Archie Roach

www.archieroach.com.au | www.myspace.com/archieroach

I thought writing the song Took The Children Away was, in part, a way of telling people that taking children from their families was not necessarily the best or only so-called solution concerning the child or their family’s well being. I was wrong. We thought the Bringing Them Home report would see measures taken to ensure it should never happen again. We were wrong. We thought the Deaths in Custody report would help prevent such things happening. We were wrong. The songs from Journey are a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit and how no one listened to our recommendations on stolen kids or people dying in jails. So it continues, but we are still watching and definitely taking note. Archie Roach. 2007

After a long absence Archie Roach returns with a sublime but powerful new album Journey and a series of shows to share the songs he describes as a reaffirmation of identity, country, beliefs and spirit.

Brothablack

www.brothablack.com | www.myspace.com/brothablack

Brothablack is an accomplished actor/performer most recently seen in original devised theatre productions with Urban Theatre Projects’ The Longest Night (Adelaide Festival 2002) & more recently in Back Home which was a resounding success at the 2006 Sydney Festival. In June 2007 Brothablack toured Canada with this groundbreaking production.

Brothablack has a long history working in remote and urban Aboriginal communities teaching hip-hop and helping mentor young people to assert their skills in the subculture.

Brothablack continues to develop his own musical/artistic output whilst actively promoting and encouraging younger and emerging Indigenous hip-hop artists. In 2004 Brothablack joined forces with UK production unit The Turbomen to produce an album of cutting edge Aussie Hip-Hop. He is now poised to hit Australia with his brand new take on the traditional Hip-Hop blueprint in his solo debut Album “More Than A Feeling”.

Kora (NZ)

www.kora.co.nz  |  www.myspace.com/koraroots

Kora are a five piece band hailing from Wellington & Whakatane, Aotearoa (New Zealand), with huge live presence, their vocal harmonies sailing on a powerhouse rhythm section. Two of the four musical brothers from the Kora family, Laughton & Brad, began playing together in the early 1990s as schoolkids. In 2002, Kora was formed as a five-piece, with brothers Brad, Francis & Stu. Kora have topped the New Zealand charts and played festivals such as The Big Day Out, Rhythm & Vines, Soundsplash & Splore & WOMAD 2008, touring New Zealand, Australia and the UK with the likes of Spearhead, Shihad, Salmonella Dub & Fat Freddy?s Drop. After the success of their 2008 international WOMAD circuit (WOMADelaide, WOMAD NZ and WOMAD UK), Kora are off to Europe and the UK in November, and show no signs of slowing down. 

Sing Sing (Aust/Pacific/PNG)

Sing Sing is a tok pidgin word from Papua New  Guinea meaning a large musical gathering, a celebration in song and dance. From the highlands of West Papua, through the forests and coral atolls of PNG, through the many Torres Strait Islands and down into the vast deserts of Australia,  we follow these important songlines.

Since the mid 1990s, the Sing Sing concerts have brought together singers, musicians and dancers from the Oceania region in a unique state-of-the-art  concert performance, presenting traditional, contemporary, choral and stringband music with accompanying visuals and  aural soundscapes to capture a sense of place and take the audience on a Melanesian journey.

At times, the concert is an exhilarating wall of sound with  pulsating slit log drumming, dynamic walls of choral vocals, sublime world fusion grooves; at other times you can hear a pin drop whilst a solitary bamboo flute or haunting vocal gently floats across the audience accompanied by the sound of insects.

The 2008 Sing Sing has  focus on the songs and dance of the Torres Strait islands,choreographed by Albert David and featuring singers and dancers Georgia Corowa and George Dow, a major troupe from Badu island, plus the evocative Menegayo dedicated to Arnold Ap, the martyred Papuan musicologist killed whilst in jail in that grief stricken country. Other highlights will include Maori traditional instumentalist Rewi Spraggon, ex singer/drummer of the seminal No Fixed Address and Mixed Relations, Bart Willoughby, the dancing collaborations of Yirrikala’s Djakapurra Manyurryun (renound as the key  BANGARRA performer from “Rites, Ochres and Boomerang”), plus a new performer to Sing Sing from Western Australia,”Trevor Jamieson” best known as the star of “Ngapartji Ngapartji.” 

