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Country Man

Day 19 — Share Your Music: 30 Days, 30 Songs

I’ve heard Frank Yamma described as a national treasure.  I agree.  And yet, until recently, I had never heard of him.  Thank goodness, I’ve finally caught up.

Mr Yamma is a Pitjantjatjara man from Australia’s central desert.  He has been writing  songs and performing most of his life — about country, culture, community, life, loss and love.  He sings in Pitjantjatjara and in English.  When he plays for Anangu (blackfella) audiences, he plays fast and hard.  It is a rock and roll dance party.  For us new Australians and other folk, he plays slow.  Mr Yamma has toured internationally with gigs at festivals in the UK, Canada and Spain.

I have included a link to a TEDx event at which Mr Yamma sings two songs.  I’ve chosen this video because it has good sound quality.  The first song — Nguta Waljilpa — is about country in the remote western corner of Australia; the second — She Cried — deals with indigenous issues from a personal perspective.  I must confess, I do like his slow songs.

The wonderful Sarah of Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

Further Information:
You can read more about Frank Yamma and listen to some of his music at his website here.  Information contained in this post was sourced from an interview conducted by Alister McKeich for NITV.  See the full article here (nb. international readers may not be able to access this site).

 

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Just Outta School And Real, Real Cool

Day 18 — Share Your Music: 30 Days, 30 Songs

Somehow I’ve managed to go to on a long and totally unexpected musical journey for this song challenge.  One thing leads to another, as they say.  Sticking with yesterday’s rock ‘n roll theme, today I thought I would go with a cover of another Johnny O’Keefe favourite.  Co-written by Johnny Greenan, Johnny O’Keefe, Dave Owens and Tony Withers, Wild One (also known as Real Wild Child), was released by O’Keefe as a single in 1958 and Australian rock and roll was born.  Wild One has been covered numerous times, including by that other wild child, Iggy Pop.

Enjoy.

The wonderful Sarah of Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy

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Rock ‘N Roll

Day 17 — Share Your Music:  30 Days, 30 Songs

In Australia, Fathers Day is not until September.  However, I would like to play a song for my dad.  He is a great fan of Johnny O’Keefe.  I particularly love J O’K and Margaret McLaren’s rendition of Mockingbird.  However, I understand some people cannot access this due to regional blockers, so I’ve also included another version.

Or this version, if you can’t access the other.

The wonderful Sarah at Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy

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Oud Star

Day 16 — Share Your Music:  30 Days, 30 Songs

The National Folk Festival is held each year in Canberra.  I attend the four day festival every year and have done so for many years.  The depth and breadth of talent to be seen at the festival is overwhelming.  My family and I had the great fortune of seeing Australian Oud player, Joseph Tawadros, perform at a couple of festivals.  Joseph is charming, very funny and a gifted musician.  Naturally, we bought some of his CDs, including World Music.

Joseph plays 52 instruments on World Music, although clearly not all at once.  Joseph’s incredibly talented brother, James, also plays 11 percussion instruments on the album.  Joseph Tawadros has a new album out — The Bluebird, The Mystic and The Fool.  I think I should buy it for my husband’s birthday.  He would like that.

Sarah at Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

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Wind In The Whistle

Day 15 — Share Your Music:  30 Days, 30 Songs

Ladies and gentlemen, it is hump day in the 30 Days, 30 Songs challenge.   I’m exhausted and I am not sure I can think of another 15 songs/tunes.  I’ll have to play it by ear (groan).  Clarinet featured heavily in my classical music phase, possibly because No. 1 son was a clarinet player.  I might be biased (I know I am), but I consider the clarinet one of the most beautiful instruments in bands and orchestras.  It has such a warm tone.  Yes, it is time for some clarinet music.

