Arts Projects Australia. Botanic Park. 9 Mar 2015
After a night of foot-resting and fond reminiscing of the weekend just past, it was with a calm smile that I return to Botanic Park for the final day of WOMADelaide 2015. I can’t think of a better way to kick off proceedings than with a bit of Korean food at Taste The World with Jambinai. I’m quite a fan of Korean cuisine, and Jambinai quickly showed that they apply the same dedication in the kitchen as they do on the stage. The smells were fantastic, and it was great to see the band bossing the veteran WOMAD chef Doug around while they were cooking! Tradition meets hardcore indeed!
I’ve got a fairly big soft spot for Latin America, and so it’s little wonder that I find myself heading for the shade of the Moreton Bay stage for a workshop with Bolivia’s Luzmila Carpio. Her workshop, entitled El presagio de los pajaros: the omen of birds, allowed her to discuss how mamapacha, or mother earth in Quechua, inspires her music, focussing on the sounds of birds. Of course, the Australian wildlife decided to chirp in during the show, although Luzmila remarks that these birds don’t speak Spanish! Luzmila also plays a few tunes on a tiny ukulele, adding to the experience. It’s a very intimate show, where it seems Luzmila is speaking directly to me… so it’s lucky that I also speak Spanish to understand!
Keeping within the realms of Latin America and Spain, I head over to stage one for another round with Che Sudaka. Last night’s show clearly wasn’t enough! Continuing to evoke and re-envision Radio Bemba, the quartet are again on fire! So much endless energy and charisma! For the second time, I’ve got a broad smile on my face listening to these guys, and this time have the added bonus of not having the growing contingent of rich kids running amok all around, and no-one is covered in filthy chalk dust! Bonus!
Well, it seems that Korean food may be tasty, but I hear the cry for more, and half way through Che Sudaka’s set, I find myself heading back to Taste The World for some of Flavia Coelho’s cooking. Or rather, her drummer’s cooking, as she is proud to note that she puts her energies into her music, and leaves the cooking to others! Thankfully, the drummer can cook up a storm as well as he drums, and we get yet another tasty treat from the Taste The World Tent.
As the afternoon sun continues to shine down, I make my way back to stage two for one of the bands I’d been really hanging to see on this final day of WOMADelaide. From the Democratic Republic of Congo, we have Jupiter & Okwess International, and they deliver on every promise and expectation. The sun may be beating down, but the energy levels are high, and I find myself dancing, entranced in the rhythms from start to end.
It seems my hunger won’t relent today, so it’s back to Taste The World, where the gypsies have taken over. And they’ve brought their brass instruments! Romania’s Fanfare Ciocarlia have taken command of the kitchen, and while the band leader and ‘head chef’ is proud to admit that the music is firmly the domain of men, and the kitchen is largely the domain of the women, he’s also confident of his cooking skills from plenty of practice and instruction from his wife! And to make it that much more exciting, we’re treated to a few tunes while he cooks! Very nice!
Giving the Colour Of Time parade a wide berth, I grab a bit of dinner and head out to stage two for American band Lake Street Drive. While I don’t know anything about these guys, as I listen I find myself quickly won over by their bluesy and jazzy sound, chock-loaded with soul. The singer has a fantastic voice, and I’m quickly drawn into their music. They even throw in a bit of Van Halen during the set, keeping all of us on our toes!
The Zoo stage is next on my list, though it seems like half of WOMAD has a similar idea. Arnhem Land band Barra are up, though as the programme has them listed as featuring Gotye, quite a crowd has been attracted. I guess this is a bit pros and cons… if only Barra had been listed, I’m sure the crowd would be smaller, but at least this way more people are exposed to the great traditional sounds of this country. And the band doesn’t disappoint! With some very traditional sounds to begin, they soon break into a mix of traditional and modern, with hints of reggae and blues. With most of the crowd sitting down for most of the set, it’s a pretty nice experience!
