Matt Williamson - Mr Senseless.

Another recording from the brilliant Matt Williamson,
a wonderful songwriter folk singer from Bathurst
A long time contributor to this blog who generously
gives away his beautiful music
Thanks Matt!
You can check out his stuff out here

Now over to Matt

       Mr Senseless, singing songs to save the world
   
       He will tell you songs will set you free

       All his friends say thats not realistic

       But he says, you wait and see, you just wait and see.


   
     Matt Williamson  - Guitar, Vocals.

     Keith Manning - Percussion, Waterphone.

     King Paul - Bass.

     Aaron Hopper - Guitar.

     Wayne Brett - Guitar.

     Chris McCussker - Bass.

 
        This album is made of friendly psycadelic folk
                                by friendly psycadelic folk
         it contains real people,places,time and events
         and all those little things wot trancsend ém.

Track List

 01. Jessica Beth Small -

 Jessica went missing from Bathurst over 15 years ago, this song is
 for Jessica's mum still living through all those unanswered questions
 due to a botched investigation, it is a story of love.



  02.  1975 -

  This was the year i fell off the world, it took 6 years to climb back
   on, couldn't listen to Pink Floyd in all that time as it was playing
   at that moment in time and space.

  03.  Again -

  04.  All Over The Moon -

  That cycle of life, waiting, walking and coming together.

   05.  Deception -

   Yes we all know who he is, some know him as Mon santo-claus.

   06.  Homeless -

    Left by his girl, Chook went to drown his sorrows, it took many
    years of homelessness to do so.
    They found him in a paddock frozen out near his parents place.

   07.  Week Away -

   08.  On Meeting Kerrianne -

    I got to play some heartfelt concerts with Kerrianne Cox.
    This little song is my welcome to country for her when
    she came to town, sadly its
    a true reflection of my country.

   09.  A Most Unusual Man -

    I see him every now and then, but mostly when i catch his
    reflection i try not to look.

   10. A road less travelled -

   11. Rocket Man - (Tom Rapp)

    I loved this song my whole life, i was a big fan of Ray Bradbury, it
    inspired Elton John as well.

   12. Mr Senseless -

    Written in the third person, because the third person is there.

    13. Blessed Be Love -

     From 'Gamarra" to be released with Kalmadyne Goombridge's
     book of poetry later this year. Listen out for the re-awakening
     and re-building of the Wiradjuri nation, happening here ,there
     and everywhere.

     14. Same Town -

     I never thought the global village would be such an unlikely place.



      i hope you enjoy this little album made without money
                          nor sense.

                                     Cheers Mr Senseless.

Download Here

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.

the quiet folk of northcote - VA

Pilgrim Jake from Melbourne shares with us a wonderful
compilation of folk artists from his home town, thanks
Jake. Here's what its all about.

Here is a broad sample of folk/ chamber music from Melbourne
Victoria.Theres a vibrant musical scene with a strong folk
influence. The gentler sounds of Melbourne town come from
the rattle of its trams and the rustle of coats upon bluestone.
These have infused with musicians hereabouts,
who have in turn been nurtured by plentiful venues,
strong independent radio and an appreciative audience.
'Under the hill' presents artists that are a part of Melbourne's
contemporary quiet scene.The sounds might be characterized
as slow strings and a hint of warm brass set to song.
If parts of the folk movement of England in the 70's was
distinctly Folk-Rock electric, then this could be a burgeoning
folk - chamber pop,with a touch of ethereal acid folk revival.


Many of these bands are also a part of a musical family,
supporting and interweaving members amongst one another.
It makes for delightful gigs, steeped as they are in such
companionship and warm melancholia. Ruckers hill in
Northcote overlooks the city.
It is atop this hill where many such congregations occur,
and is home to Melbourne's domestic bohemia.
Thus the compilations name and where you should look if you
ever visit. A few tracks are Australian antecedents in the same
vein and one is not a Melbournian, she just sounds like she
ought, but all the rest are local.
This is a sample of what can be found.

Download Here

Sirocco - The Breath of Time

Heres another band you most likely haven't heard of, I saw them play
many times, I seem to remember mostly at the Maleny folk festival.
Sirocco are one of the best world music bands this country ever
produced. Truly a joy to watch and listen to. Below is a bio I found
on the web.

Sirocco was formed in 1980 by Guy Madigan, Bill O’Toole
and Andrew De Teliga.
Since then, Sirocco has developed its own unique blend
of music which combines Celtic, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
and South American music with that of Australia’s Aboriginal
and Anglo-Irish heritage.
Members of the group play over thirty different musical instruments
including the Arabic ud, bagpipes, bodhran, bombard, didgeridoo,
electric guitar, flute, Greek bouzouki, hammered dulcimer,
medieval shawm, seedpods, and Turkish baglama.
They also make many of the instruments that they play from Australian timbers.
All of these instruments reflect the diverse influences which
make up Australia’s rich musical background which has developed
through its increasing multicultural society.
Sirroco has toured many overseas countries as cultural ambassadors
for Australia. It was the first Australian band to tour both Russia and China
and it also played in India and other places in Asia and America.
Its performances have included: the Seoul Olympic Arts Festival,
1988, Houston Festival (USA), 1988, Kawaguchi World Festival Fusion,
Japan, 1992, and the Vientiane Theatre, Laos, 1995.
The group has played extensively throughout Australia in concerts for
Musica Viva Australia and also works in schools for the New South Wales
Department of Education, giving concerts and workshops which show
the diversity of music and instruments found in Australia today.


This album is a wonderful journey, a Middle Eastern , Turkish
inspired journey.
I once saw this band at a small Folk festival out from a
Place called Toowoomba,
about 2hrs drive west from Brisbane.
It was about 45mins out again so it was out in the sticks.
Sirocco were the head line band, but We had gone to see
some friends play in a wonderful Latin band Gaviota.
In a performance I'll never forget,
at the hight of an electrical storm the power failed completely.
The band, which I'll add had a lot of electronic gear, samplers
and the like, didn't miss a beat.
Being percussion masters they kept playing and rounded
everyone into a circle for a middle eastern type dance,
by gas light, which had replaced the torches by now.
I don't think there was anyone who wasn't impressed.
These albums are very hard to find now,
I wish I had bought more stuff back then.

Download Here