Master Accordionist Enzo Toppano at Humph Hall with Barry

Transcription

Master Accordionist Enzo Toppano at Humph Hall with Barry
Dates For Your Diary
Folk News
Dance News
CD Reviews
Folk Federation of New South Wales Inc
Issue 426 March 2011 $3.00
Master Accordionist
Enzo Toppano at
Humph Hall with
Barry Crocker,
Lorrae Desmond,
George Golla
& many others!
♫ folk music ♫ dance ♫ festivals ♫ reviews ♫ profiles
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2 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 3
dates for your diary March 2011
Metropolitan
Wednesday 2nd
►Cloudstreet - Humph Hall. 7pm, 85
Allambie Rd, Allambie Hts. 9939 8802
[email protected] humphhall.org
Friday 4th
BMC Beer & Cheese Night.
Tritton Hall (Hut 44), Addison Rd
Community Centre, 142 Addison Rd,
Marrickville. 8-10pm.
‘(Depends on …) which end of the
gun?’ The death, late last year, of
Bushranging historian Edgar Penzig
reminds Bob that we need to think just
where we stand in those bushranging
songs! Bring songs on the theme, &
something to share for supper. $5. Bob
9569 7244, [email protected]
Friday 4th - Saturday 5th
Northern Beaches Music Festival.
15 hours of music, 45 great acts
over three venues. The Tramshed
Community Arts Centre, 1395a
Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen. Friday
7-11pm, Saturday 1-11pm. [See article
this issue.]
Saturday 5th
►Beecroft Bush Dance, with Snake
Gully. Beecroft Community Centre,
Beecroft Rd (opp Fire Station). 8pm-12. All
dances taught. $17, $14, $12, incl. supper.
Helen 9626 7816. bushmusic.org.au
►The Loaded Dog. Martin WyndhamRead (UK). Annandale Neighbourhood
Centre, upstairs, 79 Johnston St. 8pm.
$ . BYO, supper available. Sandra (02)
9358 4886, www.theloadeddog.org.au
Sunday 6th
►Illawarra Folk Club. Martin
Wyndham-Read (UK). + No Such
Thing. City Diggers Wollongong, cnr
Church & Burelli Sts. 1300 887 034.
illawarrafolkclub.org.au
►Enzo Toppano & friends - Humph
Hall. With George Gola, Barry Crocker,
Lorrae Desmond & others. 3pm, 85
Allambie Rd, Allambie Hts. Bookings
9939 8802 [email protected]
humphhall.org
►Dana Lyons (USA)
Cat & Fiddle 452 Darling St Balmain
6pm $25/$20 Tel 9810 7931
Monday 7th
BMC Dance Workshop. ‘Old Time &
Newer.’ Leader John Short. Pennant
Hills Community Centre, Yarrara Rd.
7.30-9.30pm. $7. Felicity 9456 2860
4 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
Wednesday 9th
Tim O’Brien Trio (USA) + Crooked
Still (USA)
Notes, 25 Enmore Road, Newtown 8pm
$45 +bf Tel 95575111
The Fagans with Nancy Kerr - Humph
Hall. 7pm, 85 Allambie Rd, Allambie
Hts. Bookings: 9939 8802 wayne@
humph.org) humphhall.org
Thursday 10th
►Shanty Session. On board ‘James
Craig’, Wharf 7, Maritime Museum,
Darling Harbour. 7.30pm. $7. Mike 0419
992 119, 9476 3861 (call for parking
directions) , Chris 0416 220 237
►Martin Simpson (UK)
Notes, 25 Enmore Road, Newtown 8pm
$38 +bf Tel 95575111
►Sutherland Acoustic.
Irish themed (wear green), featuring
Siobhan O’Donnell from County Sligo.
She plays fiddle, bodhran, guitar, is a
talented vocalist; has won many “All
Ireland” titles, and toured the world
with a number of bands. Accompanied
by Cameron Mather, a trad musician
and singer who plays tenor banjo,
guitar, bouzouki and mandolin. He has
worked with many visiting Irish artists
and at 17 is a star in the making. Floor
spots, raffles. Gymea Trade Union Club,
Kingsway, Gymea (short walk from
station). 7.30pm. $15, $10, FF $12, kids
free. Jenny 95762301
Sunday 13th
Bulgarian Dance Workshop with
Lesley Rose, teachin g dances learnt
on her recent trip to Bulgaria. Redfern
Oval - Community Room (first floor,
overlooking Redfern Park), 51 Redfern
St. Walk from Redfern or Central
stations; bus 309 or 310 to cnr Pitt &
Redfern Sts. 10am - 3pm. Tea & coffee
available at a kiosk downstairs, or BYO
thermos. Sandra 6552 5142, Kaye 9528
4813. www.folkdanceaustralia.org.au/
Monday 14th
BMC Dance Workshop. ‘Old Time &
Newer.’ Leader John Short. Pennant
Hills Community Centre, Yarrara Rd.
7.30-10pm. $7. Felicity 9456 2860
ARPARLA (Italy). (harp & violin)Humph Hall. 7pm, 85 Allambie Rd,
Allambie Hts. Bookings: 9939 8802 or
[email protected]) humphhall.org
Friday 18th
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Folk Club.
Kieran Halpin (Scotland). Powerful
and passionate, intimate and intense.
He matches his intelligent and thought
provoking lyrics with great melodies
nd has developed over the years into a
writer with a style of his own. All this
is underscored by an incisive wit in his
introductions which helps an audience to
understand where the song comes from and
hint at where it might be going. Beatrice
Taylor Hall, rear Willow Park Community
Centre, Edgeworth David Ave, Hornsby.
8pm (doors 7.30pm). $15. Booking
recommended. Candle lit venue, tables can
be booked. BYO drinks & nibbles - tea &
coffee provided. Barry Parks 9807 9497,
[email protected]
Saturday 19th
Balmain Bush Dance, with Wallaby Stew.
Rozelle Campus, Sydney College, 25 Terry
St. 8pm-12. All dances taught. $17, $14,
$12, incl. supper. Don or Wendy 9642
7950. bushmusic.org.au
Illawarra Folk Club. Gilly Darby (UK/
NZ), Ann Vriend (Canada). City Diggers
Wollongong, cnr Church & Burelli Sts.
7.30pm. 1300 887 034. illawarrafolkclub.
org.au
Monday 21st
BMC Dance Workshop. ‘Favourite Couple
Dances.’ Leader Don Richmond. Pennant
Hills Community Centre, Yarrara Rd. 7.3010pm. $7. Felicity 9456 2860
Thursday 24th
Tony McManus (Scotland)
Notes, 25 Enmore Road, Newtown 8pm
$45 +bf Tel 95575111
Friday 25th
Crooked Still (USA)
Notes, 25 Enmore Road, Newtown 8pm
$35 +bf Tel 95575111
►Martyn Wyndham-Read & Iris Bishop
(UK) - (+ Kate Delaney & Denis Tracey)
- Humph Hall. 7pm, 85 Allambie Rd,
Allambie Hts. Bookings: 9939 8802 or
[email protected]) humphhall.org
Saturday 26th
►The Loaded Dog. Peter Hicks (Tas).
Annandale Neighbourhood Centre,
upstairs, 79 Johnston St. 8pm. $ . BYO,
supper available. Sandra (02) 9358 4886,
www.theloadeddog.org.au
►The Fagans with Nancy Kerr
Cat & Fiddle 452 Darling St Balmain 8pm
$25/$20 Tel 9810 7931
Sunday 27th
Christof (Holland/Ireland)
Cat & Fiddle 452 Darling St Balmain 6pm
$20/$15 Tel 9810 7931
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
Monday 28th
BMC Dance Workshop. Social Dance
Night. Leader John Short. Pennant Hills
Community Centre, Yarrara Rd. 7.3010pm. $7. Felicity 9456 2860
Tuesday 29th
The Cottars (CAN)
Cat & Fiddle 452 Darling St Balmain
8pm $25/$20 Tel 9810 7931
Regional and ACT
Saturday 5th
Dana Lyons, singer songwriter
(“Cows with Guns”). +Paul
Spencer. Wesley Church Hall, 150
Beaumont St, Hamilton. 7.30pm.
$14, $12, $10; 16 & under free.
newcastlehuntervalleyfolkclub.org.au
Sunday 13th
David Francey (Canada). Lizotte’s, 31
Morehead St, Lambton (Newcastle).
8.30pm. 4956 2066. www.newcastle.
lizottes.com.au/live/
Friday 18th
Martin Wyndham-Read & Iris Bishop
(UK). River Music, Nowra Golf Club,
Master accordionist Enzo Toppano celebrates
his 83rd birthday with a concert in Humph Hall
Enzo Toppano was a child prodigy at the age of 10. The son of Italian migrants
who had settled in Broken Hill, Enzo and his brother were urged to take up the
piano accordion by their father, who was a professional accordion player. And so
began a career spanning more than 70 years.
Enzo and his wife, Peggy Mortimer, appeared in shows all over the world and,
when they returned to Australia, they were among the first entertainers to appear on
Australian television with their own segment on Sydney’s first TV breakfast show.
Later they wrote and appeared in a number of revues and performed gigs in casinos
and nightclubs in Las Vegas, New York, the Bahamas and Montreal.
