Foco Nuevo

One of my favorite things to post on is the fantastic concerts I get
to and this Friday night was a wonderful night of music.
Ever since I ran into two old friends Lachlan and Sue at the dreaming
festival and they told me of this project, I have been meaning to
check it out. So what is Foco Nuevo, lets hear from the web site, here
that along with email is the sole promotion that this project has.

Foco Nuevo is the performance project of Brisbane-based
Jumping Fences, the songwriting/performing partnership
of Sue Monk and Lachlan Hurse.
It was initially organised in association with the Ellen Taylor
Community Centre (formerly Ahimsa House),
a community space in West End, Brisbane.
The name Foco Nuevo refers to Brisbane’s FOCO Club, a lively
and alternative performance space which ran on a weekly basis
during the late 1960s. The mix of music and social issues has
given a particular character to Brisbane music over several
decades, and has never been far from the inspiration behind
the song writing of Jumping Fences. Their original work and
the influence of their long association with Latin American
music have given them a unique profile in Brisbane.
Foco Nuevo is a performing space that draws on the approach
of the Latin American 'peña', and places it in the Australian
context, with a diversity of guest performers and a focus on
original material.

It commenced on 28 March, 2008.

The nights entertainment was varied and engaging,
Jumping Fences, as I mostly remember them, opened
as a duo. Then a fellow from Texas, Felix Guerrero , who is here
on holiday, played some great songs he had written.
On on the program he was an added extra,
in that fine folk tradition of flexibility.

The Goodwills, Bob and Laurel Wilson were next playing their own
compositions both humorous and serious, as well as a brilliant Paul
Kelly cover. These guys who live now in Maleny sing folk in the old
tradition, they sing of the everyday in the way that gets you thinking.
They have been singing since the 70s and in some ways a like a time
capsule tranporting you back a few decades.

Jumping Fences were up next, with a fantastic percussion section
and electric lead guitar. I'm used to seeing them play as a duo and
theextended line up was a relevation. Their unique sound is a Latin,
folk blend unlike anyone else, organic and honest.
They sing heartfelt songs that capture their concerns and the things
that touch them.
Always a pleasure to watch.
If you want to hear some of their music and read all about them visit
their web site here


Celtic Fyre finished up the night with their traditional Celtic, mainly
Scottish folk music. Lots of wonderful instrumental stuff as well as
some diverse songs. Of course my favorites were Streams of
Whiskey and The Great Song of Indifference.
A great night, great music and a fantastic do it yourself, grass roots
approach to music and promotion.