Update Sept 2003
Subj: The Clermont ‘Amazing Tour’ Update Sept 2003
Date: 5/09/03
Here’s lookin’ at Ya from a ‘worldly'(!) perspective. Starting in ‘awareness for the physically disavantaged’ with Totally Gourdgeous, in Austria, with a final show at the Donauinsel Fest amidst 2.5 million folk in Vienna! We also ne’r forget to take in the tourist sites eg. at the thundering Canada/ USA border and by Lake Louisa (Alberta) in The Rockies with snow and Dya Singh World Music Group (after 12hr drive over them!), or later in Scotland – ‘Whoa there Nessie!’.(we actually took a band holiday!) Them wee Longhorns were pretty special too – not to mention curious!
All photos from my Video Cam except top L (Die Bruke)and bottom R (ta, Harmeek). Nessie care of my lil’ Photoshop experiment.
The Path –
I left Oz with TG in June, joining Dya Singh by late June in West Virginia, USA and via Canada, UK, Germany & Kenya (early Sept). I return mid month to promote the “International” Supper Club’s October presentation in the New England, NSW and further touring with Dya Singh Group and Dorrigo Bluegrass Festival. All before returning to Austria with TG in late October, (briefly), and back to the BarrAbor Festival near home, workshops in Tamworth, Organic Food Festival – southern Cobargo, Bungendore, Majors Creek Fest, Harrietville Bluegrass Fest and Alice Springs (Glen Helen) er… in a nut shell that is – by end November!
Please check the GIG GUIDE!! at http://www.andrewclermont.com.au
A major year all round – thanks again on the well wishes to daughter No.1 with my dearest first grandchild. All are well.
The International Supper Club went leaps & bounds including school presentations of hearty proportions.
It returns 17th Oct to Armidale (Cattlemans Motel) & 18th to the North Tamworth Bowling Club – let your friends there know please. School programs will also be held during the days leading up.
Dya Singh Group picked up more awards while away this year. The UK Khalsa Award, and similar from Toronto for dynamic success in bringing Sikh Spiritual music to the world audience – having also received multiple World Music Awards nationally & in South Australia the last decade. Now annually touring 4 continents!
http://sikhnet.com/dya
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au/AOL Pages/Dya Singh -Thanks from Edmonton,Alberta, Heart Foundation.htm
Totally Gourdgeous latest CD “D’vine” has been gettin Radio Airplay from both all kinds of Radio stations – from Indy to Country, Folk to Mainstream. Now Europe buckles to the impact – well, we’re getting around there anyway!! The audiences are amazed and very quickly loyal fans – aren’t you?!?
http://www.totallygourdgeous.com
So tis soon that the Fiddlers Festival must unite with their wayfaring sideman hmmm we’ll keep you posted awaiting details from master Marcus Holden – hope you’ve already got your copy of the new CD “Get Reel” via marcus@fiddlersfestival.com
Thanks for taking the time here, and a big thanks to all those who helped this year
– we canna do it without ya!
Hope to see you or your friends at a live show soon in that big ol’ world.
Thought for the while –
“If you love Love then Love loves you too!” ta for that Mr. Bruce Cockburn
MAIN RETURN EMAIL IS NOW andrewclermont@gmail.com
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au new pics & info all the time.
…and just for those of us who (read last newsletter and) had no idea on our (Australian)National Anthem, my previous quote should have read “For those who’ve come from across the seas, we’ve boundless plains to share” so I was pretty close. A phrase well worth our politicions consideration (and as I also noted, “to share” not sell off overseas)
ah tut tut the powers that be….
Midwinter 2003
Andrew Clermont – with respect to the Magic of Music & new Life
Ah, yes indeed the sun has been shining in Austria, tornadoes in New Orleans – and ‘Grandpa’ Clermont welcomes you to the midyear commentary of musical & such affairs from this chameleon minstrel.
Please note – any of my webpages or links which tries to open to .an address with ‘clermona’ should now be re-placed with ‘andrewclermont’. Just incase I don’t find & correct all the links straight away!