Things are quickly getting towards the business end of the day, and I decide to see the day out with a double header in my last timeslot. Balkan Beat Box put on such a good show the other day, that I decide to get another glimpse at their show and sample their sensational klezmer sound, before heading over to Speaker’s Corner for my last outing with Niger’s (that’s knee-jeer for the uninitiated) Bombino, playing their take on the desert blues of the Tuareg nomadic people. The mix of old world and new world, traditional and modern, is seamless, and you easily fall into a trance with the thumping basslines and bluesy guitar played in an eastern scale.
What a way to end the day, and in fact to end WOMADelaide 2015! It’s been such a great festival this year, and despite my complaints about the painted people, the growing influx of rich kids masquerading as globally aware (really, what kid has the money to buy a WOMAD ticket anyway?), the fake-hippies (yes, I wear my fisherman pants all year… do you?), and the seemingly more pushy and rude nature of the crowd, I’m pleased to say these are but small taints (and in the case of the coloured-in people, colourful dusty taints) on the fabric of an otherwise brilliant-as-always WOMADelaide weekend. And it’s only 367 days until it all begins again!
Luke Balzan
When: Closed
Where: Botanic Park
Bookings: womadelaide.com.au
Photography by Aaron Vinall
Adelaide Festival. St Peter’s Cathedral. 8 Mar 2015
This performance of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s Passio – Christ’s Passion according to St John – is incisive and dramatic. It doesn’t come any better.
Passio is sung by a bass-baritone soloist (singing Christ), tenor soloist (Pilate), vocal quartet (Evangelist), and choir. Typical of Pärt’s style in vocal composition, it is the text that takes centre stage and the singers are accompanied only by pipe organ (which mirrors Christ) and four instrumentalists (oboe, violin, ‘cello and bassoon). The human voice is unencumbered by an elaborate orchestration – the music is economical, but rich at the same time. Every note, every combination of notes, every moment of silence is pregnant with consequence and meaning.
Pärt often devises and exploits mathematical ‘formula’ (but not to suggest a ‘formulaic’ approach) upon which to construct his compositions and Passio is no exception. He exploits ‘modes’ and confines and confines various singers to particular sound-palettes. Significantly, and most dramatically, Pilate’s vocal part is characterised by the tritone B to F, which is awkward to sing and has a restless and dissonant quality. This is a perfect aural straagem to underline Pilate’s reluctant role in Christ’s crucifixion.
Carl Crossin again excels with the Adelaide Chamber Singers, and sets a benchmark to which other choirs aspire. Sometimes at the altar of precision is sacrificed warmth, meaning and fervor, but not so with the Singers. Crossin and the Singers attain it all. Bravo. Brava.
The stellar heights that the performance reaches are greatly assisted by the competence and artistry of the musicians. Elizabeth Layton (violin), Celia Craig (oboe), Mark Gaydon (bassoon), Simon Cobcroft (‘cello) and Josh van Konkelenberg (organ) are consummate artists and, most significantly, expert accompanists. Enough said.
But the high drama of the evening belongs to the two soloists. Dressed in a simple white soutane, Alexander Knight walks down the length of the central nave of the cathedral, takes his place, and sings Christ with disarming serenity and calmness. He not only sings the words, but also plays the role. He appears almost not of this world. Knight has a deeply satisfying bass baritone voice with just a hint of gentle vibrato that authoritatively fills St Peter’s to the very back pew. This young man has a wonderful career in front of him.
For me, the highlight of the evening, which is awash with stellar performances, is Richard Butler’s performance of Pilate. Dressed in a crimson soutane, Butler enters from the ambulatory and exudes the authority of a Roman governor. With his rich tenor voice, Butler handles the challenging dissonance of Pilate’s vocal line with great skill. I recall his performance last November in the Singers’ performance of the Messiah. He was charismatic then, as he is tonight, strangely. Always in character, he looks searchingly (but never imperiously) at Christ throughout the interrogation. His reluctance to condemn is palpable. His sadness at being forced to condemn is quite touching. Butler was illuminating in the Messiah. Tonight he is stellar, as is the entire performance.
Passio is surely a highlight of the Festival.