As Sing Sing will be performed in the midst of AWME where many of the finest artists from the Pacific will be in attendance, there is a strong possibility of many important collaborations that highlight the concept that Melanesians and Indigenous Australians are as Telek says “One Saltwater People”.

Yilila, Arnhem Land (Northern Territory)

www.yilila.com

Yilila come from one of Australia’s most remote Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. Yilila perform their own raw blend of high energy reggae and world music with displays of colorful traditional Red Flag dancing. Red Flag Songs and Dances belong to the band’s Nundhirribala clan and have come from hundreds of years of contact with the Maccassan traders from Indonesia. Yilila’s songs are rooted in traditional Aboriginal, reggae and rock music and from there they look to the rest of the world for inspiration and sounds. Yilila have previously collaborated/performed with artists like Zakir Hussein, Raka Mukherjee, Sultan Khan, John Butler and David Bridie.

Yilila’s first CD “Manilamanila” won 2 awards at the 2005 Indigenous music awards for “best release” and “song of the year” and was nominated for “best artwork”. The music is based on songs, dances and stories unheard and unseen by audiences. The CD was recorded at Melbourne’s prestigious SingSing Recording Studios and mixed & master by Robin Mai (known for his work on “Sunrise Over Sea” John Butler Trio and also CDs by Joe Camilleri and Bomba) at Woodstock Studios, Melbourne.

Yilila stand alone as an exceptional group of musicians and dancers. Their live performances are filled with energy, culture and stunning singing. The lead singer/songwriter, Grant Nundhirribala, has had professional experience dancing and singing with Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australian Ballet Company and Yothu Yindi and members of Yilila performed at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games. Grant’s mixture of traditional and contemporary singing stands up against other vocal legends of the world music scenee. Yilila sing powerful songs sung in Nunggubuyu, Anindilyakwa, Maccassan language and English.

Grrilla Step

http://www.myspace.com/grrillastep

A 15 piece multifaceted performance troupe which combines traditional Polynesian and African percussion, Pacific-infused krump from underground, contemporary krump crew the Royal Fam, plus DJ Dexter producing and spinning. The combination of Dexter's jaw-dropping turntablist skills, the young Pacific Islanders' radical approach to krumping and high energy drumming served up by members of Drum Drum and Future Roots is a dynamic party celebration which is nothing short of electric.

Grrilla Step is an exciting new project for Dexter (ex Avalanches), who has changed musical directions dramatically since he became disillusioned with the mainstream music scene and discovered Papua New Guinean drumming on a trip to Darwin; and soon after, the Pacific Islander kids from Dandenong from the underground krump crew, Royal Fam, who interweave Polynesian culture with krumping to create their own cultural identity. With Grrilla Step, Dexter is pursuing his vision of incorporating cultural music into hip hop, and creating a new Australian music form which is truly boundary-crossing and groundbreaking.

Labjacd

www.labjacd.com | www.myspace.com/labjacd 

Melbourne-based band LABJACD (pronounced “lab-jacked”) is a dynamic nine-piece outfit that’s been making a big splash lately, both in their hometown and beyond. Since their formation in 2004, they’ve quickly built up an impressive reputation for their exhilarating mix of old school hip-hop, salsa, jazz and Andean folk music. Singing and MCing in both English and Spanish, the group’s three vocalists all share a Chilean heritage, and like the band’s other members, have all previously performed in a number of well-known Latin big bands and a variety of funk/jazz configurations.

David Bridie

www.davidbridie.com.au

ARIA award-winning composer and producer David Bridie is one of Australia's most innovative artists. Whether solo or in his bands NOT DROWNING, WAVING and MY FRIEND THE CHOCOLATE CAKE or as a film composer, David is committed to making connections between Australia and its neighbours. As music director for Yeperenye, the Morning Star concert and four previous Sing Sings, and producing artists like Telek, Archie Roach, and Christine Anu, David is the foremost producer of Melanesian and indigenous Australian artists.