From the mid 1970s to 1981, the Toppanos’ stage was Manly’s Music Loft, where
the family appeared in a string of revues, among them, ‘In the Family Way’
(written by Peggy), ‘Once more with feeling’ and ‘Encore’.
In March 1977, Enzo was the subject of a ‘This is your life’ show on Channel 9.
Enzo’s daughter Peta Toppano, is an actress who found success
in Australian television. She is best known for her roles in
popular television series such as The Young Doctors, Prisoner,
and Home & Away, as well as Return to Eden in which she
played a “superbitch”.
At Humph Hall, Enzo will perform on the piano and accordion
with family and friends including Barry Crocker, Lorrae
Desmond, George Golla, Bob Barnard, Paul Baker & Ed
Gaston. Early footage of him and his wife will also be shown.
3pm, Sunday 6th March 2011
Humph Hall
85 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights - humphhall.org.
Bookings: (02) 9939 8802 or [email protected]
Scenic Drive, North Nowra. 7.30pm.
Andrew or Alison 02 4447 5663.
kangaroovalleyfolkfestival.com.au/
Saturday 26th
Newcastle Bush Dance. Wesley Church
Hall, 150 Beaumont St, Hamilton.
(Workshop)
7.30pm. $14, $12, $10; kids free.
World class and renowned
newcastlehuntervalleyfolkclub.org.au
percussionist and accompanist
extraordinaire to Linsey Pollack) will
The Merry Muse (presented by the
be coming up to the Blue Mountains
Monaro Folk Society)
for a week in March. On Saturday
Friday 18th
March 26th he will be running a
Andy Irvine + Rens Van Der Zalm
workshop for a small group of lucky
Friday 25th
rhythm-aires. If you are interested or
Tony McManus/Strathmannan with
if you know someone who would be
the workshop will be held here at Blue
Seamus Gill
Mountain Sound in Hazelbrook (an
Canberra Southern Cross Club
hour and a bit from Sydney by car and
McCaughey Street, Turner
1.5hrs by train) please let me know.
Enq. 0412 127 882
Bookings are strictly limited to no
merrymuse.org.au
more than 12. Bookings essential
Andy Busuttil, Blue Mountain
Services, Post Office Box 575
Hazelbrook NSW 2779 0414837367
Barry Crocker
Tunji
Crooked Still Band
Tim O’Brien
Strathmannan
Tunji
Martin Simpson UK
The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 5
Presidents Report
Hello To All
Good news and a good time had by all- a nice way to start this
month’s Presidents Report-Just over $1200.00 was raised at the
Fundraising concert on the 29th January. Fairlight Folk was full and
the music and entertainment wonderful. Again big thanks go to,
Blue Goose, Three’s Company, The Badga River Quartet,
Folklore, Cameron The Sound Guy, Andrew and Sue, Penny (for her
hospitality), The Mother’s of Intention and Fairlight Folk
Your generosity and talent are very much appreciated.
It would be great if someone wished to review the night- I’ll do
my best but as I was in one of the bands and busy with organisational
matters I really can’t do the evening and the bands the justice they
deserve.
Three’s Company- a marvellous blend of the three voices with
a touch of guitar performed a wide range of magical numbers in
more than one language. They had the audience laughing, crying and
experiencing a whole range of emotions in between; with beautiful
harmonies and an accomplished professionalism, which bellies the
small amount of time they’ve been making music together as this trio.
The Badga River quartet was a treat. The combination of
whistles, low whistle, guitar, fiddle and voice weaving together
in their own special way. The music was sometimes hauntingly
beautiful and at others storytelling with music at it’s best.
Folklore- I’ll let others comment, though I will say we had
greattime especially as it was the first time the four of us have played
together for an audience.
Finishing the evening Blue Goose - I had heard very good things
about Blue Goose before the evening and they more than delivered.
With four very fine musicians sharing their talents so easily and
adeptly, they had the audience crying for more. The audience
laughing throughout their set with their easy manor and dry humour
and the music was a joy. Hats of to you all for giving us such a special night.
Two other things Id like to mention.
We are still on the hunt for a place we can call home. If anyone
knows of somewhere we could use to hold events, concerts,
meetings and maybe store some things please let us know. Maurie
Mulheron has been able to have us look at the Teachers Federation
premises for example which may have some potential and they have
been generous already to consider us. But if we could find a venue
we could truly call our own it would make a substantial difference
to what we can offer to our members and the Folk community in
general.
Possibilities may include-
A bowling club no longer being used regularly, an old church or hall
space, Theatre Spaces - or anything you think might work.
We’ll keep you posted with suggestions.
Probably most importantly, I thought I’d broach the subject of being
involved as a member of the Committee. I know the AGM is a few
months away but I think now is the right time for people to start
thinking about whether or not they might like to be involved.
The current committee are giving much to keep the Folk Fed
running and doing a good job into the bargain, though I’m not sure
all of us will be putting our names into the hat again this year. It’s
not an onerous task and there are truly wonderful people involved
on a range of levels that make being a part of the Folk Fed more
than rewarding. You don’t have to have vast levels of experience in
anything in particular, though it never ceases to amaze me just how
many and varied the skills are on offer with the current committee
already and others who help out in various ways throughout the year.
In some past years there has been somewhat of a feeling that
people have been on committee just to keep the Folk Fed going. I
know I joined as president for just this reason. Once on committee
we have done some truly worthwhile things and in my opinion
6 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
done our best to have the Folk Fed be more than just keeping the
candles burning. We have raised funds for a variety of worthy
causes, organised CD’s and The Henry Lawson Song books (which
are a wonderful resource) and Coral, Julie and Wayne do wonders
keeping Cornstalk magazine, Folkmail and the Jam website going
respectively, all of which play an important role in facilitating the
sharing of information amongst the Folk community and beyond.
People don’t have to only be on committee either, you can offer
to be involved with any number of projects on whatever scale you
choose, just let the Folk fed know you’d like to be involved or you
can bring ideas to us that you’d like to see put on the agenda.
It would be nice to have some younger people involved as well;
we need representation across all ages if we are to be a vibrant and
representative body.
In finishing, I don’t want this to be a plea to people to save
Folk Federation of NSW- I don’t personally think we need saving,
(though I acknowledge the Folk Fed is worth “saving” should it
come to that). We have 40 years of history behind us and hopefully
more than 40 years ahead.
I guess for me, personally, it’s a matter of getting involved to
create a whole range of things because we want to. To celebrate and
be a part of what is a very special community.
The next step is yours, it’s our “Folk Fed” and it’s a wonderful
and worthwhile thing to be a part of.
If you have the time and the inclination please feel free to
be more involved, even if that means simply renewing your
membership and maybe asking others you think might like to be a
part of something special to join as well.
Cheers and see you at Cobargo Folk Festival,
Anthony
President
Folk Federation Of NSW
NOTICE
A Special General Meeting of the Folk Federation
of NSW is called on 12pm on Friday 22 April in the
session bar at the National Folk Festival, Canberra.
The reason for the meeting is to approve minor
changes to the Constitution to bring it in line with
Dept of Fair Trading’s requirements for the setting
up and maintenance of a Public Fund (to receive tax
deductible donations from individuals and Foundations).
A copy of the draft Constitution is available on www.
jam.org.au or by calling FFNSW Secretary Pam
Davis on 0412 730 754. Comments and feedback on
the draft are welcome.
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
Blue Mountains Music Festival of
Folk, Roots and Blues
The Waifs are now confirmed for the 2011 Blue Mountains Music Festival of
festivals and
events
MARCH
4th - 5th March
Folk, Roots & Blues along with: Justin Townes Earle; Luka Bloom; Crooked Still
(US); Martin Simpson (UK); Tim O’Brien Trio (US); The Cottars (CAN); Tony
McManus (UK); Rosie Flores (US); Les Chauffers
á Pieds ( CAN); Kieran Halpin (IRL); Ajak Kwai ( Sudan); The Oily Girls(
SCOT); The Cottars (CAN); Christof (HOL); The Alan Kelly Quartet (IRL); Andy
Irvine (IRL) & Rens Van der Zalm
(HOL); Pacific Curls; Backsliders; The Little Stevies; Sal Kimber & The
Rollin’ Wheel; Frank Yamma; The Spooky Mens’ Chorale; Skorba and Slava &
Leonard Grigoryan with the Tawadros brothers (Band Of Brothers).
