2007 – February

A most special endless energy of 2005 No Holds Barred Fiddle Winner, Jess Randall,
for gathering the many together for the Supper Club ‘Orchestra’ in this years
‘symphony’ performance on “The Girls Night”. On Utube before too long!

Hi Folks, hope you had a great effective start to the year. Free hugs here if you didn’t… or did!
A BIG THANKYOU to the contributers and a little run through the joy that was Tamfest and the Supper Club this January, 2007 – Much more than your usual Country Music Fest – bringing together players and styles from around the world,

plus news for those near Melbourne TOGETHER AGAIN TOUR – Canadian Fiddle Champ, young Tania Elizabeth (Grammy Nonimee with The Duhks!) with yours truly – details further below (Guildford Hotel Music Hall 8pm Wed 21 Feb – with Workshops at 6pm if you ring 0407753809), Horsham, Cafe Bagdad 22 (TBC) & Adelaide Tue 27 Feb Jive on Hindley St(TBC)
see http://www.myspace.com/andrewclermont for gigguide updates – watch for US & Canada Tour with Dya Singh in July/ August ( if you are near)
If you have friends near any up coming shows, please feel free to advise them

THE SUPPER CLUB
Over 50 musicians contributed & shared in the ‘fringe festival’ that is at the North Tamworth Bowling Club for the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival
each January, plus a few choice times through the year. In particular this year the warm interplay of young and less young musos around the club, city and Festival was much more than usual and that be a healthy sign for the future of the Festival.

The hardy creative core of the Supper Club this year was :-

Totally Gourdgeous
The Lawnmowers “the cutting ‘hedge’ of Bluegrass”!

The Eldridge Sisters – my dear string section and friends, and in the Sydney Morning Herald TamFest review

Wu PuYu – Flute emotion & concert piano
& Alex Gordon – mandolin magic

Plus the amazing Turkish Delights, Crooked Fiddle Band, The Beez (from Berlin, Germany – very special),
Reason to Breath (woven harmonica, Flute & Digeridoo with Keyboards), Sarah Carrol, Karen Lynne & Acoustic Shock, Fiddlesticks (New Zealand) and the many individuals – 15 yr old Guitar whizz Smokin’ Joe,
Ross Waldron(Finger pickin’ adventure), Cary & Brookie (harmony bliss), Leslie Avril, Daniel & Bee B (NZ Banjo lass whizz kid) , Andrew Scott(Double Bass power), George Washingmachine, Garry Steel(amazing Accordian), Tim Turner (sublime Piano), WuPuYu (Piano & Flute emotion), Sophie Raymond, Steve Teakle (keyboards), Rodney Ford(drums via Fiddlers Feast), Mal Webb & Penelope Swales plus Blues Harp legend, Doc Span.

And please a big cheer to NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest Winners – Connor Macgregor (Youth) & George Jackson (Senior) and all the brave entries
plus warm thanks to the judges, George Washingmachine & Golden Fiddle Award Winning Teacher, Kylie McIvor and Marcus Holden & Fiddlers Feast for hosting the finals.

And the wonderful patrons who housed our players – we can’t do it without you – we are ever grateful.

FIDDLERS FEAST
A powerhouse of fiddledom was presented at all the Fiddlers Feast shows, from the finale of the Opening Concert to thousands in Bi-Centenial Park to the NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Finals at the Regent Cinema – the magic of Mark Oats & Clare O’Meara (Bushwackers); George Washingmachine & Marcus Holden (2 different Jazz) plus Rodney Ford, John Coker & Garry Steel dressing the Fiddles in musical finery while I get to dance between them all!
www.fiddlersfestival.com

The fun and depth of music grows each year. Please enjoy the results & views in the websites below

TOGETHER AGAIN TOUR
(Yarra Junction Fiddlers Convention/ Guilford/Horsham/ Frances Folk Gathering/ Adelaide/ Pt Fairy Folk Fest)
Canadian Fiddle Champ, Tania Elizabeth, is briefly in Australia
and will start her “Together Again” tour with Andrew Clermont at
our oldest restored Music Hall in charming Guildford, just north
of Melbourne on Wed 21 Feb.

We last saw Elizabeth about 5 years back when she was just 18, casually at Yarra
Junction Fiddles Convention, then at Brunswick Music Fest/
Apollo Bay and then featured at the National Fiddle Festival at
Richmond, Sydney before joining & touring with The Duhks across
the globe.
“I’ve been playing with The Duhks for just over 5 years now,
and during that time we have toured relentlessly, signed with Sugarhill
Records, won a Juno and been nominated for a Grammy.”

Few are unfamliar with Clermont’s chameleon music life with
Totally Gourdgeous (Theatrics), Dya Singh (Indian), The
Lawnmowers (Bluegrass),Fiddlers Feast (ex-Festival) and The
Supper Club (World) to name a few world touring groups (all
active!) Now see him with his favourite music partner. “There’s
no limits with Tania – passion, technique, laughs and surprises!”
Just google their names for further background info.

Both are very open to teaching as well. This will be available
in workshop form at the Guildford Hotel Music Hall at 6pm prior
to their first concert at 8pm. Those interested in workshops
from Clermont or Elizabeth or both should ring 0407753809.
Concert is $10 and Workshop details still being arranged.