George Telek (Rabaul, PNG)

www.telek.com

For twenty-five years, Telek (MBE) has been at the forefront of the PNG music scene internationally and at home. Telek's songs, and his

hauntingly beautiful voice, traverse many musical styles, from traditional to stringband to rock, capturing the proud cultural heritage of the Tolais people of PNG. Telek paints a different picture of PNG, a positive story of grassroots life to counteract the negative press usually generated.

Natty Sistren Sound

www.myspace.com/nattysistren

Natty Sistren have emerged on the scene as true reggae underground favourites with an original all-female sound. With a style embedded firmly in dancehall and heavyweight roots, they have rammed up Melbourne audiences since their conception in 2003. Armed with 2 turntables and a microphone, Natty Sistren perform in a traditional reggae soundsystem style, delivering a high energy show of jamaican riddims coupled with live vocals.

Natty Sistren's Sista Itations and Vida-Sunshyne are no strangers to the scene. Sista Itations has enjoyed a solo career as a reggae selector since 2001, and Vida-Sunshyne has collaborated with the likes of Chant Down Sound, Diafrix, Illzilla and Jake Savona. Vida has warmed the stage for reggae greats such as Burning Spear and Ranking Joe, and toured the UK as feature vocalist for Nitin Sawney’s hip hop/ragga collaboration experiment, The Aftershock Project. She is now collaborating in the studio with producer Dutch from Dutch and Xcise.

Natty Sistren have toured with Blue King Brown and supported reggae legends such as Tippa Irie, Ziggy Marley and Jnr Reid. For the past two years they have hosted Pressure Drop, a monthly residency at Laundry in Fitzroy which is one of Melbourne’s favourite dancehall. With more works in the pipeline Natty Sistren are a sound to watch for as they continue to spread universal reggae vibes across the nation and beyond.

Moana & The Tribe (NZ)

www.moananz.com | www.myspace.com/moanaandthetribe

Moana & the Tribe were formed in 2002, quickly cementing their reputation as one of the most successful indigenous groups to emerge from Aotearoa. Charismatic lead singer Moana has been credited with laying the foundations for the recent international exposure of New Zealand acts like Te Vaka, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Wai.

Moana has consistently pushed the boundaries of Maori music in both her recordings and live performances, fusing taonga puoro, haka, chants with soul, reggae and classical to produce her own blend of traditional and contemporary styles without compromising either. She draws on her identity as a Maori woman, with a background in traditional performing arts, to write songs that still manage to resonate with global audiences. 

Moana & the Tribe have toured the world extensively, playing nearly 150 international concerts from Kanak villages in the islands of New Caledonia to sell out concerts in Russia. Moana cites meeting and singing for Nelson Mandela during his Auckland visit as a personal highlight of her career so far.

Timothy Seda

Timothy Seda's love for music began in his childhood, singing along to the music he heard through the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation. Mentored by various Solomon Islander musicians, he formed Neighbours, a Christian music band who made several recordings. He then joined popular reggae bands Apprentice and Unisound, who had several hits throughout the region. During the ethnic tensions of the late 1990s, Timo toured the region singing and preaching about peace. Today, Timo is still writing music, and becoming more involved in contemporary traditional music which he sees as having potential to break into overseas markets. He is working to revive string band music and has reformed the five-piece band Placid Walekwate as part of his vision to revitalise contemporary traditional music in his region.

Skazz

www.myspace.com/skazz1

The Jamaican style of jazz -- the ska instrumental, with its focus on the soloist -- is the inspiration for the Skazz repertoire. The band owes many nights of blissful dance-crazed partying to the legends of this genre who helped create the perfect blend between dance and jazz in Jamaica: Don Drummond, Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso and Ernest Ranglin. The driving upbeat, the skank played by keyboard and guitar, is held in counterpoint by bass lines that develop an incredible musical tension. Add to this the syncopated rhythm of the drums and the wild blowing of the horns and you have an infectious form of music that propels people on to the dance floor.