Also joining us in 2011 are Katie Noonan and the Captains. Look out also for
David Bridie, Mama Kin, Graveyard Train, Busby Marou, Bob Corbett & The
Roo Grass Band, Tin Pan Orange, Darwin’s favourite Leah Flanagan, Ange Takats
from Brisbane, The Brothers Three from Sydney and Halfway To Forth from
Tasmania. Enjoy a trip back to the early seventies with blues pioneers Chain, and
the Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band with Mic and Jim Conway up front. Gregg
Borschmann’s Heartland Conversations and The Poets’ Breakfasts will again start
the Saturday and Sunday programmes. A special feature this year will be Fiona
Scott-Norman with her comedy hit one-hander ‘The Needle and the Damage
Done’, which mercilessly pillories the worst records ever made, and their album
covers. www.bmff.org.au
Norther Beaches Music Festival
northernbeachesmusicfestival.org
5th - 8th March
Burke and Wills Festival
www.wineandmusic.net
11th - 14th March
34th Port Fairy Folk Festival
www.portfairyfolkfestival.com
Enq. (03) 5225 1232
11th - 14th March
Womadelaide
Adelaide SA
www.womadelaide.com.au or apadmin@
artsprojectscom.au 08 82719905
17th - 27th March
22nd Brunswick Music Festival
www.brunswickmusicfestival.com.au
18th - 20th March
Blue Mountains Music Festival
Northern Beaches Music Festival
www.bmff.org.au [email protected]
25th - 27th March
Yackandandah Folk Festival
Yackandanda VIC
folkfestival.yackandandah.com
APRIL
8th - 10th April
St Albans Folk Festival
www.snalbans.iwarp.com
[email protected]
(02) 98733378
14th - 17th April
Jane Austen Festival
Canberra ACT
janeaustenfestival.com.au/
21st - 25th April 2011
National Folk Festival
Canberra. ACT
www.folkfestival.asn.au
21st - 25th April 2011
22nd Annual East Coast Blues & Roots
In mid 2010 four not for profit music groups of the Northern Beaches got
together with the expressed plan to create a music festival to be located in
and around Narrabeen Lakes Berry Reserve. These music groups are The
Shack, Fairlight Folk, Humph Hall and The Manly Fig. Since that time
Festival Director Paul Robertson has developed the concept and negotiated
with some forty five musical acts and performance artists to present twp
days of fine musical performance.
The event is to be staged on Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of March,
(fifteen hours,) and is located at The Tramshed Arts and Community Centre 1395a Pittwater Road, Narrabeen. Three performance venues will be
operating simultaneously presenting three acts each hour.
The line up of performers is diverse, interesting and of a high quality. The
program so far includes: Wheeze and Suck Band, Pat Drummond, Mothers of Intention, Selalu, Green Mohair Suits, Spasm Band, Chloe Hall
Band, Lou Bradley, Zoe Eliott, Shells, Gilbert Whyte, Fergusson, Mutual
Acquaintances, New York Public Library, Rapt, Luke Escombe, Lyre Bird,
Triantan, Geoff Stanley Band, Alan Caswell, Wheelers and Dealers, Dingle
Brothers, Michael Azzopardi, Tully, Blue Goose, Kate Delaney, Milton
Brown, Amazing Three, The Runaway Cabbages, Daniel Hopkins Band,
Orlando Agostino, Sarah and Margie, Loosely Woven, Dave Calaoundra,
Ecopella Choir, Solidarity Choir, Behiye Suren, Leon Rabin, Doug Richardson, Ben Osmo, Phil Bracken, Next Big Session, Paul Hemphill, Cap in
Hand, Andy George, Ziko Hart. Ticketing is at the door.
►Friday night 7pm-12pm @ $20
►Saturday 1pm-6pm@ $20
►Saturday night 6pm-12pm @ $20
►0r All Festival Gold Pass @ $40
The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The event is a fundraiser in order to
stage a larger festival in 2012.
northernbeachesmusicfestival.org
Contact: Paul Robertson (0418) 641 976,
[email protected]
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 7
Singing the songs of compassion
THE name Paola Mazella on the Australia
Day honours list may not be immediately
familiar. But for fans of Kavisha Mazella,
it ‘’connects the dots’’ on the singer who
launched ground-breaking Italian women’s
choirs. Kavisha is the meditation name Ms
Mazella adopted when briefly a devotee of
guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in the 1980s.
Ms Mazella is the daughter of an AngloBurmese mother and an Italian father. Her
family migrated to Australia ‘’as £10 Poms’’
and she grew up steeped in music. ‘’My
mother taught me guitar and my grandmother
played banjo,’’ she said, ‘’and on my dad’s
side, my uncle is a tenor singing classical
music and all the Neapolitan repertoire.’’
She performed Sicilian music in I Papaveri
with her twin brother Giancarlo and a Sicilian musician in Perth. They played for an Italian
women’s friendship club in 1989 and was moved when the women sang back songs to them.
‘’I said, why don’t we start a choir? I wasn’t trained to do it but I just felt if I didn’t do it,
nobody would do it.’’
She formed the Joys of the Women, which performed in the play Emma Celebrazione.
When she moved to Melbourne in 1993, Playbox asked her to form a choir for the play.
‘’I said OK, for eight weeks, and it is now 15 years.’’ Fifty women, many with ‘’inspiring
stories’’ of migration, responded and La Voce Della Luna was born.
After friends asked her to sing at Maribyrnong detention centre and she met some of the
refugees, ‘’it hit me that my mother was a refugee from Burma and when she was a child
they walked to India’’. She sings regularly in schools in Arnold Zable’s play of refugee
stories, Anytime The Wind Can Change. When she travelled into the desert with singer Neil
Murray, ‘’I couldn’t believe the Australia I was seeing, the racism’’. Indigenous projects
followed. Her proudest work is The Women’s Anthem she was commissioned to write by
the Victorian Women’s Trust to celebrate 100 years of women’s suffrage in 2008. She was
honoured for her ‘’musical projects promoting awareness of multicultural, refugee and
indigenous experiences’’.
ANDRA JACKSON
James Fagan and Nancy - Best Duo
One of the most established
and respected duos on the folk
scene, Nancy Kerr and James
Fagan are winners of the 2011
BBC Radio 2 Folk Award
for Best Duo (and previous
winners of 2003 Best Duo and
2000 Horizon Award.) As well
as being great exponents of
their instruments (fiddle, viola
and guitar-bouzouki) both are
regarded as fine and influential
singers. 2010 marked the 15th
year of this electrifying duo.
In that time they have toured
full-time and headlined festivals throughout the UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia, Japan and
Canada. Wherever they play, Kerr and Fagan make new friends and fans, as their love of
live performance is tangible and affirming. Consistently great live shows and five highly
respected albums, plus their recent collaborations with Robert Harbron and The Melrose
Quartet, have cemented their reputation as one of the classiest acts in acoustic music.
James and Nancy will be in Australia
Singing Teacher/Mentor needed
performing with The Fagans at Humph
to teach to sing acappella in key
Hall at 7pm on Wednesday 9th March
Passionate student
and at The Cat & Fiddle at 8pm on
MONB 0413673317
Saturday 26th March.
8 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
Australian National
Folklore
Conference 2011
The 9th annual conference facilitated
by the Australian Folklore Network, the
National Library of Australia, the National
Folk Festival and the Centre for Advanced
Studies in Australia, Asia and the Pacific,
Curtin University.
National Library of Australia 9-4.30pm
Thursday April 21
Grammy Award for Pete
Folk legend and Beacon resident
Pete Seeger along with Beacon
schoolchildren won a Grammy Award
tonight.
The album “Tomorrow’s Children”
by the 91-year-old Seeger with The
Rivertown Kids and produced by
Appleseed Records, won in the Best
Musical Album For Children category.
According to the record label,
“When Beacon fourth-grade teacher
Tery Udell invited Clearwater educator
and singer Dan Einbender to teach
her students about the Hudson, class
sessions became songfests, and where
there are songs, there’s Pete. He became
a regular visitor to the kids’ classroom
in 2007.
“The classroom gatherings and
performances inevitably led to a series
of recordings by Pete, Dan, musician
and CD co-producer (with Dan) David
Bernz, the children (known as “The
Rivertown Kids”), as well as adult
musicians, high schoolers and even 14
grammar school percussion students.”
Collaborators of the album also
included Dar Williams and Seeger’s
wife Toshi.
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
Folk in the Forest, WA
Over the last five years, there has been a very special folk
festival held at Banksia Springs near Dwelling Up – an hour southwest of Perth and nestled in Jarrah forest. It’s called Folk in the
Forest and is run by Little Folk, a charity which donates 100%
of every dollar to research into childhood cancer at the Princess
Margaret Hospital. There are no paid staff or collectors, and
fundraising is focussed on various concerts, dances and other events
throughout the year, culminating in the November festival where the
weekend tickets, the generous donations from guests, performers and
the owners of Banksia Springs have helped make Folk in the Forest
a great success.
Three or four things combine to make this Festival extra special
in my opinion. Firstly the team of organisers under the benign
dictatorship of Ken and Connie Kenny; they are extremely dedicated
and hard working and manage to exude serenity while holding
together all the complex strands that go to make a festival. Then
there is their network within the folk community which seems to be
mostly comprised of ex-pats from England, Ireland and Scotland;
all of them have a profound respect for traditional music including
unaccompanied song. Then, there’s the simplicity of the program
which balances dance, spoken word, instrumental music and song,
informal sessions; ther are limited acts which means everyone can
get to everything. And finally – and maybe most importantly –
there’s the venue itself; Banksia Springs. I suppose you would call
it a convention centre. There’s a main building comprising a couple
of hexagons, one with about six residential units and the other with
a big function room, and two cottages. It’s all been handmade by
a lovely bloke who has painstakingly crafted each corner (none of
which are right angles!); the rough hewn exposed timbers, furniture
and decor evoke a colonial era and blend with the landscape
in a most harmonious way. Check out the pictures at www.
banksiasprings.com. If you’re going to WA for whatever reason, try
to make some time for an overnight stop at this lovely spot.