Kym Clayton
When: 8 and 10 Mar
Where: St Peter’s Cathedral
Bookings: bass.net.au
Ensemble Galante. The Jade Monkey. 8 Mar 2015
Ensemble Galante is a very classy outfit specialising in the music of the high baroque, galante, and early classical periods. Their Fringe Festival concert Memento Mori featured selections from Leclair, CPE Bach, Vivaldi, Haydn and JS Bach, and it was perfect respite from the freneticism of Adelaide’s Mad March.
The Latin phrase ‘memento mori’ roughly translates as ‘remember death’ and relates to the activity of reflecting on one’s own mortality in order to remind one that earthly life, with all its paraphernalia and pursuits, occupies but a brief moment in time and is transient, unlike our souls (if you choose to believe that).
Tim Nott, flautist and founder of Ensemble Galante, informed the near-capacity audience that the phrase is believed to have originated from the ancient Roman tradition where a victorious general parading in front of adoring crowds would be flanked by a servant who would whisper into the general’s ear “Remember that you are but a man. Remember that you will die!”
In art, ‘memento mori’ are figurative reminders of mortality: think of paintings which feature human skulls juxtaposed with the trappings of human existence (including musical instruments!).
So, what’s this got to do with Ensemble Galante’s concert? Apart from naming the concert as such, carefully placing the musicians around an ‘alter’ to humanity and death and projecting a backdrop of lush memento mori art, not much. The selection of music certainly had nothing obvious to do with our transience in this world – at least as far as I could tell.
But who cares? Certainly the very appreciative audience did not. The momento mori ‘hook’ simply caused us to listen to the music with a new purpose – not to think about it but rather to reflect on who and what we are. The music took us individually to different places in our minds to do just that, and it was a sublime experience.
All barefoot and dressed in black, replete with make-up that gave them a close-to-death appearance, the ensemble looked imposing on the small stage of the intimate and tasteful Jade Monkey.
Leclair’s Deuxieme Recreation de Musique bookended the programme, and the first two sections were an ideal composition to commence the concert. The composition’s austerity engendered reflection.
Trio Sonata in C by CPE Bach featured a crisp and perfectly executed dialogue between violin and flute.
Vivaldi’s Recorder Concerto in A Minor featured the artistry of Brendan O'Donnell on recorder. A master of the instrument, his precise tonguing and fingering allowed him to negotiate difficult trilling with total authority and musicality.
Haydn’s Divertimento in G for Flute, Violin and Cello is a delicate flower and forever at risk of bruising if held in the wrong hands. Tim Nott on flute sustained a delicate tonal purity void of distracting vibrato that sustained the performance, and even the pianissimo moments were vital. This was even more evident in JS Bach’s Sarabande for solo flute.
The programme rounded out with the third and fourth sections of the Leclair. The flute and recorder playfully complemented each other, while Emily Dollman (violin), Kat Stevens (violin), Bronwen Whyatt (cello) and Glenys March (harpsichord) superbly provided the musical backbone to a finale that amounted to essentially Ensemble Galante inviting us all to thumb our collective noses at mortality and get on with living!
Kym Clayton
When: 6 to 8 Mar
Where: The Jade Monkey, Flinders Street
Bookings: Closed
Arts Projects Australia. Botanic Park. 8 Mar 2015
After the madness of yesterday’s dance-fest at WOMADelaide, I am satisfied with my night’s sleep and arrive at Botanic Park early, to soak in as much atmosphere as possible! Accompanied by my main lady, I enjoy a sip of Holy Cow chai before the music begins, relaxing in the morning ambiance.
With the chai putting me in a good mood, I head out to see the World Percussion Discussion, over by the main stage. Two drumming corps filling the ranks of the workshop, a few different drum corps techniques are played, from marching band to Cajun to Brazilian rhythms. The massive drum sounds fill Botanic Park, and soon a healthy crowd is gathered around. It’s at this point I catch a sniff of Taste The World, where Israel-US act Balkan Beat Box have taken over the stove. And it’s madness in the kitchen, with one of the funniest presentations of a traditional recipe I’ve ever seen! As they cook they threaten a food fight, decide to empty a whole packet of paprika into the dish, and even pose for selfies under the stove-top camera! The antics are wild, and the cooking smells sensational! The dish, traditional to Yemen, Israel, and the Middle East is also similar to one from my own Maltese heritage, which makes the ordeal even more awesome! Balkan Beat Box shows that they’re not only masters of the stage, but also of the kitchen!
