February 2005
February 2005 was the New Zealand Tour as Totally Gourdgeous –
Thankyou , Thankyou oh wonderous folk there. We had a fantastic time! Photos here soon (eventually!).
Auckland Folk Festival/ Waihi Bush Festival/ Arthurs Pass/ The Mussel Inn/ steps of Parliment – Wellington (front page of The Dominion news)/ inter island ferries to name but a few!
The range of appearances from acoustic to blitz and visiting/ diving/soaking at the many waterfalls & Kerosine Creek (near boiling!) plus tidal rips and Blackest beaches to amaze.
November 2005
Ah dear Folk! A fine welcome back here or new hello from the recent tour meetings. But should you be here and not want to be, just let us know.
I’ll be appearing in most states in many guises between now February so please check out the Gigguide at http://www.andrewclermont.com.au and further news at “Latest News” featuring a pic with Xavier Rudd near Toronto, Canada as well. Adelaide this week!, Victoria next, then WA, Taiwan, QLD, TAS, Tamworth – January’s Supper Club tickets are already available from http://www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/ticketsales ; as are the Golden Fiddle Awards! Special Guests are Totally Gourdgeous, Japanese Banjo Champ, Montz Matzumoto, and back by public demand, the extra-ordinairy Sophie Raymond all with many guests – complete with the NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest – and all at new times of 6pm & 9pm so you might even have time to sleep!)
At this 2006 TamFest the Fiddlers Festival will be celebrating our 10th Year of performance. If you’re coming to Tamworth late Jan it will be a must. Tickets also via the Info Centre then it will be on to NZ and across VIC to SA end of Feb! I’ll be heading to Albany, Western Australia, shortly to teach the 100 or so “Just Fiddling”crew. Previous trips have been with Totally Gourdgeous for their annual music festival in April and workshops on the side. They said:
“Andrew! Thankyou so much for your kind plug for Just Fiddling.
We had a rehearsal yesterday and all the kids were very pleased, left clutching your Posters!
What a life you have, touring with your fiddle. It’s exciting just reading about it.
More power to your elbow!! Best regards, Margaret Gunson”
Please note: Reason to Breath Tour – Not to be missed!
Parris & Puyu Macleod (Piano /Flute), Christian Marsh (Harmonica) & Mark Atkins (Didgeridoo) first seen together at The Supper Club are touring beautiful worldly music late November through Wyong 20, Armidale 25, Tamworth 26, Bellingen Dec9, Byron Bay Jan 7 & Lake Macquarie Email parris@cloudstudios.com for details.
Seeking to help someone in difficulties? Try AFAP Program Manager Uma Menon (Aust) and Masaja (Kenya – site in French)
So now the world via the pics attached – beginning via Adelaide at the time of last main mail out. All these photos are taken from my 3CCC Vid/Still Panasonic Video Camera while still in my hand!
I had the best birthday weekend with a fine finale at the Psychic Fair in Wayville Show grounds the last June with Tamerisque, all family version of my fav SA group Brigalow. They are (from me -Janet (piano), Alex(mandolin/fiddle), Hugh(violins) & Jane(synth clarinet) Gordon) who, together with Dya Singh, Totally Gourdgeous and a further stella gathering of Artists & faithful, will head to Woodford Folk Fest this Xmas just outside Brisbane. I’ve been joyfully sharing music with the Gordon family well over a decade (see pics in PhotoHouse on my main website). They cast their “Enya meets Bach in a Bulgarian Gypsy camp” style all over SA and this year the National Folk Fest (where young Alex saw little sleep after meeting & bouncing notes with NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Champ Jess Randall) onto Woodford, Cygnet(Tas/ Jan) and Fairbridge Festival in the West after next Easter. And great CDs as well!!
Woodford features the mighty Fire-event and the Art of Fire is a fascinating realm – here be a snap (taken at 1/8000 of a second!)from the Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival last week, of the flames feeding the jams late into the night – The Lawnmowers surprise appearance entranced many both off and on stage – soon to reappear at the Harrietville Bluegrass Festival, Vic snow zone. Nov 19/20.