Locals appearing at the 2010 festival included musicians,
Dave and Jenny Hoffman and friends, fiddler, Robert Zellinski,
unaccompanied singer and reciter, Peter Murphy (ex Lancashire),
trio Take Three – Anne Cormack, Fiona Ferguson and Jean Wilson
– trad. singer Phil Beck, and singer/songwriters, Graham Wilson (ex
UK) and Norma Holmes. Interstate guests were Danny Spooner and
Margaret Walters who jointly and severally, presented workshops
and several concert spots.
Organisers – Ken and Connie Kenny – would be delighted
to hear from others from interstate who are prepared to pay their
airfares and donate their talents to future Folk in the Forest festivals.
They reckon it’s a hard sell to get people to come over from the east
with no promise of monetary gain other than album sales; but my
experience was that performers can recoup their fares by guesting
at various folk clubs in the west, and accommodation is generally
freely available with genial hosts. So give it some thought and
contact Connie at [email protected]
And you could also do yourself a favour picking up Ken’s book
(unimaginatively titled “Australian Bush Poetry”). Ken’s Irish
heritage, his sense of humour and his extensive repertoire of Irish
song and verse makes him a natural for spurting bush verse, (Ken
doesn’t present himself as a singer but he knows heaps of traditional
songs and could call them to mind at a moment’s notice). Ken
recounts an infamous introduction made of his brother, Enda, given
by the secretary of a club in the north of England: “This next lad is
over from Australia, and he’s what they call a ‘singer-songwriter’.
He’s not exactly my cup of tea, but, I were overruled by committee”.
In 2009 Ken was the MC at a concert at which Melbournians, Danny
Spooner and Enda Kenny were performing. He did it in a verse
titled: “Over-Ruled by the Committee Again
Tonight we have a treat in store, we couldn’t get him sooner;
From Melbourne, the legendary, brilliant Danny Spooner
A man of erudition, experienced like no other;
A man of intellect and wit. And then we’ve got my brother.
An expert in folkloric arts – his talents are uncanny
A polished man of many parts – I’m speaking now of Danny.
He’d never cause the least alarm – he’d not offend your mother;
A gentleman of grace and charm. And then we’ve got my brother.
A scholar with a squeeze-box, he can spin a yarn as well.
A master of the ballad form with many tales to tell.
A wizard with a thousand songs – where would we find another?
A paragon of excellence. And then we’ll have my brother.
With clever people such as you, I scarcely need to mention
That the finest entertainers deserve the best attention.
So now, relax, let down your hair and don’t restrain your laughter.
With Danny, you’ll be free from care – then Enda follows after
By Margaret Walters.
John McKinnon’s Rare Collection
of Old Tunes
John McKinnon is a traditional dance musician from the Ecklin
South district of Victoria, between Colac and Warnambool.
When John was about ten or eleven his father bought him a
Nightingale German accordion in Melbourne which he quickly
learnt to play. At twelve years old, John McKinnon played at his first
dance.
John began playing around the districts of Ecklin, Dixie, and
Ayrford. There was plenty of opportunity with regular dances,
welcome home parties, and kitchen teas which were popular parties
to honour an engaged couple and their families.
John was keen to help a new generation of young musicians to
take over the dance bands which were in great demand due to the
revival of old time and new vogue dancing. He was also anxious
to acknowledge his debt to the musicians and dancers who helped
him to become one of Australia’s foremost dance band musicians. John McKinnon’s tapes were enormously successful, selling all over
Australia.
Australian folk music collectors John Meredith, Alan Musgrove and
Edgar Waters have recorded John McKinnon’s traditional accordion
music. The tapes are housed in the Oral History Section of the
National Library of Australia in Canberra.
This is a rare collection of some fine old tunes - worth preserving
and playing.
Andrew Pattison wins !
The 2010-2011 Woodford Folk Festival was the 25th consecutive
festival organised by the Queensland Folk Federation. It was also the
site of the FAA’s presentation to Andrew Pattison of the 2009-2010
Community Folk Award.
In celebration of the festival’s long-standing achievements, the Troubadour Wine Bar was re-established at the festival for a couple of
special event concerts. On the morning of December 27, FAA President John Thompson and Martin Pearson hosted their well-known
Variety Breakfast Show for one last time. Taking advantage of
the circumstances, John was able to present Andrew
with his well-deserved trophy before an appreciative
crowd.
Well done, Andrew!
The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 9
C h oirs
Monday
A Choired Taste, Glebe, led by David Westmore, 9716
7016
Bright Star Singers Ashfield, led by Mary-Jane
Field, 9090 2362
Ecopella. Erskineville, led by Miguel Heatwole, 9810
4601 [email protected]
Glory Bound Groove Train. Petersham, led by
Linda Calgaro, 9518 4135
Inner West Chamber Choir, Leichhardt, led by
Rachelle Elliott. 9797 1917. [email protected].
Intonations. Manly, led by Karen Smith, 0415 221 113,
[email protected]
Martenitsa. Ultimo, led by Mara & Llew Kiek,
47514910
People’s Chorus Newcastle, led by Rod Noble, 49
623432
Unaccompanied Baggage. North Sydney, led by
Stuart Davis, [email protected]
Voiceworks, Katoomba, ledby Rachel Hore 4759
2456, [email protected]
Tuesday
Cantorion, Neutral Bay, led by David Westmore,
9716 7016
Ecopella. Illawarra area (alternate Tuesdays), led by
Miguel Heatwole 9810 4601, [email protected]
Roc Lawson, led by Rachel Hore, 47592456,
[email protected]
The Honeybees. East Sydney, led by Dynes Austin.
Contact Jenny Jackson, 9816 4577 lindsayandjenny@
hotmail.com
Sydney Trade Union Choir
Sydney City, contact Nola Cooper 9587 1165 [email protected]
Tuesday
Songs Next Door, Seaview Street, Dulwich Hill,
meets weekly at Sea View Hall, Seaview St, Dulwich
Hill. 12.30pm. (Seniors mostly) Contact Allan 9520
6180
Wednesday
Choralation. Abbosford (school terms), contact Margaret Grove [email protected]
Ecopella. Upper Mts., contact Kate 47 825529
The Heathens. Blackheath, day time 12-pm. Led by
Chris Wheeler 4787 5725 chris@wheelersanddealers.
com.au
NoteTonight, Josephine. Glebe, led by David
Westmore, 9716 7016
The Spots. Christina Mimmocchi, Randwick 0410
682 061
Thursday
Bouddi Voice. Kincumber (school terms), led by C &
C Sainsbury, contact 43 683270
Chorella Community Choir. Richmond, contact
Ellen 4578 2975
Cleftomaniacs. Waterloo, led by Gary Smith,
[email protected]
Solidarity Choir. Newtown, led by Miguel Heatwole,
9810 4601, [email protected]
Friday
The Sydney Street Choir. CBD, led by Peter
Lehner 0425 268 771
The Sydney Welsh Choir (Men and Women) meet
on Wednesday Evenings at Concord Baptist Church
Hall. Reh. 7pm to 9pm. 20 to 30 performances a year.
Viv 47 39 0384, Warwick 9451 7806,[email protected]
Mudlarks, women’s a cappella choir. Woodford. Led
by Alison Jones 4759 2880
Sunday
Blue Mountains Trade Union Choir. Upper Mts.,
contact Kate 47 82 5529
10 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
folk contacts
DANCE
Monday
Bush Music Club Dance Workshop
Beginners, experienced, 7.30pm, Pennant Hills
Community Centre, downstairs. Except Jan. and public
holidays. Felicity 9456 2860
International Folk Dancing
School term, Earlwood Senior Citizens Centre, 362
Homer St 10am-noon. Gwynne 9558 4753
Scottish Country Dancing for beginners, with ‘Scots
on the Rocks’, Fort St Public School, Observatory Hill,
Sydney, 6.30-7.30pm. Nea 9994 7110, Lynn 9268 1246,
SC [email protected], http://www.rscds.org.au
Belly Dance, basic/beginners 7pm, choreography 8pm,
Girraween Hall, 17 Tungarra Rd. Vera Myronenko 9665
9713
Tuesday
Blue Mountains Scottish Country Dancers
Catholic Church Hall, 7-9pm, Wentworth St, $3 Verley
Kelliher, 4787 5968, [email protected] Carol
Gardner 4751 6073/[email protected]
Greek Folk Dance
Pan-Korintian House, Level 1, 11 Anglo Rd, Campsie,
6.30pm - 9.20pm. Adult class and performance group.
Vas Aligiannis, 0407 081 875, [email protected].
au. www.greekdancing.com.au
Hungarian Dance Class
Ultimo, 8-10pm. Gary Dawson 9559 4485.
[email protected]
English Country Dancing, Sydney
Playford Dance Group 3rd Tues, 7.30-10.00pm, Uniting
Church Hall, The Cres, Berala. Ring Patricia 9649 6978
or Mike or Ros on 9929 8193 for further details.
