the U.S.A, Raul Midon – singer, guitarist, percussionist and trumpet vocalist all in one….

“That’s what it’s all about”

At the end of the festival when my friend and I swapped Barefoot Divas and Jaaleekaay stories, he said this:

Having those incredible music experiences is what it’s all about, isn’t it. That’s why we come. That’s why I play music.

Amen to that my friend.

Mullum Music Festival Community

Even with some amazing music, a festival experience can be damaged by sharing it with a not-so-friendly or respectful community of festival goers right? For me, definitely.

Every one of the Mullum Music Festival venues (12) I went to was filled with friendly music appreciators of all ages – and those good friendly vibes we want.

The Magic and Red Buses that can take you between venues and will keep you in music mode, are also filled with those good people.

There are friendly people hanging out in the Mullumbimby streets too. I think they’re even happier for the music played by buskers – as well as the many musicians in Sunday’s Street Parade, including Festival Director Glenn Wright on trombone.

Everyone at the Mullum Music Festival was happy to be there – happy to be a part of and contribute to this special community event. Those people (plus the music and more) make it the great festival it is…

The colorful locals of Mullumbimby and its luscious surrounding region. After 6 years of hosting the festival it seems to have become an integral part of their community life. Festival tickets are reasonably priced too, making it accessible to more of the community than most other Australian festivals are.

Australian and international festival punters who make the pilgrimage to be there – warmly and proudly welcomed by the local folks.
The many volunteers who festival runnings heavily rely on.
Music artists – lots of local ones + visiting national and (thankfully) some international ones – happy for a music-appreciating crowd to share their music with.
Other creative artists contributing through theatre, dance, sculpture, workshops, circus and of course, the Bongo Bus.
Police & security – well, there wasn’t really any. No need.

Mullum Music Festival = Satisfaction +

Blessed by some amazing music and more great music whilst hanging out with the friendly festival folks in their beautiful green town, I left Mullumbimby feeling satisfied. I would happily be a part of the Mullum Music Festival community again.

Filed Under: Australia, Barefoot Divas, Cye Wood, Greg Sheehan, Kingfisha, Matt Ostila, Mullum Music Festival, Ngaiire, North America (USA), Raul Midon Tagged With: 2013, barefoot divas, greg sheehan, kingfisha, mullum music festival, mullumbimby, ngaiire, raul midon

‘A’ is for Afrobeat Hip Hop

December 7, 2013 by Beaver on the Beats Leave a Comment

I was talking music with a Texan musician recently. He told me about a few fusion music genres from the U.S. I’d never heard of and sounded great.

When I later checked them out I remembered again that the very long and ever-growing list of music genres in our world, is pretty damn cool.

Don’t you think so?

If you do then you might be into this here series my new Texan friend has inspired me to start. It’s an A – Z of Worldwide (Mostly) Fusion Music Genres…with sample tracks where possible.

Here goes…

A

Afrobeat

is a combination of traditional Yoruba music, highlife, jazz and funk with chanted vocals styles and conscious lyrics.

Afrobeat made it into my A list cause it’s one of my all-time favorites.

Afrobeat’s main pioneer was the legendary Nigerian artist Fela Kuti (you knew that already).

Fela Kuti

Fela Kuti was of course succeeded by Femi Kuti and Seun Kuti (amongst others).

Femi Kuti

Seun Kuti

Many Things (2008)

African Problems (Many Things-2008) – Seun Kuti

Remember please people…it’s just an mp3. Kuti (Fela, Femi & Seun) albums are easy to buy and touch, and amazing to hear.

Afrobeat Hip Hop

I haven’t found this one in any official-type music genre lists. It’s on my A list cause in Melbourne recently I heard The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra playing a combination of Afrobeat and hip hop at their AWME gig.

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra

Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

How Long It Go Take (Do Anything Go Anywhere – 2010) – The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra

Afro-Cuban Jazz

is the earliest form of Latin jazz. It mixes Afro-Cuban clave-based rhythms with jazz harmonies and improvisation techniques.

Another one of my favourite music genres. Sadly for the world and for Cuban artists, people don’t get to hear most Afro Cuban jazz or other incredible Cuban music without physically going to its soils and looking.

Here are a couple of sample tracks from the Afro-Cuban Jazz Project album Descarga Uno…

Afro Cuban Jazz Project – Descarga Uno

Campina (Descarga Uno) – Afro Cuban Jazz Project

La Fiesta Esta Comenzando (Descarga Uno) – Afro Cuban Jazz Project

Aleatoric

Music the composition of which is partially left to chance and/or some primary element of a composed work’s realisation is left to the determination of its performer.

Aleatoric could be fusion, or not, but it sounds interesting anyways.

Anyone have some Aleatoric music to share?

Or some other weird and wonderful ‘A’ genre?

Filed Under: Afro Cuban Jazz Project, An A-Z of Worldwide Fusion Music Genres, Australia, Cuba, Fela, Femi & Seun Kuti, Fusion Beaver Style, Fusion Music, Nigeria, The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra Tagged With: afro cuban jazz, afrobeat, Fela Kuti, music genres, public opinion afro orchestra, seun kuti

Melbourne Music Juggle 2 – Johnston St Fiesta 2013

December 2, 2013 by Beaver on the Beats 1 Comment

I booked to go to Melbourne in mid-November for AWME.