Qantas 747 museum as viewed from Lance Smith’s Motel, Longreach, Central QLD while on the Fiddlers Festival Arts Tour last year. Lance brings a couple of Bus loads of CM fans to Tamworth and ensures the music lovers make it to The Supper Club each year. Cockatours is the tour group name if you want to suggest it to potential visitors.
The Head Qantas pilot landed the 747 Jumbo Jet to it’s final home, without being able to see the too short runway! Thousands turned out for the successful spectacle and well worth a visit anytime.
Here we begin the animal dedication from across the planet – the poetically placed ‘roos.
See my “Gigguide” for the meeting with a real Chameleon -in Kenya.
Next, in Nairobi’s near to city wildlife park, this wildly purring cheetah with surprised young onlookers was very tough furred but so relaxed it was unbelievable that it’s 60 to 80 mph running speeds were possible.
The Dya Singh group were invited back to Kenya for 2 weeks this year. Appearances included a highly ornate Hindu Temple and many warmly welcoming Sikh Gurdwaras (temples). We took in a good amount of safari sight seeing provided by our hosts, family of Sardar Swaran Singh Garial and his close friends Charanjit and Gurpreet, the Sikh Supreme Concil and Mr. Jandu of Arusha, Tanzania. All was largely mediated by our dear Satt Matharu, contact person for Kenya based in UK and special thanks to our Nairobi driver, Jonalan and all who provided the amazing food.
In Tamworth on return this year I was coincidentally back in time for the second fundraiser to include the Chikuni Mission near Monze, Zambia – about 7,000 Zambians and 6 white people – part of the $15,000 raised that evening will go to the Women of Chikuni to help gain work independance (last year we provided sewing machines). The concert featured performances from Opera Star Anna Lisa Kerrigan and Parris & PuYu from The Supper Club plus a last minute addition of Didgeridoo from yours truly. Anna had mentioned that our Didgeridoo & Vocal duet last year in the Betting Ring of the Tamworth Racecourse (moved vaguely indoors due to rain)became her most bizarre performance ever! Particularly in the pounding rain and wind on the corrugated iron!
To complete the Kenyan event, I was able to meet with the headmaster of a student I sponsor there and after fair haggling, completed payment for her school years. Kenya has a wild corruption
record – even the World Bank won’t lend to the government – so seeing exactly where the money goes is quite a bonus.
I can’t thank the bands and groups I am part of enough for the opportunity to participate in helping in these varieties of ways across the planet.
A devoted photographer & videoist I relish any chance to get close to wildlife as you may well have noticed! So there I was walking back from the London Tube station at Hounslow West and glance into a parked car and lo & behold – a python! And not being backward, there I am holding the slithery and weighty beast!
London has been home for up to 4 weeks a year over the last 5 years and Hounslow where the we used to see/ HEAR! the Concord and never stopping Jumbos scraping the rooftops, is on the edge of the Tube – a mighty multicultural haven. This year we had a single
nights performance stopover at a favourite temple Ramgharia, Southall. Supported by fans and friends from as far afield as Los
Angeles, Seattle and even Edmonton and from afar in UK – Swansea, Wolverhampton, Torquay, Milton Keynes and Birmingham. A great evening of sacred music and was dedicated to the victims of the London (7/7) Bombings.
I was able to catch up with young Piano whizz, Tom Donald from Tamworth, last seen by us at the Piano Nights of the Supper Club (coming up soon on Australia Day, January). He has settled well into the London multicultural stream and even receiving student scholarship sponsoring from his local Bank manager, go Tom!!
The eagle captured here was part of the Healesville bird display in Victoria. Step daughter Tash had just completed her HSC and was holidaying with Pauline & I to celebrate. The Gallery is essentially finished and holds an amazing amount of Pauline’s Art. It’s funny how a building of paintings comes nto existence and the original house still seems quite full – where does it all come & go!! Bottom line is they are mostly up for sale now along with her 5 verse&drawing books, 3 CDs for peace & healing; and Video to her first CD featuring her very gentle coloured pencil art.