Scottish Country Dancing
St John’s Uniting Church Hall, Coonanbarra Rd,
Wahroonga, 7.30-10.30pm. All welcome. Catherine
Bonner 9489 5027
Scottish Country Dancing
Fort Street School, Observatory Hill, City. 6pm to 8pm
Nea MacCulloch 9904 1358(a/h) or Lynn 8244 9618(w)
Sutherland Shire Folk Dance Group
International Dancing, Gymea Bay Scout Hall, June
Place, 7.30-9pm. Kaye Laurendet 9528 4813
Turkish Dance Class
Lidcombe Community Centre, 8-10pm. Yusuf Nidai
9646 1166
Ukrainian (Cossack) Dancing Class
for fit and energetic young people (16-23yrs), 7.30
pm to 10.00 pm. Ukrainian Hall 59 Joseph Street,
Lidcombe. Jaros Iwanec 9817 7991, jarosiwanec@
optusnet.com.au /www.veselka.com.au
International Folk Dance class - Open Door, Georges
Hall Senior Citizens, Birdwood Rd, 11.30am-12.30pm.
Gabrielle 9728 7466, [email protected]
“The Dance Buffet”, wide variety taught, Liverpool
City Pipe Band Hall, Woodward Park (next to Whitlam
Centre), Memorial Ave, 7.30-9.30pm. $8 ($5 conc).
Nicholai 9822 7524, mob 0407 178 228
Wednesday
Albion Fair, North-West Morris Dancing
Lilyfield Community Centre, Cecily and O’Neill Sts,
7.45pm. Angie Milce 9817 3529
Australian Heritage Dancers
Annandale Neighbourhood Centre, 79 Johnston St, 8
-10pm. Jim Young 9412 3721 [email protected].
au - australianheritagedancers.org.au
Balmoral Scottish Country Dance Group
7.00-9.15pm, Seniors’ Centre, Mosman Square,
Mosman. Nell Morgan 9981 4769.
Epping Scottish Country Dance Club
St Aidan’s Church Hall, Downing St, 7.30-10pm. All
levels welcome. Clare Haack 9484 5947 clare_kirton@
hotmail.com
Gosford Scottish Country Dance Society
7-10pm, Church of Christ, Henry Parry Drive, Wyoming.
Cecily Cork 4384 3527, Jan McCudden 4329 5537
Greek Folk Dance
Pan Macedonian Assoc Building, Railway Pde,
Sydenham from 7pm onwards. Adult classes from
7.15 pm, Vasilios Aligiannis, tel/fax 9708 1875
[email protected]
International Folk Dancing for older women
School terms only, 9-10am beginners, 10-11am
advanced. Bankstown Older Women’s Wellness
Centre, Police and Community Youth Club, cnr
Meredith St and French Ave. Gabrielle 9728 7466, Alita
9798 9269
Irish Set Dance class, Irish Gaelic Club, 64
Devonshire St, Surry Hills. 8-9.30pm.
Alarna 0401 167 910.
Sutherland Shire Bush Dance Group Uniting Church,
4 Gosport St, Cronulla, 7.30-10pm. $3. Beginners most
welcome. Partners not necessary.Mike 9520 2859
Sutherland Shire Folk Dance Group
Gymea Bay Scout Hall, June Place, 10am. Kaye
Laurendet - 9528 4813
Thursday
English Country Dancing (Advanced) for the over
50’s 2-4pm. School for Seniors, Wesley Mission, Pitt St.
Sydney. (Oppositive back of Hilton Hotel.)
Blue Labyrinth International Folk Dance
from 7pm, Baptist Church Hall, King St Glenbrook. Jo
Barrett 4739 6498
Greek Folk Dance
St Gerassimos Church Hall, 21 Henry St Leichhardt.
6 pm onwards. Adult classes from 7.15 Vasilios
Aligiannis, tel/fax 9708 1875 [email protected]
Sydney Irish Ceili Dancers
Kingsgrove Uniting Church Hall, 289A Kingsgrove
Rd (cnr Moreton Avenue, Children’s step dancing
6pm, adults step dancing 7pm. Set and ceili dancing
8-10.30pm. Margaret and Bill Winnett 9150 6765.
email: [email protected]
Friday
Australian Colonial and Folk Dancers Every Friday,
Scouts/Guides Hall, Plympton Road, Carlingford,
(opposite Nth Carlingford shops). Anthony and Lisa
9873 4805.
International Dancing
Sedenka Folk Dancers, Rozelle Neighbourhood
Centre, 665A Darling St Rozelle. 8-llpm, $3. Chris Wild
9560 2910.
Scottish Country Dancing
Adult classes, beginners welcome, children 6.30
-7.30pm, adults 8-10.30pm, Beecroft Primary School,
$2. Sheena Caswell 9868 2075, Heather Dryburgh
9980 7978
Scottish Country Dancing
Caringbah Seniors Hall, 386 Port Hacking Rd, Caringbah (rear Library), 8pm. Beginners/other levels. G.
Milton 9524 4943, Erica Nimmo 9520 4781
Saturday
Bush Folk Dances, by Bush Dance Assoc.
2nd Sat. Feb-Dec 6.30 - 10pm. New Year’s Eve 8pmmidnight. $20/$15/$10. $5 disc for early bookings.
Pennant Hills Community Centre, 60 Yarrara Rd. John
9873 3138/ 0416 212 136, bushdance2000@yahoo.
com.au
Bush Music Club Bush Dances
Feb-Dec (not Easter), 8-12pm, $17/$14/$12 incl.
supper, children to 12 free. Beecroft Community Ctr
1st Sat, Helen 9626 7816; Balmain High School hall,
Terry St, Rozelle, 3rd Sat, Don 9642 7949
Central Coast Bush Dance
2nd Sat, 7.30 - 11.30pm, East Gosford Progress Hall,
Henry Parry Dr and Wells St, $15/$12. Beate 4323
3356. Robyn 4344 6484.
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
International Folk Dance
Children’s classes, 6-18 years, Pennant Hills Com.
Centre, morning. Carol Maddocks, 9905 1563
Irish Ceili Dances, live Ceili bands, 4th Sats, 7.30 11.30pm. Irish Gaelic Club, 64 Devonshire St, Surry
Hills. $10. Aisling 0413 941 459, irishgaelicclub@gmail.
com
Scottish and Old Time Dance
2nd Sat, 8pm, Uniting Church, 9-11 Bay St, Rockdale. $3
incl. supper. Chris Thom 9587 9966
Scottish and Old Time Dancing
Orkney and Shetland Assoc. 3rd Sat, 8-11 pm. St
David’s Hall, Dalhousie St, Haberfield. $3 inc. supper.
Visitors most welcome. Jean Cooney 9874 5570.
Macedonian Dance Class
Rockdale. 6.30-8.30pm, $5. Y Kaporis 0412 861 187
Mortdale Scottish Dancers
Learners night (for learners and experienced), 7.309.30pm. Pensioners Welfare Club Hall, 76 Pitt Street,
Mortdale. Pam Jehan 9580 8564.
Sutherland Shire Folk Dance Group
International Dancing Como Girl Guides Hall, 1011.30am. Kaye Laurendet 9528 4813
Linnéa Swedish Folkdancers
Estonian House, 141 Campbell St, Surry Hills. New
members welcome. For times contact Graeme Traves
9874 4194, [email protected]
Saturday
Bluegrass & Traditional Country Music Society of
Aust. 1st Sat, March-December Sydney get-together.
Annandale Neighbourhood Centre, 79 Johnston St,
Annandale. Band workshop 7pm, concert 8.15pm,
jamming all night. All welcome: $5/7. (02) 9456 1090
www.bluegrass.org.au
lllawarra Folk Club,
3rd Saturday, Wollongong City Diggers
Club, cnr Burelli & Church Streets, 1300
887 034 www.illawarrafolkclub.org.au
Loaded Dog Folk Club
4th Sat, Annandale Neighbourhood Centre, 79 Johnston
St, 8pm. Sandra Nixon, 9358 4886, kxbears@ozemail.
com.au. www.theloadeddog.org.au
Macquarie Towns Music Club
3rd Sat,7.30pm Alternates between concert and round
robin jam session format with concerts featuring a guest
artist supported by a ‘blackboard concert’
Richmond Neighbourhood Centre, West Market St,
.Contact Dez Williams at 4578 5215 dwilliams@tpg.
com.au
The Shack. 1st Sat, presents 21st century original,
contemporary and traditional folk music at the
Tramshed, 1395a Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen at 7:30. BYO
drinks and nibblies. Contact Rhonda on 0416 635 856
or email Kathleen at [email protected].
Troubadour Folk Club
Central Coast, 4th Sat. in month 7pm CWA Hall, Woy
Woy. (opposite Fisherman’s Wharf), The Boulevard,
Woy Woy. Admission: $7 members/$8 conc. & other
folk club mems/$10 non members. Everyone welcome
Tel. Frank or Marilyn 4341 4060, Email: mail.info@
troubadour.org.au www.troubadour.org.au
Sessions & Free Workshops
MUSIC IN CONCERT
Tuesday
The Screw Soapers Guild - Writers Presenters &
Listeners Group 4th Tues, 7.30pm, stories, poems,
songs and conversation. Albert 9600 7153, email:
[email protected], website: www.folkclub.
com/folkodyssey/
Wednesday
Wisefolk Club Last Wed in month, 11am-2.30pm,
Toongabbie Bowling Club, 12 Station Rd, lunch at club
bistro. Sonia 9621 2394 Allen 9639 7494,
Thursday
‘Posers & Composers’ performance session, every
Thursday, Newtown RSL (1st floor), 52 Enmore Rd,
7.30pm - 11pm. Free. To book a spot & enq Dennis
Aubrey 0408 452 464 [email protected]
Sutherland Folk Club
2nd Thurs concert night. All ages. Members are
welcome to join us at any of our concerts, do a floor
spot. Enjoy a friendly , sociable night’s entertainment,
support local talent. Contact Jenny 9576 2301.