I’d forgotten that Johnston St Fiesta was on the same weekend…in my beloved Melbourne hood of Fitzroy.

So really, what was a poor time-limited Beaver to do but juggle some of its music, dance and food into her Melbourne days and nights too?

With AWME on (+ usual Melbourne just happening), I only caught some of the Fiesta gigs – but all of them, and the musicians who played them, were pretty great.

Celebrating Las Culturas Latinas y Españolas

Johnston St Fiesta – called the Spanish Fiesta by many – and most formally called the Hispanic-Latin American Festival. It’s a celebration of Latin and Spanish cultures and language – all of which are well represented in multi-cultural Melbourne.

One block of Johnston St closed to traffic, filled with many, many people – trying to move up and down the street amongst 2 lines of food stalls cooking traditional Latin and Spanish food delights. The Fiesta’s popularity outgrew its street space long ago.

The calm before the storm of people

Music & Dance

The Fiesta has one stage for bands and DJs at night, and for teachers giving dance classes to the crowd throughout the day. I was unlucky enough to be at the Fiesta during the only reggaeton class of the day.

I caught a great show by Melbourne’s salsa/cumbia big band Quarter Street Orchestra on my way to Ngaiire’s awesome AWME gig in the city on Saturday night :).

Video from the Quarter Street Orchestra show here…

If you can find your way out of the main street crowd and into one of the usual Johnston St bars, there are other music and dance shows on offer.

Kanela Bar

My favourite one of those bars for quality music/dance experiences is the cosy, homely, family-run Kanela Flamenco Tapas Bar.

There you’ll find Australia’s best flamenco group, four-piece Arte Kanela performing a few times daily.

Arte Kanela

Go back to Kanela Bar later in the night for good Latin music gigs played by a mix of musicians from other Melbourne bands.

Sometimes at the gig, like the one I caught at the end of the Fiesta, you might find top Australian male flamenco dancer Johnny Tedesco, playing cajun in the band…with none of the solemness of flamenco and a big smile.

Johnny Tedesco

Sunday night’s gig was led by Oscar Jimenez (Watussi) before he left Australia to launch his Vibrating Planet project in South America – with Emiliano Beltzer (Funkalleros & Santa Taranta) on bass, and Jose Nieto on vocals and harmonica. Their music made me feel happy.

Oscar Jimenez

Emiliano Beltzer

Jose Nieto

Video from the Oscar Jimenez & Co. gig here…

Saturday night at Kanela Bar (on my way back from Ngaiire’s show) I caught Rumberos‘ band leader Leo Salvo and his ‘Band With No Name’…who I want to name.

Marcelo Salvo (Rumberos) on bass and hand percussion – Cristian Saavedra (Quarter Street Orchestra, Del Barrio & Latin hip-hop band LABJACD) on percussion – Jonothon Cohen (Del Barrio & Rumberos) on keys – with Elizabeth Obando (Del Barrio & Son3) on bass and vocals and Oscar Poncell (Son3 & Kunataki) on percussion in some songs.

Check out some videos here…

To battle, or not to battle Johnston St Fiesta crowds?

Melbourne has a huge number of talented musicians playing Latin music. If you’re in the city when the Fiesta is on, it’s worth trying to get through the crowds to hear them and other visiting musicians play. If you don’t think so, don’t worry – you’ll find most of the Johnston St Fiesta musicians playing gigs somewhere else in Melbourne one or many nights in any other week :).

Filed Under: Australia, Australia, Johnston St Fiesta, Kanela Flamenco Bar, Leo Salvo, Oscar Jimenez, Quarter St Orchestra Tagged With: johnston st fiesta, kanela flamenco bar, latin hispanic fiesta, oscar jimenez, quarter street orchestra, rumberos, spanish fiesta

Australian Music Artists

Yearning and Aching

Naturally Alive

Two of a Unique Kind

Dream Drone Serenity

The People Will Come

Sounds of the Planet

Australia Represented

Sounds of the Rest of the Planet

Aotearoa (New Zealand) – Fat Freddys Drop

China – Hanggai

Colombia/Belgium – La Chiva Gantiva

Cuba – Roberto Fonseca

France – Dub Inc

Nigeria – Femi Kuti & The Positive Force

Spain/Guinea – Buika

USA – Arrested Development

USA – Red Baraat

Zimbabwe – Mokoomba

DJs Represented

More Than Music

WOMADelaide Bliss

Exceptional Australian Music

Flavours & Sounds

Hiatus Kaiyote on Vinyl Forever

Hiatus Kaiyote Live

A World Away

Endurance & its Rewards

2013/2014 Woodford Folk Festival Music

International Artists

Australian Artists

The Crusty Suitcase Band with Company 2

The Ones That Got Away

Back To The Real World

My Gift of Naiire

Your Gift of Ngaiire

Her Gift of Ngaiire

Future Gifts of Ngaiire

Amazing Music

Barefoot Divas Were the One

Merenia Gillies

Ursula Yovich

NGAIIRE

Around The World With Greg Sheehan

Jaaleekaay – The One That Got Away

Kingfisha

x

Raul Midon

“That’s what it’s all about”

Mullum Music Festival Community

Mullum Music Festival = Satisfaction +

A

Afrobeat Hip Hop

Celebrating Las Culturas Latinas y Españolas

Music & Dance

Kanela Bar

To battle, or not to battle Johnston St Fiesta crowds?

music sublime

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