Third daughter Nayia from gentile days on my Solo CD art of ‘The Longing’ at 7 years old, expounding her “Moment of Carpe Diem” has now added her impassionedvocals to the new Totally Gourdgeous recording. A short but most fun filled tour of New England area of NSW brought us to Rod MacCormack’s Cellar Studio (on a hilltop funnily enough) in Erina, Central Coast (home to the biggest Shopping Mall in Southern hemisphere? The one in Edmonton, Canada has a Wave Beach, Dolphin, Submarine &Ice Skating zones – could take a while to beat that one!! But.. who needs to… We SO enjoyed recording/ living there and are very happy with the results. An ABC radio doco on the making of “Stroke of Midnight” via Scott Levi will help celebrate it’s release this Xmas. Thanks to Superstar Beccy Cole for help there and we wish her the best in her appearances for the Aussie Soldiers in the Middle East coming up with Angry Anderson & more. Bec & I toured supporting Tom T Hall, and just prior saw outback Oz as part of the 1994 Brian Young Show. Wow! Over 10 years ago! She even sang wonderful harmonies on ‘Letters from Home’ on ‘The Longing’ CD dedicated to my daughters and written on that 94 tour!
Many chance happenings direct what we do next or influence how much we’ll appreciate a moment in time. The main photo here is
outside the Nairobi Snake park in the Aloe Garden. Just a casual stroll and I spotted this little gem of a snake endeavouring to hide
in the green. Closer, closer and closer till only 15 cm away and yay! A frozen moment to reflect much that is in life. The moments
where we were willing to go a little further, wait a little longer, say yes when many would say no or visa versa.
Everyday has these precious possibilities, keep your eyes and hearts on the precious, the rest tends to follow.
Grateful regards to you all, our friends across the planet. Thanks for the help when you could, the support when you did, and the follow through on the concepts set in motion along the way,
Long Hugs, Andrew Clermont & Bands
Spring 2005
Andrew Clermont’s Touring Details and Latest News – heading across USA/Canada/London/Kenya/Darwin with Dya Singh in the Spring of 2005
Top of west Victoria at The Grampians with Fiddlers Festival (Clare OMeara, John Coker & Mark Oats plus friend Rosemary) June 2005
Big thanks from Fiddlers Festival who enjoyed fine hospitality through regional SA/ VIC – from the Art Minister through to the technicians who helped as only they can and the very dear audiences. Thanks also for all those birthday well wishes.
Above is part of the Fiddlers Festival with Fan/Friend Rosemary/ fiddler Mark Oats/Bassman John Coker / fid,piano,mando & voice Clare O’Meara/ and lil’ ol’ me on vid cam snap technique. See www.fiddlersfestival.com for more pics & stories
Now touring USA/ Canada with Dya Singh World Music Group – San Fran. LA, Vancouver, Seattle, a day in London!, Kenya(2 weeks), Darwin & home mid August. Tour includes the band’s tradition of weddings, partys, festivals & temples – see gigguide on main home page – www.andrewclermont.com.au
Catching up with ol’ Three Chord Wonder Bassman, Daniel Duffin & from The WayBacks, mandolin/guitarman James Nash – at least for a fine Laksa in San Fran but then there is a Jazz Festival in the Bay area at the moment – could be a late night!
Later this year in Oct will be Totally Gourdgeous touring mid north NSW and recording new CD at Rod MacCormacks wonderful Studio. They will be special feature of the Supper Club tour of Oct in the New England area 7.8.9th.
Regards to Rob Long & Doug Bull from The Lawnmowers sampling Ireland and various parts of Europe and linking up with Karen Lynne in Denmark and elsewhere festivals. OZ has invaded there this year!
Meanwhile Jane Brownlee who soared recently in ‘Celtic Connundrums’ with Ollie Francis & I at Glen Innes Celtic Fest is somewhere in Canada soaking up the wild fiddle zones there.
Best of luck & life to all who’s time it is to spread the music word.
And for those wanting to support or show their Fiddle World connection go to
www.goldenfiddleawards.org.au
Now looking back!
So there I was in Albany,WA, in March, mixing down tracks for ol’ friend Teresa Hughes when it was time to fly to Perth, in time to fly to Sydney in time to hop into a train to get to the car of Jane Brownlee to get to Tamworth, to pickup the van, load it & get to Glen Innes in time to set up and play under the beautiful stars at the local winery – with not a minute to spare! All in a days work!