Friday
Hornsby Kuring-Gai Folk Club
3rd Fri, 8pm, Each month Beatrice Taylor Hall, rear
Willow Park Community Centre, Edgeworth David Ave,
Guest artist and floor spots, light supper provided BYO
grog. Barry Parks 9807 9497 [email protected]
lllawarra Folk Club,
1st Friday, Wollongong City Diggers Club, cnr Burelli &
Church Streets, 1300 887 034 www.illawarrafolkclub.
org.au
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Acoustic
Club, or SNC Acoustic Club. Regular folk nights on
the 4th Friday of each month (Feb - Nov), 8pm $7/$5
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre, Macquarie Rd,
Springwood. (next to Civic Centre). Visitors and floor
performers welcome. Enquiries, Mark Hand 02 4721
4230 or [email protected]
Toongabbie Music Club
2nd and 4th Fri 8pm, Northmead Scout Hall,
Whitehaven Road, Northmead. A session always
happens so bring instruments. Allen Davis 9639 7494
[email protected]. or Ray Pulis 9899 2102.
Monday
Bush Music Club
Community Centre, 44/142 Addison Rd, Marrickville,
7.30pm. Music workshop. All singers and musicians
welcome. Bob 9569 7244, [email protected]
Tuesday
Irish Music Session: Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday
of the month from 7.30 – 10.30pm @ The Shamrock
Inn, Asquith Leagues Club, Alexandra Pd. Waitara
(short walk from station). It’s an open session and all
musicians are welcome with focus on tunes rather than
songs. Phone Norm 9489 5786/normanmerrigan@
optusnet.com.au
Irish music lessons, beginners and advanced, flute,
fiddle, whistle, guitar, concertina. Irish Gaelic Club, Surry
Hills, 0413 941 459, [email protected]
Singing Out at The Gaelic Club
(2nd Friday of the month) singing sessions. Follows
Politics in the Pub. Upstairs, 64 Devonshire St, Surry
Hills near Central Station. 8pm approx. All welcome.
Free. [email protected]
Wednesday
Jolly Frog Hotel. Jam Night. Cnr Bridge & Macquarie
Sts, Windsor. 7.30pm to late. Mark 0419 466 004
Gosford Bush Poets
Last Wednesday night of every month 7pm. The
Gosford Hotel, cnr of Mann & Erina Sts Gosford.
Everyone welcome to share in night of fun, friendship
and great poetry. Contact Vic Jefferies, 02 96394911 or
[email protected]
Thursday
Sutherland Acoustic
Tune Session Night 4th Friday of the month
from 7.30pm Gymea Tradies Club,Kingsway, Gymea
(Kaimea room) Stringed and other instruments
welcome Ability to play with others and have basic
chord knowledge Welcome to listen Ph Ian Knight MOB
0438830374
Blackheath Folk Club,
1st Thurs, 7.30pm, Ivanhoe Hotel, cnr Gt Wstn Hwy and
Govetts Leap Rd. Christine Davies, Peter Duggan 4787
The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
7246
Gaelic Club.
Irish music lessons. Beginners and advanced, flute,
fiddle, whistle, guitar, concertina, tenor banjo, bodhran.
Irish Gaelic Club, Surry Hills, 0413 941 459, info@
gaelicclub.com
Friday
BMC Beer & Cheese Night
Themed music nights, 1st Fri (except holidays), 8-10pm.
Bring something to sing, eat, drink. Bush Music Club, Hut
44, Addison Rd Community Centre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville. 9569 7244, [email protected]
Eastern Suburbs Poetry Group
1st Friday, Church in the Market Place, Bondi Junction.
6.30-8.30pm. Gina 9349 6958
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Acoustic Club
4th Fri, (Feb - Nov) 8pm, $7/$5, Springwood
Neighbourhood Centre, Macquarie Rd (next to library
and Oriental Hotel.) Visitors and floor performers
welcome, Theresa 47518157, Jeannette 4754 4893
Saturday
Fairlight Folk Acoustic Lounge
Held 4 times a year, Feb, May, Aug. Nov (usually
1st Sat) 7.45pm. A comfortably enticing, relaxed
environment in which to see quality live acoustic music.
Ajfjter show - jam. BYO drinks and nibbles. Light
refreshments available. William St Studios, Fairlight
(The Baptist Church down from Sydney Rd. Contact
Rosie 9948 7993. [email protected]
Sunday
Sydney Scottish Fiddlers
1st and 3rd Sun, 2-5pm, New Church, 4 Shirley Rd
Roseville. All ages welcome. Trish 9416 2402.
Irish Music Session
Kellys, King Street, Newtown, 6pm. Enq. 9559 6300
Music Session Hero of Waterloo, cnr Lower Fort
St and Windmill Street, The Rocks. 6-10pm. Brendan
9818 4864
Irish Music Session. 3rd Sunday. Bennet Hotel,
Hamilton, 4-7.30pm Roz and Shane Kerr 44967 3167
Irish Music Sessions - Dicey Riley’s, Wollongong 2pm.
Hotel Illawarra Wollongong, 3rd Sunday, 3pm, spoken
word, 5pm acoustic music
focus on folk
2MBS-FM 102.5MHz 6PM Saturday
In co-operation with 2MBS-FM,
Sydney’s first FM community radio
station operating on 102.5 MHz,
Folk Federation brings you an hour
of folk music at 6PM on 2nd and 4th
Saturdays of each month.
12 March Kate Delaney
26 March Carole Garland Carole is
presenting a good mixed bag which also
contains tracks from recent visitors to our
shores, and some still to come.
Anyone with a CD that you would like to add
to the library collection for consideration for
airway please forward to
Focus on Folk, Post Office Box A182,
Sydney South 1235.
If you change your details PLEASE advise the
editor on 02 6493 6758 or email cornstalk@
folkfednsw.org.au. You may also wish to have
your details online (free) - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 11
REGIONAL EVENTS
BATEMANS BAY: Scottish Country Dancing,
Batemans Bay Caledonian Society -Tuesday
7.30pm at Batemans Bay Bowling Club - visitors
welcome. Warren 4457 2065, Max 4472 5184
BATHURST: Bathurst Folk Club, occasional concerts,
touring and local artists. Different venues. Bruce Cameron 02 6331 1129, www.bathurstfolkclub.org.au
BELLINGEN: Celtic Australian Session.. Saturday from
midday, Church Street tables. John 66555898, Carole
66551225
BLUE MOUNTAINS: Blue Mountains Heritage Dancers,
Wednesday in term time, 7-9pm. Wentworth Falls
SOA. 217 Great Westn Hwy. Caroline 0439 314 948,
[email protected] or Patrick 0412 786 988
BRAIDWOOD:
Braidwood Folk Music Club meets every 3rd Thursday now at the Anglican Church Hall, BYO everything.
Info Erika 4842 2505; performers Sue 4842 8142
Tallaganda Dance Troupe. Folk dance, Mon. 9.30am
(Noela 4842 8004. Belly dance. 11.30am. (Erika 4842
2505) 35 Coronation Ave, Braidwood.
BROKEN HILL: Occasional acoustic jam
nights at Bell’s Milk Bar. Contact Broken
Hill Art Exchange, (08) 80088 3171
CENTRAL COAST: Troubadour Folk Club
Central Coast, 2nd Sun, 1.30pm, CWA Hall, Woy
Woy. (opposite Fisherman’s Wharf), The Boulevard,
Woy Woy. Admission: $7 members/$8 conc. &
other folk club mems/$10 non members. Includes
afternoon tea. Tel. Frank or Marilyn 4342 9099,
Fax 4325 7362. Email: mail.info@troubadour.
org.au www.troubadour.org.au/folk/index.htm..
COBARGO: Yuin Folk Club, Occasional
Folk Nights. Enq. Coral Vorbach or Graeme
Fryer 6493 6758. yuinfolkclub@bigpond.
com, website: www.cobargofolkfestival.com
COOMA, International Folk Dancing, Uniting Church
Hall, Soho St, Thurs, 6pm. Fran 6453 3282 (h)
DUBBO FOLK CLUB, 2nd Sun, 2.30pm, The Monkey
Bar. Wingewarra St. All welcome. Di Clifford 6882 0498
Gosford Bush Poets - last Wednesday night of
every month 7pm. The Gosford Hotel, cnr of Mann
& Erina Sts Gosford. Everyone welcome to share in
night of fun, friendship and great poetry. Contact Vic
Jefferies, 02 96394911 or [email protected]
GOULBURN.