I grab a bite of lunch before heading to stage two for the Malawi Mouse Boys, a group of guys (from Malawi, obviously) who’ve re-envisioned gospel music with a pure African flavour. These guys are awesome, and the sizable crowd obviously thinks so too. Despite a fair whack of hot sunshine, the band wows everyone with their smooth vocals, and minimalist guitars and vox only stage set. One of the guys even jumps into the crowd and sings while wandering about! Very cool stuff.
From Africa, it’s over to Jamaica on stage one, with Melbourne’s Mista Savona, joined by special Jamaican guests Prince Alla and Randy Valentine. The two Jamaican guests represent two sides of Jamaican reggae music: old school from Prince Alla, who wows the crowd with his stage prowess (and an awesome big dreadlock hat!), and new school from Randy Valentine, who spends most of his time in London these days. The new and the old fuse together seamlessly with Jake Savona’s brilliant band, and under his musical direction, bringing a new sense of reggae music to the masses. Despite the heat, I can’t help but dance, and everyone else around me is clearly feeling the same.
After dancing in the sun, it’s time to take things down a notch. Legendary Toumani Diabate and his son Sidiki have me soaring to new heights on stage two. Toumani is a master of the 21-stringed Malian kora instrument, and his son is clearly following in his dad’s footsteps; himself a formidable kora player. These guys are true masters of their craft, and their mastery of the kora allows the listener to lay back and be taken on a musical journey across both time and space. I love a bit of kora, and it doesn’t get much finer than this!
Feeling relaxed after the kora session, I head back to stage one to get my dancing vibe on once again, this time with Fanfare Ciocarlia, from Romania. With a huge array of horns, including no less than four tubas, plus some drums, these guys have a truly enormous sound that amply fills the park. As the thumping tuba bass lines ring out, with soaring trumpet and sax over the top, you can’t help but feel yourself start to dance! The world slips away and suddenly you’re lost in the Roma party land that is Fanfare Ciocarlia; nothing else seems to matter. The rhythms are madly infectious and the energy levels keep on climbing as these guys power through their set. Brilliant stuff indeed!
It doesn’t let up there either, as Spain’s Argentina- and Colombia-membered Che Sudaka take to stage two, taking things up a notch further! With a sound reminiscent of Manu Chao’s Radio Bemba, and all the craziness you might expect from them, Che Sudaka has the energy turned all the way up to 11! It’s madness from start to finish, with reggae and ska beats mixed with Colombian folkloric cumbia, Argentinean folk sounds, and even sounds that remind me of forro street parties I’ve been to in Brazil. Throw in some crazy guitars, zany accordion, awesome beats, plenty of punk attitude and two sensational singers (one who reminds me of Manu Chao, the other of myself!) and this show is really taking things to the next level!
I guess my only complaint at this point in the day (apart from sore dancing feet) is all the chalk and paint covered punters, who seem blissfully ignorant of their dirty influence on everyone else. I’m fine if people want to cover themselves in coloured dust and mud and the like, but since it isn’t exactly my idea of fun, I want to wear someone else’s sweat-infested coloured dirt even less! My WOMAD clothes are generally selections I’ve collected from all around the world, and I want to keep them in pretty good nick (today’s outfit is brought to you by Colombia!). It seems a nice concept, and it even looks pretty cool, but I’m not sure these colour parades are a good idea. Bring back the samba parade, or at least spray everyone who likes rolling around in muck and dirt at the end, and leave those of us who prefer to remain colourless, clean.
Anyway, with my rant now over and my belly full from a tasty dinner, I’m on my way to Taste The World again for a few African delights courtesy of Jupiter Bokondji and his band Okwess International. Of course, they play a bunch of tunes throughout, and their food is a tasty dessert for me too!