Hi to the the new friends in Europe and some new in Oz (from waylaid emails – oops!), and a big Hi to those who have dropped in via the net from various angles and reasons. Special thanks to the people who help the touring musicians deliver their music to the little/ big world out there – from the passing smile, the extra hand off the bus/tram/train/plane/boat, through to those who organise the tours – every bit counts and is hugely appreciate. But most of all to you wonderful listeners & gig goers ‘cos it would be very sad indeed without you.
Coming Up: – more detail at http://andrewclermont.com.au
There’s news of recording The Borderers new CD, Pauline’s new Healing CD; House Concerts You can have!; central -europe with Totally Gourdgeous; Dya Singh across USA (now to New Orleans as well), Canada, UK, Berlin & Nairobi too. Good news from the Supper Club’s Parris & Pu Yu Macleod; and looking to be home mid – September for a friend’s wedding and in the meantime, I hope a few jpegs come though of my dear fiirst grandson to ease the distance..
So the energy of new life re-appears in the widening Clermont clan. And how special is each and every new baby to the universe! If only the sad world powers could be more in touch with the innocence of such life. Funnily enough everyones newest baby is always the best too, but we do manage to keep that in perspective. I have passed on your many congratulations to my daughter & partner – thanks muchly.
About the same time, and as I was conveniently near Adelaide, The Borderers looked to recording a more ‘Live’ style CD. I have joined them for a large swag of their energetic concerts around Oz in the last few years and together with Adelaide Bassist (and not a bad fiddler either!) Steve Fleming, Alex & Jim & I laid down some nice fresh tracks at Sody Pop Studio in Prospect (ask for Brett ). I look forward to hearing the final touches on my return.
While in South Australia, I also picked up the first copys of the new Healing/Meditation CD from Pauline – “Child of Light” – the third CD in her series. This time a more Red Indian (First Nation) flavour guided by her spiritual sources. Here she sings, chants, story tells, plays the Healing drum, chimes, ‘spacial’ piano and the Indian Red Cedar Twin Flute. A must, for peace seeking souls. Her third book is not far off either and second video (designed for kids) is in production as I write. All her material is for inspiration and various samples are at my website, just above. She is a very special being.
Adelaide also welcomed me with a House Concert in the Hills(you’re a champ, Rosemary), and i’d just like to say it’s a concept and trend I’d like to see & do more of. All over the world there are a growing number of belevolent householders keenly to having intimate concerts at home amongst a ‘Friends Club’ . Have a think about it!
Good news from Parris & Pu Yu who were battling the powers that be over visas and such (now that they are well married and making fine music). Alas it all came down to money in the end. Good ol’ red tape and greedy government systems. Just when you’d like to consider Australia to be a touch more reasonable(cough splutter). What’s that line in our anthem? “and for those from foreign shores, we’ve abundant land to share” or very similar. Providing a stark contrast to our policies. Also I doubt that ‘sharing’ and ‘selling off’ are the same thing either.
Overseas Tours
This month of June saw Totally Gourdgeous tour across Austria & Munich (Germany) during a heat wave (for them) week. The sights and venues included the very fine wine region of Purbach (thanks Hubert & family); a tiny portion of the 1500 museums of Vienna; Donauinsel Fest of 2.5 million people to a standing ovation (well some of the folk were elsewhere on the many km long(Insel)island at the time too). Bonny Tyler, Nina Hagen & Shaky Stevens among the others there. We experienced serious and near scary crowd crush for Nina, and decided it was wise to leave the melee.
Top Hurdy Gurdy player, Siemen, showed us around Vienna – the amazing Folk Instrument museum – a must see – of artful instruments. we even got to see the Munch gallery exhibit (famed for “The Scream” lino cut). And for those who do remember the image of the tormented figure on the pier, recall also, the two black figures in behind. Now set them closer and have the first holding & playing a 5-string Banjo! It makes a great T-Shirt offering with true response depiction. I even once performed it with fiddle, double bass & percussion (yo, Roma) – a free form soundscape over a haunting, fog horn, bass augmented 4th! (for the musically curious)
And he introduced us to Lena Galle, the first lady fiddlemaker I’d met (after Penelope!), who kindly rehaired my sad bow that very day and allowed P to make some repairs to the gourd instruments.