Bush traditions sessions at the Old Goulburn
Brewery. 1st Fri (except Jan & April), 7.30pm. Bradley
Grange, Bungonia Rd, Goulburn. David Johnson 4884
4214 bushtraditions.org/sessions/goulburnsession.htm
Irish and Celtic music sessions at the
Old Goulburn Brewery. 3rd Fri. Bradley
Grange, Bungonia Rd. 4821 6071.
GULGONG FOLK CLUB, PO Box 340,
Gulgong NSW 2852, Bob Campbell 02
6373 4600, gulgongfolkfestival.com
KIAMA “No Such Thing”. Yvonne O’Grady and
Alan Musgrove host an Australian tune session
suitable for beginners every Monday in Kiama.
Yvonne 02 4233 1073, [email protected].
LISMORE BUSH DANCE, Wed nights, Ray
Flynn Hall. Glenys Ritchie 6622 4258
NEWCASTLE:
Bush and Colonial Dancing, 3rd Sund each month
2-4pm. Beginners and visitors always welcome. All
Saints Anglican Hall, New Lambton. Enq. Margaret Kenning 02 4952 1327 email: [email protected] or Bill
Propert 02 4946 5602 email [email protected]
Newcastle and Hunter Valley Folk Club, 1st Sat.
7.30pm (not Jan) Wesley Centre, Beaumont St, Hamilton. (Dances held 4 times a year, March, June, Sept,
Nov) Lainey 4943 4552, 0421 412 358 [email protected]. www.newcastlehuntervalleyfolkclub.org.au
Lakeside Folk Cirle, 4th Sunday, every month.
Teralba Community Hall, Anzac Pade, Lake Macquarie.
4-7pm. $2.50. Paul 4959 6030. [email protected]
People’s Chorus Practice, 6pm, Trades Hall
Council Meeting Rooms (opp. Panthers’ Club,
12 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
main entrance), Newcastle. Rod Noble 4962
3432 email: [email protected]
Newcastle Irish Set Dancers, Tuesdays, 7.309.00pm, Scots Kirk, Hamilton, Newcastle. Julia
or Arthur, 4955 5701 [email protected], or
<http://users.tpg.com.au/juliasm/Irish-Dance/
Hunter Bush Poets, 2nd Tuesday 7pm, Tarro Hotel;
Ron Brown 4951 6186.
Hunter Folk Dancers, Enquiries: Julia or Arthur on 02
4955 5701,
Irish Music Session, Bennett Hotel, Hamilton, 3rd
Sun, 4pm. Roz and Shane Kerr 4967 3167
Newcastle Poetry in the Pub, 3rd Monday, 7.30pm,
Northern Star Hotel, Hamilton. Glenn 4967 1460.
Newcastle Strath Hunter Dancers, Mondays
Adults 7.30pm, Wallsend Uniting Church. Thursdays Juniors 4.15pm, Youth 5.30pm, All Saints
Hall, New Lambton. Elma: 4943 3436.
Tradewinds Acoustic/Folk Session, 2nd Sunday (FebNov). 25 Queen St, Cooks Hill. 4-7pm. Carole Garland
4929 3912, [email protected]
Welsh & Cornish Folk Dancing, Mon, 7.30-9.30pm,
All Saints Anglican Hall, Cromwell St, New Lambton.
Beginners and visitors always welcome. Enq. Margaret
Kenning 4952 1327. Email: [email protected]
The Beehive, as requested. 8 Lewis St, Islington. Neville Cunningham 4969 4246.
NOWRA:
Balkan and International Folk Dance, Mon, 7.30pm,
Cambewarra Hall. Suzi Krawczyk 4446 0569, plotki@
shoal.net.au
International Folk Dance, Progress Hall, Boorawine
Tce, Callala Bay. Tuesday (school term), 7.15-9pm.
Maureen 446 6550, [email protected]
Celtic Craic – 9 piece acoustic traditional Band.
Tuesday 7.30-10 pm, John’s place. Chris Langdon 4446
1185, [email protected] or Mark Nangle
4454 5028, [email protected].
Scottish Country Dance Group, Presbyterian Church
Hall, Kinghome St (next to Woollies), Wed, 8pm, all
welcome. Jill 4421 3570
Shoalhaven Bush and Folk Dancing Club, Friday
(school term, 8-10pm, Cambewarra Hall. Margaret
4421 0557.
Shoalhaven Acoustic Music Assoc, Bomaderry
Bowling Club, formal concerts, not always folk, approx
quarterly. George Royter 4421 3470
OBERON Music Club, fortnightly, Thurs, 8pm,
Oberon Leagues Club. Neil Higgins 6337 5707.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
Bowral Folk Club. 3rd Thurs, 8-10.30pm. Fentons
Cocktail Bar, upstairs at the Grand Bar, 295 Bong
Bong St, Bowral. Traditional music from around
the world. 4861 4333, Brian Hayden 4861 6076.
Burrawang Folk, 4887 7271
Southern Highlands Recreational lnternational Folk
Dance Group, Bowral Presb Church Hall, Bendooley
St, Thurs (school term), 9-llam. Margaret 4861 2294
Southern Highlands Scottish Country Dance Group,
Moss Vale Uniting Church, Cnr Argyll and Spring
Streets, Wednesday, 7.30pm. All welcome. Enq. 4861
6471.
TAREE, Lazarka International Folk Dance Group,
Manning River Steiner School Hall, Tues. 5.30-8.30pm,
Sandra 6552 5142.
Wagga Wagga
Downside Bush Dance & Open Mic, Tin Shed Rattlers, 1st Sat, Noel Raynes 6928 5541.
WAUCHOPE, 1st Saturday Concert with invited artists 7.30 pm 3rd Saturday Open performance session 7.30 at Café Blue Frog, High St.
Enq,John 6585 1488 email [email protected]
WHITTON (near Griffith) Bidgee Folk Club
3rd Sun. Whitton Hotel, Whiton
1pm - 5pm. 02 6954 4019
WOLLONGONG
Bluegrass Jam Session, 3rd Sat each
month. 7.30-11pm. Thirroul Neighbourhood Centre next to post office.
lllawarra Folk Club, 1st Friday and 3rd Saturday,
Wollongong City Diggers Club, cnr Burelli & Church
Streets, 1300 887 034 www.illawarrafolkclub.org.au
Jamberoo: Session, Jamberoo Pub, Thurs, 7.30pm.
[email protected]
Poet’s Breakfast, Wed. 7,.15am. Wollongong Writers’ Centre, Town Hall, Corrimal St.
Tony Stoddart, [email protected]
UOW Folk Club, 12.30pm, Mondays, Fridays.
Old timey, bluegrass, Celtic session. Duck Pond
(in front of library), University of Wollongong.
David Harman, [email protected]
Wollongong White Heather Scottish Country
Dance Group, Mon, 7.30 -10pm, St Andrew’s
Church Hall, Kembla St. All welcome. Arnold Thurling 4228 1986 or Grace Halliday 4229 3480
Wongawilli Colonial Dance Club, Bush Dance,
Wed, 8pm, musos and dancers all welcome, Community Hall, West Dapto Rd, Wongawilli. David 0409
57 1788. www.wongawillicolonialdance.org.au:
across the border
ACT
Monaro Folk Society Inc, Post Office Box 482 Civic
Square, ACT 2608. 0409 817 623 [email protected]
http://mfs.org.au/wiki/index.php/Calendar.
NORTHERN TERRITORY:
Top End Folk Club, PO Box 41551, Casuarina, NT
0811. :Di Howard, 08 8945 0436 (ah), www.members.
ozemail.com.au/
Queensland
Brisbane Folk Club, Larrie Cook 07 3345 1718.
Cairns Folk Club, Ray Elias 07 4039 2493
The Folk Rag (Mag), PO Box 517, Everton Park
4053, Tel. 0437 736 799 or 07 3855 1091, nimda@
FolkRag.org; www.FolkRag.org
Qld Colonial and Heritage Dancers. PO Box 3011,
Yeronga 4104. Jan Orloff ph/fax 07 3848 7706,
[email protected]
Woodford Folk Festival. PO Box 1134, Woodford
4514. [email protected]; www.
woodfordfolkfestival.com.
TASMANIA
Celtic Southern Cross Folk Music Catalogue. Beth
Sowter, [email protected]; www.celt.com.au; PO Box
100, Legana, as 7277.
Folk Federation of Tasmania Inc. PO Box 1638
Hobart 7001. Peter Hicks 0409 216 752
VICTORIA
Ballarat Folk Club, John Ruyg 03 5332 7872
Boite World Music Cafe, Fitzroy, 03 9417 3550 (w),
http:// www.boite.asn.au
Geelong Folk Club, 2nd. Fri - Coffee House Folksinging and session - at Cafe Go! Bellerine St. Geelong,
from 7.30pm. Last Fri - Upstairs at The Pancake
Kitchen, Moorabool St. for songs and session. Contact:
Marie Goldsworthy 03 5221 1813 or Jamie McKinnon
03 5261 3443
Traditional Social Dance Assoc. of Victoria. Marion
Stabb (03) 9439 7100
Victorian Folk Music Club Inc. GPO Box 2025S,
Melbourne 3001. Brian Venten 03 9884 9476, gillespie.