Skazz have played to packed audiences at The Commonwealth Games, Apollo Bay Music Festival, Federation Square, The Famous Spiegeltent, St Kilda Festival, The Belgian Beer Café, Queenscliff Music Festival and Noumea’s annual “Live En Aout” Music Festival. The combined musical history of these players covers everything from mainstream pop to fringe theatre; from straight-ahead jazz to classical and traditional African; circus bands to film scores, Skazz features some of Melbourne’s best from a diversity of genres: David Joseph (drums), Paul Binns (bass), Michael Havir (keyboards), Baz Turnbull (guitar), Cam Robbins (tenor sax), Kynan Robinson (trombone), Peter Knight (trumpet) and Tim Webb (percussion).

On their second album The Smoking Gun (released worldwide on Megalith Records, arguably the biggest indie ska label in the world), Skazz mix the skank with a whole range of classic styles: a bit of Latin, a drop of Surf, a touch of Dixie, a dash of Spaghetti Western, a smidge of Dub, a pinch of Middle Eastern and more, all held together with the irrepressible force of the skank. It’s a tasty stew of skanking grooves with enough variety to keep the whole family happy.

Dan Sultan

www.myspace.com/dansultan www.dansultan.com

Dan Sultan has continued his rise to popularity on the Australian music scene in 2008. So far this year he has performed at the Sorry Day celebrations at Federation Square; the Sydney State Theatre with Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody for Cannot Buy My Soul; then at The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and in London with Black Arm Band featuring Archie Roach, Jimmy Little, Shane Howard and other greats; toured with The John Butler Trio and The Waifs; performed at Womad, Port Fairy Folk Festival, The East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, The Blue Mountains Music Festival, the Dreaming Festival in Qld and appeared on ABC TV's Spicks N Specks program.

Dan loves to perform live, and with his musical cohort Scott Wilson, they have put together a knockout soul band which never fails to deliver. Dan's hotly anticipated second album will be released in late 2008 or early 2009 and he will be teaming up with The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Stay tuned as one of the country's great new talents makes his mark.

Lou Bennett & the Sweet Cheeks

www.myspace.com/thesweetcheeks

Lou Bennett, Alics Gate-Eastley and Fil Collings are The Sweet Cheeks. Lou’s a local girl from the Yorta Yorta-Dja Dja Wurrung people, and has been living in Melbourne for the past 18 years. Lou’s most regarded work was with the Tiddas in the 1990s, with whom she toured nationally and internationally. She has gone on to solo albums, public sound scapes, theatre and documentary as a composer and a performer.

Alics was co-founder of Scottish cowpunk outfit, The Well Oiled Sisters. After The Well Oileds called it a day, she shifted from the UK to see how green the grass grew down here in Melbourne, after a decade of sharing music with people all over the world.

After 4 years of pestering, Lou finally gave way to Alics’s pleadings for a new addition to the rhythm section, and along came Fil. After a brief meeting on Yorta Yorta country, they soon realised they’d found the third cheek! Busy as he is playing with Sophie Koh, Ren Waters, Emily Ulman, Kate Neal and his own trio, Phil decided he could do with a bit of bummin’ around with the girls.

The Sweet Cheeks have enjoyed many stages including Edinburgh Festival and WOMAD (Australia/New Zealand). They released their debut album Hold My Hand last year, showcasing their sweet, cheeky combination of harmonies, acoustic guitar and bass and drums over lyrics that speak of compassion, truth, love and heartache; basically life through the Sweet Cheeks’ eyes. Their performance demonstrates reconciliation, cultural exchange, respect and celebration of diversity. A story tells another story and the music begins… sometimes you feel like laughing and other times you may question, but you will definitely have something unique to ponder!

Ladi 6 (NZ)

www.ladi6.com   |  www.myspace.com/ladi6

Ladi6 (Karoline Tamati) is New Zealand’s premier female vocalist MC.  She is renowned for her energetic live performances, sublime soulful vocals and conscious lyrics.  She is currently recording her debut solo album, yet she has cemented herself as a key player in the New Zealand music scene.