Hi All you fine folk, welcome here – world of The Supper Club, Fiddlers Festival, Totally Gourdgeous, Dya Singh, Celtic Conundrums & The Lawnmowers plus The NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest and The Golden Fiddle Awards! And…..
immediately coming up is the Dya Singh tour of Tamworth to Brisbane via Armidale, Wauchope, Dorrigo & Bangalow from May 18 to May 29 – Most of you are from a concert mailing list but many are by other means of chance, history or design. Anyone wrongly here, just let us know. And though it be a big ol’ world, very little is without some design.
Some sad news first off. A dear fiddle student, Anna Disher, just 15 and became this year’s NoHoldsBarred Youth Champ, lost her life in a tragic traffic accident just outside her home at Kootingal near Tamworth. I’d had the pleasure of teaching her off & on over the last years and was looking forward to some time together this month at home – alas the busy year. She said she’d always be a kid – too sadly true indeed. Last friday was most amazing funeral service with full Tamworth Symphony (she’d been 1st violin), choir and video/ multimedia of her zestful life brought us all undone. A rose coloured balloon from each symphony member with a message to beloved Anna, were released into a tumbling sky. I was asked to play the pieces she had won with earlier in January. Catharsis & Possum Up a Gum Stump 2 all time favourites of mine as well. She was one of the greatest kids to teach – there was a river of tears coming out of the Baptist church last Saturday. If you feel inclined, send your thoughts to Paul, Lynda & Miriam at lyndaloobs@bigpond.com. There is an Anna Jay Disher scholarship, through the the Tamworth Conservatory of Music being planned. Show your interest if you please.
Special mention of friend Jasmine MacDonald who donated a month of life to the orphan victims of the Tsunami affected Indonesia. During her time there she photographed a chilling sequence of events and views which fortunately also contain some signs of hope despite the way much of the politics/ military get tangled and forget that it’s REAL people, 1000s upon 1000s who are the victims, let alone lost their lives. jasmine@castlemaine.net for those in support.
Last letter out, I was about share a solo gig at Adelaide Folk Centre with dear young flautist, Lucy Langham – now she’s taken my place in USA with Dya Singh!! She’s great, I trust they are having fine adventures in Florida and further. An overlap of band affairs (surprisingly rare) meant Lucy & I crossed in the sky as I made my way to Perth & the Fairbridge Folk Festival with Totally Gourdgeous.
An solid performance fortnight in LA, Orange County & Santiago with Dya Singh ranging from the LA Bahai Centre to Peace & Multi-faith Concerts. I thank the Bicky Singh family for their mountains of hospitality.
A fun last day was had with a blind date jamm organised by ‘da boys’ Keith & Dheeraj’ who had found a social spot, ‘Marty’s,’ in hub of OC. So I had a phone number and the ‘Jamm’ had heard there was an Aussie Didgeridoo player about. So I made the call and ‘Brian’ said he’d pick me up Sunday at 3 from Marty’s. Somehow I’d never made it there before – either catching up on sleep, on the Net or getting my head around Mac computering. Ah such a diligent soul. However, Sunday came along and I remembered to take a change of clothes from the flowing Indian stage gear and just by chance really we arrived near home base around 3 and I was dropped off with Didg, Guitar, Mando & Fiddle – just to be sure!
I step in to the hole in the wall bar and every head turns, I hear there’s a party at Brians? And we are soon all heading where long cars abound and the drummer has the smallest vehicle – a van.
The door opens to the foyer where the drums are established and down to the right lies the Piano covered in music beside a PA & guitar amps and the music is away. Just piano & my Epoch 5-string fiddle in Jazz ballad land to begin with, soon some Blues with Harmonica, Slide Guitar, and growing drums. Enter Kevin Ray Putzier, and it seems Tom Waits has hit the piano and microphone. The place is really starting to cook. He’s no slouch on the Guitar either and soon there’s the sound of Trumpet, Dang that boy has some variety of style and we were having great time, food wine and stories – they sure like the didgeridoo. Suddenly there is another Trumpet, well look who’s arrived! But no! it’s Kev with a trumpet out both sides of his mouth!
A fine finale to a bold week in California, thanks to all those who showed us around and gave so much of their time. Meanwhile a toss over the Pacific and a flick over the many deserts of Oz and a mere 23hrs , LA to Perth!
