CYGNET 11-13 January,TAMAR VALLEY 18-20 January,
Tasmania is already a beautiful destination but to all
that, add a world class Folk Festival in a coastal setting in a bird sanctuary,
and a wonderful welcoming community. Now in
its 31st year, CYGNET boasts of having launched many a budding talent,
and this one was no exception.
There were eight venues on the Friday alone so it would not have been possible to see them all. The Town Hall concert had our Gleny Rae and the boys, Battlers’ Ballad (Jason Chloe and Bill) with the Perch Family to finish. Being of quieter frame of mind, I opted for the Church concert. Andy Salvanos gave an intriguing performance on a guitar-related instrument called a Chapmanstick. Frank Yamma, sat Buddha-like while dozens of beavering roadies got the set up right, then he let loose in impressive style – superb big tone and a fine performance.
I recognized Horse and Wood – Horse was Bukhu,
the Mongolian fiddler and throat singer, who entertained us at the club last
year. Wood, was John Robinson and his
Arabic Oud. With John providing the
underlying structure, Bukhu is free to be really lyrical and dramatic. The pair
were given the honour of being chosen for the Director’s Choice concert at the
close of the Festival. It is always a
mystery who is going to be selected .
The Company , Stiff Gins, and Rory Macleod were also featured.
Saturday I was able to dip and dive into a number
of venues. I also took part in a Cornish
tunes workshop given by Sarah Calderwood of SUNAS which was fun. It seems the fashion these days not to
provide written music sheets and I wish they would. It is so much easier to remember them. Next to that hall there was a park with free
music all day. Not the best spot for
Danny Spooner, but I caught up with him later.
We also talked briefly about him coming North to see us sometime so
maybe……
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.....In the budding talent department...... I am predicting
a great future for a young singer-guitarist called Matthew Dames, ex UK but now resident in Launceston. Indeed the locals were very well represented
from Ballpoint Penguins, New England Honeyeaters (an actual bird as well as a
group) Elfa and Emily who also played to
Bob Brown and partner who sat just in front of me (my slender link to
fame) There were more local choirs,
instrumental groups, than you could poke a stick at. It must be the healthiest scene around.
I was determined to see the two hot lads in the
innovation department, Linsey Pollack and Mal Webb. You couldn’t get near Linsey Pollack’s
concerts – he is very popular. He makes
extraordinary instruments from household instruments like rubber gloves, then
makes beautiful music on them. Mal Webb
seems to me like Leunig’s Mr. Curley, but on steroids. I was almost scared to laugh in case I missed
something. His ‘lessons’ are almost unbelievable like the Geography
of Africa on his head and the Physics of
sound Harmonics with a cable.
‘Unique’ is an overworked word but I do believe that applies to this
strange and marvelous man.
Mark Cryle, singer songwriter from Brisbane, gave a lovely smooth set of songs, and I caught
a little of Richard Gilewitz, from USA, with his
super guitars. The quality from all
these people was absolutely the tops.
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- THE TAMAR VALLEY FESTIVAL, Georgetown.
That did not last: there were some wonderful
concerts, notably Ange Takats, Backseat Driver, with Nick Charles (looking so
like Julian Assange I had to look twice)
Danny Spooner commanded a good appreciative crowd in the yacht club,
Kerrie Maguire with the West Coast singers, The Company, a Brisbane Bluegrass
group who were magical.
~~~~~~~~~
OK, I know it is a long way to go but some folk manage it
– I was delighted to see Jengis Osman who sessions here at the Bennett, and was
backpacking in Tassie - some drive, others fly
and rent accommodation. Combine it with some
touring, a visit to MONA in Hobart
(Museum of old and new art) and some interesting shopping, and it makes for a jolly good
holiday.