Ladi6 started her musical career as part of New Zealand’s first all-girl hip-hop group Sheelahroc.  Sheelahroc had the hit track “If I Gave You The Mic” and from the success of this track Ladi6 was nominated for Best Vocalist/MC at the 2003 bNet music awards.

Her band Verse Two quickly gained a reputation as a top New Zealand live soul/hip-hop group.  They won the bNet best new act award in 2004, toured New Zealand with packed shows and supported international acts such as The Roots, De La Soul and 50 Cent.

Ladi6’s touring and collaborations have established her a significant following throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe.  She has performed at all the key festivals in New Zealand including the Big Day Out, Rhythm and Vines, Splore and Parihaka to name a few. She has toured Australia extensively with Scribe and doing her own solo shows, performing at festivals and supporting top international artists in Australia such as Ohmega Watts and Freddie Cruger.   She has toured Europe with Fat Freddy’s Drop, and has had solo performances in Paris. 

Ladi6’s distinctive voice has featured on some of the top underground albums to come out of New Zealand in the last decade. Her vocals feature on standout tracks by some of Aotearoa’s finest talent, including Shapeshifter, Scribe, Fat Freddy’s Drop and 50 Hz.

Ladi6’s highly anticipated and long awaited debut solo album is produced by Mu from Fat Freddy’s Drop and Parks and will be released in late 2008.

Pacific Curls (NZ)

www.pacificcurls.com  |  www.myspace.com/pacificcurls.com 

Pacific Curls never set out to be a trio.   Four years ago when they found themselves in an Auckland studio, recording a Celtic/Maori/Pacific fusion album with two others, they had little idea that after two European tours, untold Australian, several New Zealand and a knock out Canadian run, they would be the last three standing! Hailed as a standout act with an impressive resume of performance experience and musical talent, they are artists who best embody the notion of music and culture transcending boundaries till the seams are invisible.

The unprecedented combination of Fiddle, Ukulele, Maori traditional instruments, Cajons, Guitar, Stomp Peddles, Percussion and Vocals with lyrics in Maori, Rotuman and English unfolds a new direction for fusion World music.  Having long been sought after as a guitar player, playing with the likes of Robert Fripp and Nigel Gavin, Kim Halliday has reinvented herself with her virtuosic ukulele performances and multi-instrumental expertise.  Her song writing is the inspiration for the music of Pacific Curls and Kim’s long time association with the NZ Music Industry as a performer and business entrepreneur has put her in hot demand with the likes of Whirimako Black, Nat Rose, Big Belly Woman and scores of other bands and musicians. Born and raised in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, long time fiddle player Sarah Beattie, performs with a passion reflecting her deep connection to Scottish music. 

Whilst classically studying, receiving her degree from the world renowned Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Sarah became inspired by traditional Scottish tunes.  Her fiddle playing is a unique alchemy of fast and inventive tradition to her signature ‘bass’ chops with the aid of an octave.  Beyond her work with Pacific Curls, Sarah has toured with diverse groups such as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, The Brave Hearts of Scotland and trance dance band Luna Loop. As an artist whose metamorphic drive has facilitated the creation of Pacific Curls, Ora Barlow has translated this vision with the musical skills of percussion and Taonga Puoro – traditional Maori instruments.  This worldly instrumentalist and singer songwriter evokes her passion for tradition and improvisation to explore the crossing of global and cultural lines.  After being invited to the Commonwealth Games celebrations in 2002 in Manchester, Ora began her long admiration of Celtic traditions and her dream to bring together country and culture through music.

After their 2008 album release ‘Pacifi Celta’, Pacific Curls stomped and skipped their way through a national New Zealand tour, an Australian tour and highly successful Canadian shows with appearances at festivals including Vancouver Folk Festival, The 2008 Indigenous Games, Harrison Hot Springs Festival and many more.  They will be returning to Canada in 2009 and in the 2010 Winter Olympics celebrations as part of a world music collaborative project. “We had no idea the three of us would end up as a trio and yet under miraculous circumstances we just seemed to stick,” says Beattie.  Miracle or not, Pacific Curls transcendental sound seemed always fated to be.