Back over at stage three for another taste of Spain’s Depedro, he is pouring his heart into the show and delivering what is one of the standout performances of WOMADelaide 2015, so far. Definitely buying his album after the show! With only three people on stage, the sound is very full indeed, and frontman Jairo Zavala is showing his ample prowess as a singer-songwriter as he plays through his collection of tunes. It’s fantastic stuff, with hints of Spanish folk, occasional bursts of flamenco and even mariachi, a bit of blues, plenty of rhythm, and loads of soul, even a hint of Manu Chao from time to time! Depedro are certainly a brilliant act, and I’m particularly pleased that their set is going a little longer, since the next show’s scheduling means we get about half an hour of bonus time! With an act like Depedro, I can’t think of anything better!
And so it’s back to stage one for Sunday’s main stage finale, and there’s no one better to deliver that than WOMAD and world music favourite, Senegal’s, Youssou N’Dour. It’s been over ten years since he’s played a WOMAD stage, having served his country’s government as a minister in that time, but as soon as he comes out on stage, along with a massive band, he shows us that he’s lost none of his musical abilities to politics! Youssou is putting on a fantastic show, and despite a long day of dancing, I can’t help but continue to dance the night away! Youssou even has a special surprise in store, when Neneh Cherry joins him for their duet 7 Seconds… I’m sure WOMAD organisers had this moment in mind when they cast Nenah as part of the line-up alongside a headliner like Youssou N’Dour! Along with all the traditional African tunes we’ve come to expect from Youssou, this tune is a fitting addition. Alas, after a solid 90 minutes of playing, Youssou and his band have to call it a day, but not before they close with a rousing West African fashioned cover of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song, ending proceedings on stage one in fine form!
But that’s not all folks, the DJs roll on well into the night. Stopping by Mr V’s WoMusic shop (told you I’d buy the Depedro album!), I’m making my way to Speakers Corner for a taste of DJ Spooky. As I sip another chai tea under the Holy Cow tent, the mix of dub, dance, funk, and more form a beautiful backdrop against the trees, lights, and bats, to end another brilliant day of WOMADelaide.
Luke Balzan
When: 6 to 9 Mar
Where: Botanic Park
Bookings: womadelaide.com.au
Photography by Aaron Vinall
Arts Projects Australia. Botanic Park. 7 Mar 2015
Most people recognise this month as ‘Mad March’. It has certainly been the case for me, though not for the obvious festival reasons; rather than seeing shows, like the rest of Adelaide, I’ve been off travelling around the northern hemisphere for work! Having left the day after Soundwave, it was fitting that I return in time for WOMADelaide! Unfortunately, my flight got in too late for Friday’s festivities, but I did make it back in time to kick off my WOMAD on Saturday, which also marks my tenth anniversary at the festival!
Since I’d missed Friday, I decided to do a bit of catch-up by seeing as many acts as I could. Chopping and changing between stages is quite a bit of fun. First cab off the rank is the Tijntu Desert Band, hailing form Ikuntji a few hundred kilometres from Alice. These guys are on fire, really rousing up the afternoon crowd, and playing a bunch of bluesy, funky and reggae tinged tunes, singing in the band’s native tongue, Lurtija. Definitely an impressive set!
I swing around to stage three and catch the end of Hi-Tops Brass Band Featuring Shazza T. These guys also worked the crowd into a frenzy, and with only brass (sax being an honorary brass!) and drums, they have a truly massive sound! Visiting from Sydney, they are masters of their craft, with my only criticism being Shazza T, the singer’s, incessant use of auto tune. I’m really not a fan of the funnelled, tinny electronic induced so-called assistance device. Its presence started to grate a little, tarnishing what is otherwise a great act.
Starting to get a little peckish (lets blame it on the jet lag) I figured a bit of Taste The World was in order, especially since Spanish/Colombian/Argentinean act Che Sudaka was in the kitchen. On my way, I caught a couple of tunes from Spain’s Depedro, and was duly impressed. Looking forward to seeing more of him tomorrow!
At the Taste The World tent, is a band who fuses different sounds from different countries, so it isn’t so surprising to find that they were cooking a Thai curry with some subtle Latin influences. These guys are great, and do an entertaining session, including playing a few tunes. I only wish the Argentineans had shared the maté with me!