Munich was a huge party atmosphere and I found some groovy boomerangs to buy (I’m not too bad on the ol’ fling). Thousands upon thousands milling about the streets again and a very curious section in the “English Park” for nude relaxing and a fun (good ol’ easy going Europeans). A fast flowing water channel flowed through it, which could have bobbingly brought us very quickly to our accomodation on the other side of the city! Great concerts were had all over.
A big thanks to Ali & family for very peaceful hospitality to wind down with after.
A hearty midnight to dawn walk along the Amsterdam canals with a fine friend, provided by a seven hr stopover between flights, induced some good sleep over the Atlantic. Amazingly I then stayed on the corner of Amsterdam (!) St & 72nd in New York, which led to some Klesmer meets Bluegrass jammin – thanks Bob (Mandolin) & Margot (clarinet) plus Sprocket on Double Bass (the KlezmerMountainBoys (dot com)). And only Margot was a regular from the band that night – but we got a bonus gig the same night at the same place!. Ah, we musicians are so replaceable!
Next morn I dropped into Yale Uni Campus up in Connecticut (extraordinary), visiting Perth friends & their recent baby, ah sweet things indeed and a very happening peach pie to wrap up a charming 18 hr day before –
Dya Singh Touring example
Up at 8 am, eight hours on the train to Chesterfield, Virginia, concert/eat/ receive & send an Oz fax/ off to airport (2am) and perform in St Louis, Missouri by 11 am / eat/ plus an evening show / eat, 1 am – Mr Clermont you may now sleep! that was 42 hrs
A quick flying lesson in a Cessna over St Louis (home of the Big Arch), thanks, Harry (the only helicopter & glider instructor in the area)
I’m typing from Houston, Texas awaiting a flight to New Orleans and the TV screen shows the clouds of a hurricane moving into our path, however the ‘on the scene’ shots of the coastline are very tame and show enormous 12 inch high, waves pounding the sand cliffs 24 inches high!! Ah, Yes, the news beat ups – a lot like the Sars Virus hype pounding – resulting mainly in economy damage to the mentioned cities. (see below)
However New Orleans did pretty much close down for the day after we flew in. The next day all is fine and time for a little R & R ,thanks to Raj Pannu & family, before the Vancouver Is Folk Fest on the weekend.
All is looking good for the New Orleans Jazz/ Heritage Fest next year for Dya Singh too – the hard work pays off.
Ahead lies a very full schedule so drop into the gigguide on
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au
Workshops and Supper Club concerts in Oct/ Nov too.
Big Hugs, Love & Light to you all and don’t be shy, see you here soon, Andrew
ps. Sars Virus – dose of reality from Ben Cook
‘ I¹m writing to respond to Mr Clement Chow of HKPU who wrote May 14 that ³panic is saving us²
from this ³epidemic² of Sars.
Mr Chow, in Hong Kong between March 11 and May 13, 225 people
allegedly died from ³Sars², that¹s 110 or so per month. In a ³normal² year in Hong Kong there are, on average, 3000 deaths from pneumonia or 250 per month.
In other words, this time last year we were 2.2 times more likely to die from ³typical² pneumonia
than from Sars this year! Where were the masked people and the economy destroying panic then?
In Hong Kong we see an approximate 86% recovery rate with less than 6% of deaths occurring in
people under the age of 44. Of the unfortunate people who die, I quote Professor Yuen, the head of
microbiology at HKU:
³Most of the Sars patients died because of the serious side effects of the steroids that suppressed
their immunity making them more susceptible to infection by other bacteria.²
And again from the virology chief at the US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases
at Fort Detrick M.D:
” Ribavarin (the drug used in HKG to treat Sars patients) has significant toxicity and does more harm
than good – it is the only drug conclusively shown ineffective in the experiments on Sars so far.²
Now is the time for responsible journalism to counter this epidemic of ignorance infecting peoples
minds and devastating the economy of Hong Kong and the companies and individuals based here.
This media frenzy is totally disproportionate to the actual threat and is symptomatic of a chronic
incapacity to calibrate risk.
To put this in proportion, in the year 2000, a total of 65,313 people in the USA died from influenza or
Pneumonia, that¹s 178 a day. Where was the outcry of epidemic then?
West Nile Fever has killed 280 people and infected over 4000 since August last year, an average of
440 per month, where is the W.H.O travel advisory warning people not to go to the USA thus hurting
THEIR economy?