The Supper Club came to Western Australia with surprise guest Pianist, Paul Gioia, ‘look out Mama! ‘ we wove a fine journey together with Carl Pannuzzo & Mal Webb from Totally Gourdgeous and Rueben Kooperman holding us together on ideal drums. Finale was all hands on the Piano and tag team lick for lick on the ivories. A ton of fun and a grand start to the Fairbridgefestival.com. TG had great gigs and a pleasure to catchup with the many chums – Tony McManus (may your new House be a haven for us, er You!), busy bee Liz Frencham, Jane Brownlee, Colcannon, and saw all the moments of Doug deVries & Diana Clark (I promise to workup the Brazilian moves & melodies); the Wise Family, Jodi & Robyn Martin and Spooky Steve Taberner; the new friends well met with heart & soul – Luv ya’s for it all.
For those who have checked out the Emovies on my Homepage will have seen sublime Simon Nield in action on guitar, also the perfect host to wayward musicians together with Lindy & ever creative Ella.
Thankyou Freo Fremantle for the huge turnout midweek at Kulcha Club for Totally Gourdgeous (they will be heading to Tamworth Festival 2006 and perhaps a preliminary stab at the October Supper Club).
A revisit to HarbourSound Festival, Albany was still awaiting and the exuberant Wala from Ghana with the Perth Reggae Funk crew made for my favourite night – a big Dance. But then there were the 40 young fiddlers who joined TG for a Cajun/ Celtic meltdown with the Black Town Jig wrapping it up. Michael & Margaret your Just fiddling inspiration has worked gleeful wonders.
So have you been to Albany, Western Australia? A very special landscape. A full moon, misty sunset views and great music to boot as I write. Nearby west are the great Kauri trees, one of the best BlowHoles (http://hometown.aol.com/clrmnta/TGPosters.html ) and spectacular coastline. I’ve just begun recording at Mudbrick Studio for Teresa Hughes, a one time Tamworthian with a song of the days including gigs at Nundle with the Three Chord Wonders.
Thinking back on those times – the mid 80s – all of 20 years ago – Dang! The kids being born, many parties and mainly after the gigs; rehearsing music – shock horror(!); dogs & cats to horses; many nights by the fireplace, big handmade birthday cards – still got them! The years feel like looking at a fine wine though an antique glass goblet – but sample too much and who knows what you might uncover!
Funnily enough, not only am I finally performing songs written & recorded then, but reuniting with friends from said era on CD and Festivals – see the next Lawnmowers CD and all the Totally Gourdgeous CDs in particular.
Lawrie Minson, the driving force of ‘The (historic) Wonders’ is joining the Supper Club presentation of Dya Singh at Armidale , at the Cattlemans on May 20 with his Mohan Veener slide Guitar.Dya Singh comes to the New England area with concerts & a Tabla Workshop in schools & venues from Barraba , Tamworth, Dorrigo to Wauchope. See Gigguide from
http://members.aol.com/clrmnta/myhomepage/profile.html
February was the New Zealand Tour as Totally Gourdgeous –
Thankyou , Thankyou oh wonderous folk there. We had a fantastic time! Photos here soon (eventually!).
Auckland Folk Festival/ Waihi Bush Festival/ Arthurs Pass/ The Mussel Inn/ steps of Parliment – Wellington (front page of The Dominion news)/ inter island ferries to name but a few!
The range of appearances from acoustic to blitz and visiting/ diving/soaking at the many waterfalls & Kerosine Creek (near boiling!) plus tidal rips and Blackest beaches to amaze.
Now just while you are here – way down the bottom here is a Photo Gallery & Links button. Please visit for some seriously good views! Read on or Jump ahead !
Now if you have any interest in Fiddle Music –
Announcing the Golden Fiddle Awards and….
THAT’S RIGHT! An acknowledgement of Australian & New Zealand Fiddledom
You can nominate your favourite teacher, enter your own fiddle composition (any style) or nominate a Best Fiddler etc
see http://www.goldenfiddleawards
Seven categories:
Best fiddler (as a soloist)
Best band, group, ensemble or orchestra featuring a fiddler
Best CD by a fiddler as soloist
Best CD by a band, group, ensemble or orchestra featuring a fiddler
Lifetime achievement award
Best fiddle teacher
Best fiddle composition
Entries close Late Oct