It is a bit of a trek back to stage three to see South Korea’s Jambinai, but well worth it. Another fusion set, bringing together elements of traditional Korean music with traditional instruments; the oboe-like piri, stringed haegum and zither-like gomungo, mixed in with hardcore metal. This group would fit equally well in at Soundwave. It is a great mix, and my mind is blown; traditional sounds with head-banging, amazing!
Maximising my exercise time after my flights, next on my schedule was Ramzi Aburedwan & Ensemble Dal’Ouna over on the Zoo stage. I caught a couple of tunes from Bolivia’s Andean Quechua songstress Luzmila Carpio too, and will definitely catch a bit more tomorrow. Ramzi and his ensemble are from Palestine, and put on a fantastic show, playing traditional music of the orient, with a variety of pieces that really speak to you - whether they had lyrics or not. Sitting under the trees around the stage, you can just close your eyes and let Ramzi and co take you on a journey. Fantastic!
Keeping with the sitting mood, I head back to stage three for a bit of sit-down jazz with Abdullah Ibrahim Quartet, from South Africa; definitely some fine playing and an interesting mix of styles freely flowing through the essence of jazz.
No more sitting down though - It is time to exercise the ‘D’ in ‘WOMAD’ with plenty of dancing!
Israeli-US act Balkan Beat Box is up on stage one, and they certainly know how to get a party started! It is fairly tight-packed near the front, but the party is going off! With a mix of Oriental, Mediterranean and Balkan sounds, all envisioned through modern eyes with hints of electronica, there is no way you can sit still! The music is fantastic, and the energy overflowing. Just about everyone in front of the stage is up and jumping for the majority of the set! My jet-lagged blood is certainly pumping, and it’s safe to say these guys certainly raise the bar.
I am proper-hungry by now, so armed (or should that be stomached?) with a curry, I head to stage two for some Brazilian party time with Flavia Coelho. She has big hair and a big heart too, with her music combining a bunch of Brazilian styles with hints of reggae, Afro-beat and funk thrown in for good measure. And of course, you just have to dance!
Next, I arrive at the Zoo stage, a little surprised to find everyone sitting, since Italy’s Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino promises a rousing show. I was even more surprised at the rude cow behind me, complaining at her obscured view after I sat to the side of her… WOMAD crowds do seem to be losing a little of their hippie tolerance. And in any case, the old cow’s comments were irrelevant, since as soon as Canzoniere took to the stage, everyone took to their feet! And rightly so! These guys are all-acoustic, and definitely all-sensational! With an array of interesting instruments, including a Mediterranean take on bag pipes, a bouzouki, violin, accordion, a whole host of drums and a bunch of others, they put on a fantastic performance! There is music stretching across the Classical world, and the band knows their craft well. It was excellent to see them in the intimacy of the Zoo stage!
A little more from Brazil is up next in the form of Criolo, an act that sees hip hop entwined with soulful Brazilian grooves. Needless to say, plenty of dancing ensues, and a relaxed crowd makes it easy to get into the groove and dance well into the night! A mix of toasting, rapping, and smooth vox, accompanied by electronic and acoustic instruments made these guys a perfect party band, and party we do! It is high-energy from start to finish, and I do not see one dissatisfied face in the crowd!
A finale should always be grand, and with Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club taking to, and closing, the main stage for this evening’s proceedings, a grand finale it is! The Orquesta comprises the originals and the greats from the documentary, which is now 16 years old, including Guajiro Mirabal, Aguaje Ramos, Barbarito Torres, and the amazing Omara Portuondo, joined by a full band of Cuban music maestros to bring all the tunes we know and love from the documentary and more.
Seeing these guys is definitely a special WOMADelaide moment, and I’m rather pleased to be a part of it. The music is spot on, ranging from son to guajira to boleros, the dancing is wild, and the atmosphere electric! There isn’t a whole lot of room to salsa, but the crowd are loving it just the same! The massive 90 minute set, including encore, is fantastic from start to finish, and this is indeed a perfect way to end a fantastic day!
Now, to some rest before tomorrow…
Luke Balzan
When: 6 to 9 Mar
Where: Botanic Park
Bookings: womadelaide.com.au
Photography by Aaron Vinall