³Sars² is not nearly as threatening as succumbing to the most devastating twin ailments of all time:
Ignorance and fear. ‘
Ben Cook
Deep Water Bay.
Thought for the day
In the Beginning there was Music
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au new pics & info all the time
June 2003
Ah dear friends of music and the life it touches, guess who’s a granddad! Yep, daughter number one is 21 . Grandson is hearty & happy. And funnily enough matching my age when she arrived herself, so if tradition continues a great great great grand by 105! (I’ll pass on any congrats) And I’m even another year older this week on the 5th
Conveniently many friends are coming to Tamworth for the mid-year Country Music Festival, you beauty! And as my sweet grandson came 2 weeks ahead of expectations, I’m even home with the weekend free to enjoy it. (First time in 5 or more years! You can call me on 0407753809 if you get here)
Now the hard part, the next 3 months touring away – but of course plenty of blessings therein as well.
The Bands are Fiddlers Festival (CD Launch June 23), Totally Gourdgeous (Austria in June), Dya Singh (USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Kenya till mid Sept) and The Supper Club (October)
Alas I can’t be in 2 places at once, so at the Fiddlers Festival CD launch in Sydney, The Basement, please go in my stead, as I’ll be heading over the Atlantic at the time.
Totally Gourdgeous in
AUSTRIA – EUROPE contact Ali – albert.foeger@wienxtra.at
DYA SINGH – USA
Arrive June 25 into Newark – New York
A few days saying G’Day there then –
Richmond, Virginia
Friday 27 June pm Cultural Center of India
6641 Ironbridge Parkway
Chesterfield, VA 23832
St. Louis Programmes
Saturday 28 June am Morning Programme at St Louis Gurdwara
Saturday 28 June pm Evening Programme at St Charles Gurdwara
Sunday 29 June am Morning Programme at St Louis Gurdwara
CANADA
Vancouver Region, B.C.
Vancouver Island Folk Festival
Saturday 5 July & Sunday 6 July Vancouver Island Folk Festival
Courtenay Exhibition Showgrounds BC
www.islandmusicfest.com. Tel: 250.336.7981
Sunday 6 July pm Vancouver Island Gurdwara – Victoria
Calgary & Edmonton
Tuesday 8 July – Thursday 10 July Calgary Programmes details to be announced
Friday 11 July Edmonton Programme
Saturday 12 July Edmonton Sikh Youth Conference
Sunday 13 July Major Concert – Winspear Centre – Edmonton
Toronto
Monday 14 July – Wednesday 16 July Toronto Programmes details to be announced
Thursday 17 July Peace Concert Toronto
USA
Michigan Gurdwara Programme
Detroit/Albion
UNITED KINGDOM
Thursday 24 July to 30 August
EUROPE
Germany Programmes 1st September to 7th September
Berlin
AFRICA
Kenya Programmes – Nairobi
8th – 17th
AUSTRALIA
Thursday 25 September Byron Bay/Mullumbimbi Concert NSW
Friday 26 September Concert – Club Zamia Main St.
Tamborine, Queensland
Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 September Brisbane Peace Symposium
Contact Jan: jgudkovs@gil.com.au
Friday 3 October – Sunday 5 October Bellingen Global Carnival
Bellingen NSW
****************************************
Andrew Clermont’s Supper Club
(Special Guest Dheeraj Shrestha (Nepal Tabla Master) appears again in NSW
Fri Oct 17 Armidale Cattlemans Motor Inn
Sat Oct 18 North Tamworth Bowling Club
Workshop Week – A Crash Course to Musical Freedom
Andrew’s week set aside to teach YOU
Tue Oct 28 – Sun Nov 2 near and in Tamworth – reply email for more info
Sat Nov 1 Supper Club appears at the BarraAbor Arts Festival , Barraba, NSW (near Tamworth)
Sun Nov 2 Workshop Day at Tamworth Regional Music Centre
SOLO
Sat Nov 8 The Crossing 100% Organic Festival – Cobargo (Sth Coast NSW)
see http://www.mumbulla.org/thecrossing
Well that’ll do for a bit! Thanks to all those who have helped along the way –
may your year smile upon you.
I do hope I or one of my fav bands comes near your way.