Badu Island Dancers

The Aibai Cultural Group performs Torres Strait Islander music and dance that is deeply connected to the environment, culture and society of their island home in Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia. Performing in the Kala Lagaw Ya language, they present secular and sacred music and dance, sharing their unique heritage as Indigenous Australians. Aibai Sagulau Buai translates as "the dancing family of the sacred hill".

The Aibai Cultural Group is lead by artistic directors Barry Nona, Denna Nona, Manuel Nomoa and Josephine Tipoti. They are cultural custodians of a wide repertoire of music and dance and represent all the clans of the Badulgal people. They are also Traditional Owners and have been involved in using their music and dance heritage to authenticate their Native Title claims to land and sea. Music and dance are very important to the Ailan Kastom (Island Custom) of Torres Strait Islanders and the Aibai Cultural Group is proud to bring their culture to new audiences. 

Hein Arumisore (West Papua)

With hauntingly beautiful songs, this West Papuan singer and dancer evokes his troubled homeland. Like East Timor, West Papua has been deprived of its liberty due to the Indonesian military occupation. Hein performs songs and dances from all over his homeland to share his culture and raise awareness of the political situation in West Papua.

Mista Savona

www.mistasavona.com | www.myspace.com/mistasavona

Jake Savona, aka Mista Savona, is arguably Australia's leading exponent of roots reggae and dancehall music, with international releases under his belt and the recent release in Australia of Melbourne Meets Kingston - the first ever album length collaboration between Australian and Jamaican musicians.Released in 2007 to widespread critical claim, it has been hailed as “one of the most important releases

of 2007” by 3D World, “pure excitement…a fantastic exercise in cross-cultural collaboration” by Sydney Morning Herald, and respected reggae DJ and broadcaster Jesse I is calling it “a landmark for Australian music…the strongest reggae album produced in this country to date”.

Recorded in Jamaica and Australia, the album features the incredible vocal talents of some of Jamaica’s most renowned artists – Anthony B, Big Youth, Lisa Dainjah, Determine and more – and successfully blends them with the instrumental and vocal skills of some of Australia’s finest musicians, including members of Bomba, Diafrix, The Cruel Sea, The Red Eyes, True Live, and
Illzilla. Jake’s world class production skills effortlessly bring these diverse influences into a cohesive whole, resulting in an incredible 21 track album which is one of the most exciting and original releases to ever come out of Australia.

To perform this music live, Jake has brought together an incredible 10 piece band, including a horn section, African dancers and Melbourne vocalist Vida
Sunshyne (whose credits include work with Nitin Sawhney and Lionel Richie) - and his show is by far the toughest and most exciting presentation of authentic, raw roots reggae and dancehall music in this country.

Kutcha Edwards

www.kutcha-edwards.com

Ruby Hunter

Ruby Hunter is a Ngarrindjeri/Kukatha/Pitjantjatjara woman from South Australia.

Ruby started her music career as a backing vocalist but soon began to forge a reputation as a leading performer in her own right. This led to the release of her first solo album Thoughts Within, the first solo album release by an Aboriginal woman in Australia.

Her second album Feeling Good saw Ruby named Female Performer of the Year at the Deadly Sounds National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Awards. She has played alongside Joan Armatrading, Tracy Chapman, and Bob Dylan, and performed at the prestigious Brooklyn Academy Music Festival.

Hunter's songs and music reflect her personal history, women's issues, social issues and indigenous issues. In 2000 she appeared with Archie Roach in The Land of Little Kings, a feature length documentary about the experiences of indigenous Australians who were removed from their families as part of the "stolen generation". In 2001 Hunter made her acting debut as the tracker's wife in the Australian film One Night the Moon.

Unified Gecko

www.unifiedgecko.com | www.myspace.com/ugecko

Hotted up Turkish tunes collide with reggae vibes and gypsy rhythms in an exhilarating east meets west fusion of music. 