I have listened to the following piece numerous times and I still love it.  It was my son’s audition piece for music school.  My goodness, kids really have to play some challenging pieces for auditions!  One can’t help wondering whether it is an anti-climax when the young students get into the course of their choice.  Anyway, endless music scales and practice was not quite as interesting as birds or native orchids apparently so that foray was short-lived.  Nevertheless, we still love the clarinet, and hope that you too will love Carl Maria von Weber’s Clarinet Concertino played by Anthony Gigliotti.

Sarah at Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

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Shine

Day 14 — Share Your Music: 30 Days, 30 Songs

As a singer in a gospel choir for over six years, I need to include at least two gospel songs as my contribution to the 30 Days, 30 Songs challenge.  Gospel exponent, Tony Backhouse  (a New Zealander), has done a beautiful arrangement of the fabulously uplifting, Shine On.  I thought I would share it with you so that you could hear how Australians are taking traditional gospel music to their hearts.  If you do an internet search on Tony Backhouse and Shine On, you will come across a very high quality recording on Soundcloud.  Amazing sound, amazing acoustics.

I was fortunate enough to sing in the Australian choir that was formed for the Canberra leg of the Beijing Olympics Torch Relay.  We sang this song at one of the torch relay ceremonies.  If my memory serves me correctly, we assembled on the edge of a very foggy Lake Burley Griffin.  We waited for the torch to appear, then began singing.  The torch bearer then carried the torch across the lake on a boat.  It was very atmospheric.

The fabulously talented Sarah of Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

 

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Parrots Preening

One of my favourite obsessions is to try to get decent bird photos.  It is not so easy with the little birds, but I have been having a little more luck with the parrots.  We have been having very grey days in wintry Canberra.  When the sun shows itself, I quickly grab my coat and go out for a walk or take a cup of coffee outside and park myself in a sunny spot.  I am not alone in finding the sun soothing.  The parrots have been enjoying a few rays too, ruffling their feathers as though to trap all the warmth in the pockets of air they create. Read more

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Deep River

Day 13 — Share Your Music: 30 Days, 30 Songs

I have been seeing many photos of beautiful flowing rivers on some blogs recently.  Oh how those rivers make my heart sing.  Whether it is oceans, rivers or streams, it seems that most of us have a spiritual connection with water.  That’s not surprising really, considering where we all come from.  For me, rivers are akin to the blood flowing through my veins.

Anyway, when I saw the river photos, I also heard a song — Deep River — and I thought perhaps this might be a good song for the song challenge. Read more

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This Goes With That

Day 12 — Share Your Music:  30 Days, 30 Songs.

The first CD I ever got was a Bob Marley CD.  My mother gave it to me.  At first I was rather ungrateful because, you know, it wasn’t disco.  However, it wasn’t too long before that CD became my absolute favourite, and it hasn’t been displaced in my affections.  One of my favourite songs on the CD is Three Little Birds.

harryFor at least 20 years now, I’ve owned a few canaries.  The most I’ve owned at any one time is five.  You can read how I got into canaries here.  We are now down to two canaries, and our oldest, Harry, who is now 12, has been struggling over the last month.  I’m not complaining.  He has been an absolute joy.   I would often sing to him — “it’s Harry I’m planning to marry.”

 

Here’s to Harry.  When he sings all my troubles depart.

Sarah at Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It’s a good one.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

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I Do Mind

Day 11 — Share Your Music:  30 Days, 30 Songs.

This song challenge in which I am participating, is proving provocative — provocative in so much as some songs I thought I really liked, I have begun to question.  One song I have loved for a long time is All My Trials (writer unknown).  It has been covered many times, including famously by Joan Baez.  It is a beautiful song that draws attention to social injustice and inequality.  However, it is too late and I do mind, so I am laying that song to rest, at least for now.  But I think I would like to hear this song one last time.  I have chosen the Judith Durham version.

Sarah at Art Expedition is hosting 30 Days, 30 Songs for the month of June. You can see her latest post here.  It is not too late to join in the challenge.  Casual players welcome.

Kind Regards.
Tracy.

Also joining in the Ragtag Daily Prompt — Lost.