[email protected]
Bill Butler 03 9876 4366, [email protected]
Western Australia
WA Folk Federation. PO Box 328, Inglewood, WA,
6932. Rob Oats 08 9375 9958.www.wafolk.iinet.net.au
Email: [email protected]
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
The Ongoing Importance
of the Bush Music Club
It was club Treasurer Bob Bolton who originally invited me
to come along to the Bush Music Club. I had been in contact with
his wife Pat to organise a band to play my wedding and soon after
Bob, upon realising I was a folk singer, asked me to come to their
clubhouse on Addison Rd and have a look around. At that stage,
apart from a few Henry Lawson poems, I had very little idea as to
the scope and depth of our bush culture heritage. Growing up with a
foreign and imported notion of folk music I was eager to learn about
the Australian folk scene, about who the key figures were and who
was involved in keeping it alive. And eighteen months ago, when I
entered the clubhouse for the first time, I immediately realised I had
come to the right place.
The Bush Music Club headquarters is a folk historian’s
paradise. Scattered about the inside walls of this modest and
weathered demountable is a treasure trove of historical artefacts.
From aged folk festival posters faded to the colour of a tea stain
and advertising musicians whose names are now associated with
legend, to the time-bleached photographs of traditional dance bands
playing to pretty long haired ladies in tartan skirts dancing with
man sporting healthy beards. Image after image is strewn randomly
across the walls, each telling its own story and each capturing an
invaluable moment in our folk music history, from an old poster of
a Pete Seeger concert at the New Theatre to Christmas cards drawn
from the legendary pen of John Dengate.
The Bush Music Club is Australia’s oldest folk club, born from
the surge of interest in traditional Australian folk music in 1954.
Legend has it that this surge in interest was in direct correlation to
The New Theatre’s performances of Dick Diamond’s musical Reedy
River. It was the mix of traditional bush songs and poems sung in
Reedy River as well as its historical backdrop of squatters, selectors
and unionism that planted the desire to further explore Australia’s
unique bush heritage in the Sydney audience. The Bush Music
Club was then born out of ongoing requests by fans of the musical
to either join the band responsible for the music, (soon to be known
as the Bushwhackers), or to at least learn these bush songs and the
instruments that they were played on. Ironically it seems that this
flood of interest directly mirrored Dick Diamond’s foreword in the
Reedy River songbook which read “these songs are ours, we should
be proud of them”.
Growing up on foreign folk music and the legends associated
with this foreign influence I found it very exciting to uncover the
roots of the Bush Music Club. Here before me was Australia’s
own cultural history, forged out of a bush tradition and with strong
connections to unionism. While many modern folk songs have been
imported, in Australia, since the 1800’s a rich legacy of home grown
folk music has evolved which has dealt with Australia’s own journey
and possesses its own legends and pioneers.
The most significant thing I got from the Bush Music Club was
a sense of Australia’s true folk heritage. While many modern singersongwriters are keen to emulate the folk legends sold to them there
appeared before me an endless source of inspiration to be found
here in Australia and much of this history and legend can be directly
traced back to the club.
As I learnt more about Australia’s bush heritage the pictures on
the clubhouse wall gathered greater significance as they possessed
the faces of the characters who have shaped this history since 1954.
More importantly still is the fact that the Bush Music Club is not
just an organisation that looks after these artefacts but that its many
talented members are still meeting once a week to perform these old
songs and to ensure that Australia’s unique folk legacy carries on.
By Cj Shaw
Leonard Cohen:
Hallelujah:
A New Biography
Tim Footman
[Chrome Dreams (2010). ISBN-978 1 84240 472 0
(Paperback, 272 pp.)]
Singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s five-decade career has long
been a source of fascination for music journalists. Footman’s erudite
biography, Hallelujah, traces Cohen from his early days in Montreal,
through his initial career as a wunderkind poet and novelist who
didn’t take up music as a vocation until his early 30s. Footman portrays Cohen as a study in contradictions—the gentleman who used
hard drugs for years, the literate balladeer who gained mass popularity with rock audiences and recorded his most definitive work with
Nashville session musicians. Footman pays equal attention to Cohen
the man, whose most enduring and tempestuous relationships were
described in his songs, and Cohen the musician, whose checkered
career included a number of recording experiments, including an illfated collaboration with legendary producer Phil Spector for Death
of a Ladies’ Man, and whose already ungainly voice deepened to a
velvety growl as he moved past his middle years.
Footman also deals with Cohen’s long involvement with Zen
Buddhist teacher Roshi, which included five years largely spent in
the monk’s Southern California retreat. The book concludes with
a description of Cohen’s triumphant return to performing in his
mid-seventies, which found him playing nearly three-hour sets for
months on end to some of the biggest and most adulatory crowds
in his career. Footman does not appear to have interviewed Cohen
directly, but the book is built on extensive research, and Footman
does not lionize or fawn over his subject. Hallelujah is a perfectly
satisfactory and comprehensive portrait of one of popular music’s
most enigmatic and enduring figures.
Michael Parrish (San Jose, CA)
Reprinted from Driftwood website.
Tim O’Brien (USA)
Born in March, 1954, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Tim O’Brien
grew up listening to big band and jazz music. His earliest musical
memories included listening to Benny Goodman and Lawrence
Welk.
When still in his teens, he started listening to a local country
music show that was recorded live at a local theater. He began attending tapings of the show, and there he saw performers liks Merle
Haggard and Roger Miller. Soon, O’Brien began learning Scruggs’
Style banjo from one of his girlfriend’s psychiatrist father’s patients.
The patient was Roger Bland, a former member of Lester Flatt’s
band.
He then restrung his father’s old mandolin and began teaching
himself how to play that instrument.
He formed the groundbreaking bluegrass group Hot Rize. While
performing with Hot Rize, O’Brien met country singer Kathy Mattea, who later had hits with her versions of his songs.
Soon after, O’Brien left Hot Rize to pursue a career as a solo
singer/songwriter. After a failed attempt at recording an album for
RCA, O’Brien eventually signed a deal with Sugar Hill Records in
Nashville. His debut solo album, Odd Man was released in 1991.
Hot Rize had a brief reunion in 1996, and have re-merged a
few times since then. O’Brien has released 13 albums on Sugar Hill
Records, and has received Grammy Awards and IBMA Awards for
his incredible work. Appearing (NOTES Newtown Wed. 9th).
The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 13
Nature’s Little Game. Kate Rowe
If you want a CD that will put a smile on your face, this is the
one.
Kate Rowe’s album, entitled Nature’s Little Game, is
refreshingly whimsical, with delightful turns of phrase and wellcrafted musical decorations to embellish the moods, whether they be
light-hearted or of a more thoughtful bent.
The title says it all, for the songs, all them her own, are about
aspects of life and love, ranging from love at first sight (for coffee!)
and love that didn’t get off the ground (well, they never met) to
what’s left when the camping tent is folded up.
She has a unique flair for language, whether she is being ironic
and comical or whether she is delving into more serious aspects of
the human condition, such as the importance of embracing joy (The
First Run Through) or letting a friend into your life (The Dusty
Room).
The musical arrangements include a bit of 30’s jazz and the
occasional touch of klezma as well as modern folk guitar and other
instruments such as the ukelele. Combined with her rich voice, the
result is very enjoyable listening.
The album begins with the love song to coffee and ends with a
hilarious flight of fancy about having a visitation from space rabbits
while eating cereal one morning. The third song, about Frank the
unmet lover, had me laughing out loud in a couple of spots.
The more weighty songs are generally in the middle tracks, and
they kind of creep up on the listener. The second song, following
from the first comical one, is a surprise as it starts with a lighthearted T-shirt reference before it moves on to a universal theme;
this overlap of modern and more general poetic language can be a bit
disconcerting.
NSW - state of play
Among the more serious songs, The Tent is particularly thoughtprovoking, with a haunting whistle that comes in to underpin the
mood. If Only You Knew is memorable for the striking singing and
the chordal structure.
It will be interesting to see if in her future writing Kate Rowe
concentrates on developing the whimsey in her topics or on more
thoughtful subjects, and how she disciplines and hones her obvious
gift for poetry.
Whatever direction she takes in her music, she will be followed
with great interest by folk audiences. www.katerowe.com
by Mary-Jane Field
Songs of Henry Lawson
Songs of Chris Kempster
Item
Reg Mem*
NSW - State of Play (double CD snapshot of the 2008 NSW folk scene)
$15
$10
The Songs of Henry Lawson (new songbook edition with 375 settings)
$30
$25
The Songs of Chris Kempster (double CD)
$25
$20
Postage & Packaging:
Qty
Total
($10 for book + up to 2 CD sets) ($3 for 1 CD set, $5 for 2 CD sets)
Total:
* Join the Folk Fed now and receive member’s discount. See jam.org.au for membership form.
I enclose my cheque/money order payable to: Folk Federation of NSW
Please charge my credit card:
Card number: __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ __
Name on card: _____________________________
(Expiry date: ___ / ___ )
Signature:
Send with remittance & return address to: Folk Federation of NSW, PO Box A182, Sydney South NSW 1235
14 The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011
Dobsons Printing Pty Ltd (02) 9417 0239
OUT NOW!
Australia’s No.1 monthly traditional and contemporary folk, blues, roots, alternative, bluegrass and world music magazine
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The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 15
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The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au
The CORNSTALK Gazette MARCH 2011 17