Unified Gecko features seven musicians from Melbourne's best jazz, reggae and hip hop scenes making their own unique middle eastern boogie music. The band has been spreading their addictive brand of gypfunk throughout festivals across Europe.

Shane Howard

www.shanehoward.com.au

In 1982, Shane Howard's massive anthem "Solid Rock" from the album "Spirit of Place", (recorded with his legendary band "Goanna"), reverberated across the airwaves and still does today.
It was one of the first songs of its idiom to broach the subject of Aboriginal rights in Australia and impacted powerfully on a whole new generation of writers and musicians that followed. The album was released in 35 territories, worldwide. It was produced by the late Trevor Lucas, (Fairport Convention).
A prolific songwriter, he and his songs continue to champion the cause of the underdog, provide meaningful insights into the human spirit and interpret the Australian landscape in a way that has helped to build a bridge between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal peoples.

Howard continues to pay homage to the culture of his Irish ancestors and the culture of the Aboriginal people whose land he lives on. He combines a deep understanding of poetic and musical folk traditions and captures something essential of the spirit of Australia in words and music. Nevertheless, his songs also have a global reach
A quiet but passionate rebel, he continues to provide a local, national and international view of Australia and Australians through his songs and stories. He has lived and worked in Australia's cities and remote communities and felt the pulse of the country from within the landscape. A treasured Australian songwriter speaking with first hand knowledge of his subject matter.

Liyarn Ngarn :: The Coming Together of the Spirit

Liyarn Ngarn in the Yawuru language of the West Kimberly region around Broome means ‘the coming together of the spirit’. For national indigenous leader and Yawuru man, Patrick Dodson, Liyarn Ngarn is at the very heart of bringing about a lasting and true reconciliation. It has been his lifelong journey.

The Liyarn Ngarn concert brings together two of this country’s most respected and treasured singer songwriters, indigenous song-man Archie Roach and Shane Howard, former front man of the legendary 1980’s band ‘Goanna’, whose massive anthem, ‘Solid Rock’ from the album ‘Spirit of Place’ continues to reverberate across the country’s airwaves.

Both Archie and Shane are prolific songwriters who have been sharing their spirit with audiences around Australia and overseas for the past two decades. Their contribution to the musical soundtrack of this nation has been a critical force. Through song and story both Archie and Shane reach out to bridge the divide between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. Their friendship epitomises the essence of Liyarn Ngarn

They are joined by Ruby Hunter, Dave Arden, Amy Saunders, Amos Roach, Robert ‘Froggie’ Taylor and Ewen Baker. This unique group of artists combine to bring together stories of Aboriginal Australia’s ongoing struggle for justice. They sing about their deep love for the land, country, identity, beliefs, love, pain, loss and always through their songs they share a hope for a better future for ALL Australians.

Share the music and the spirit of Liyarn Ngarn. These are the songs that Australia needs right now.

Marcel Meltherorong (Vanuatu)

Author, poet, storyteller, playwright, producer, musician, songwriter, and artist -- Marcel Meltherorong, or Mars Melto as he is known in Melanesia, is at the forefront of Vanuatu’s creative industries. Raised in the colonial war-zone of urban Noumea, Marcel returned to his homeland of Vanuatu as soon as he came of age. Inspired by the colonial critique of Bob Marley and the Jamaican music scene, he started working with Nauten Band from Tanna, helping them with lyrics and musical arrangements. Marcel became one of the organisers of Port Vila's legendary Fest’Napuan music festival, the biggest free event of its kind in the region.

In 1997, Marcel performed on stage at Fest’Napuan and was subjected to the verbal abuse of bunch of drunken young men. Vowing not to let it stop him, he went back to work and formed XX Squad with a group of people who went on to become some of the most influential people in the music industry in Melanesia. In 1998, Mars almost single-handedly put together the Fete de la Musique concert. He continued to produce this annual event up until 2007. By 2003, Mars had established himself as the most gifted songwriter in the country and XX Squad had become one of the most iconic bands in the region with their blend of socio-political commentary, thoughtful poetry, clever wordplay, and Pacific roots/reggae/ska rhythms.

After the death of his brother and co-writer, Maka “Splaff” Silona, Mars and XX Squad went through a process of soul-searching. The rapid growth of Fest’Napuan in particular, and the music industry in general, created an opportunity for more creative approaches to music. Mars looked around at the state of his country: corruption, police brutality, domestic violence, and the treatment of young people as second-class citizens. With his heart breaking, Mars decided that the only way forward was to recognise the inherent value of cultural heritage of the people and the place. He formed a new band Kalja Riddim Klan (KRK), celebrating traditional Melanesia and fusing traditional rhythms and beats with contemporary and classical melodies.

The debut KRK album heralded a coming of age for Vanuatu music, blending indigenous instruments with modern technology, incorporating a diverse range of languages, and exploring issues like land tenure and alienation, inter-generational conflict, customary practices, and cultural heritage. Recently returned from the Pacific Arts Forum in Samoa, Mars lives in Port Vila with his wife and two children.

Ego Lemos

Ego is one of East Timor’s leading musicians involved in a renewal of Indigenous music and language in the world’s newest nation. From revolutionary folk songs, traditional Timorese chants, to Portugese influenced musical styles.

Gulaan (New Caledonia)

www.mangrove.ws

Gulaan is the stage name of Edouard Guïnedr Gulaan Wamedjo from New Caledonia, an accomplished musician and vocalist who plays guitar, drums, bass, keyboards and percussion. Gulaan first won acclaim in the mid 1990s as singer with the group Ryos OK, who released several albums in New Caledonia. His debut award winning solo album, The Spirit of Yesterday, was a warm and peaceful tribute to the land of his ancestors and his romances.

Gulaan's guitar playing and voice are presented in all their stripped-back simplicity, showcasing his use of arpeggio and his striking vocal style. Gulaan enjoys making music in solitude, close to his source of creativity. His performances are moments of pure escapism, inspired by memories of his grandmother, his Baha'ï beliefs and his love of freedom. Gulaan hopes to discover new horizons as he exports his music throughout the world.
 

Zennith

www.myspace.com/zennithboyz

From the deep scrub of Bulwai country in Kuranda, Far North Queensland, Zennith are the new future of roots and Indigenous music from down under, kickin' stereotypes and rockin' dance floors with a sound that fuses skankin' rainforest reggae with funky hip hop. Zennith have been ripping up venues and festivals across the east coast of Australia with their high-energy rhythms and unique Indigenous music style. Their debut EP We Like It is full of uplifting and positive messages with conscious lyrics written by songwriter Aden Brim. Zennith use their music to spread their message and acknowledge the struggle of Indigenous people whilst fusing a new, raw roots sound.

Liz Stringer

www.lizstringer.com | www.myspace.com/lizstringermusician

Melbourne based original acoustic contemporary roots artist Liz Stringer emerged triumphant with the critically acclaimed release of her debut album Soon, and is now set for the stellar follow up release of her sophomore album, Pendulum. Two years after her highly acclaimed debut, Pendulum, delivers a clear mature progression of an artists who's hit her straps.

Liz's humble origins are much like the woman herself, and have provided the perfect grounding for musical growth. From a deeply musical family, her innate musicality helped her forge a keen ear for music, leading her to teach herself the piano and guitar as well as developing her early song writing works as a youngster. As a little one, she learnt to play guitar on her Dad's acoustic 6-string and later when teenage restlessness sent her to Germany, she developed her writing and live performance on a borrowed fender. It was here that she began to fall in love with performing live, succumbing to the heady experience of playing music to fraternity of like-minded music lovers.

After many years abroad in Germany and the UK, she arrived a veritable new comer to Melbourne's music district, and has since forged the lofty respect of her musical peers, as the musicians musician. Hand picked from the pack of touring circuit staple, Mia Dyson, Liz's secured her first national tour with the ARIA award winner. Added to her glowing supports with other indie dignitaries such as Jen Cloher & the Endless Sea, Ash Grunwald, Ember Swift, Tete (France) and Wedding's Parties Anything.