It’ll be a treat to see you on the way,
yours ever in the light of music
‘Gramps’ Andrew Clermont
March 2003
Hi Everyone, a fine year ahead despite some of the governmental efforts (we pray for peaceful wisdom).
Mind you it does make it very hard to talk positively into the immediate future!
However as I write, my fellow folk musicians are entertaining 700 school kids in the south east of SA. They are giving workshops, all of which have one over-riding message of positivity through inspiration toward craft, language in song, cultural sharing and acceptance, plus the soulful messages in melody.
This particular presentation is due to the efforts of the Frances Folk Gathering, end of Feb each year – 4th year now.
Clarfication – whereever I say ‘my’ band I am actually refering to a group of musicians which I have joined, helped bring together etc and not meaning ownership or leader of. Just in case you wonder! eg. Dya Singh is my Adelaide band; Totally Gourdgeous my Melbourne band; Fiddlers Festival – Sydney (ie where they are based)
Thus I offer a roundup of the last months musical landmarks – all driven by the amazing youth we’ve met.
Woodford Folk Festival – where we met The Gypsy HotClub (all under 17 yr old) who then proceeded to amaze all at the Supper Club at Tam Fest. ‘My Adelaide band’, Dya Singh, soared the hearts of all with multi-faith/ cultural inspiration from Nth India(n) flavours and wisdom collected via the last 4 world tours and the Sikh understandings so insightfully worded by Dya himself and danced / sung by his daughters – both well under 20.
Totally Gourdgeous introduced the very animated Jody on Oz Land sign language interpreting the entire TG performance around Woodford stages. Some extraordinary videos were taken and available to requests. This Festival totally motivates the youth to explore/ build/ watch/ and generally help in all processes of the Arts.
Parris & Pu Yü Macleod married on Jan 4. Parris has been an amazing musical partner of mine over the last 4 years on the CDs “Dance of the Good Life” and “Happy as Larry” and we met while recording Troy Cassar Daleys first CD.
Now Pu Yü, joins us on “Flat Out like a Lizard Drinking” in the continuation of seemingly ‘film score style’ music releases. They are selling very well.
Ananda Marga Mela (Festival) Here near Stanthorpe, the focus is again for the youth to gather responsible attitudes with the end point being a group of devotees and volunteers helping communities in difficulties. Most recently the Ananda Marga provided a networked computer station for struggling Papua New Guinea area to assist in bringing all manner of education tools to the community. Annually one or another of ‘my’ bands contribute to this festival
Tamworth Festival – The Fiddlers Festival during the afternoons, Bluegrass for Breakfast and 2 layers of the Supper Club at Night which included…
A stunning NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest grandfinal thanks again to Epoch Violins. The Gypsy HotClub of Armidale took out all placings with Willow Kemp winning convincingly with the attitude, ‘the look’ we saw in 13 yr old Stephanie Eldridge during last years winning performance, and very pleased with her Silver electric/ acoustic Epoch violin she is as well.
The Supper Club Girls Night which ran an hour over time
Ah the hit of this year’s Supper Club with 11 acts electrifying the night. From Problem Pony (4 sublime Adelaide lasses) to Merry May Gill’s knock’em down where they stand, impact. And that was just one of the 13 shows which presented quite a “Fringe Festival” flavour to Tamworth’s country fair.
Coach loads are coming to the Sup Club to see the 80+ unique performers and with that many performers attending the Supper Club it has clearly become its own festival! And fully flavoured from Blues to Jazz, Baroque to Bluegrass, and all nestled in a country spice.
Tamworth & Sydney Peace Marches – 500 turned out in conservative Tamworth but a first all the same, 5000 in Armidale (and the Uni was yet to start!) and 500,000 in Sydney. I took a mini bus of enthusiastic peace makers down from Tamworth and the large dove back drop from Tamworth’s march, to an amazing gathering in Sydney. Including wise words personally delivered from USA’s Jackson Browne. May the pollies take note.
Cobargo Folk Festival – with Totally Gourdgeous(TG) & Solo – A big Hoot (even if it did rain the whole time) Pauline & I have been penduluming Victoria this month – Tamworth through Sydney,
Cobargo, Melb (more tracks on Ross Ryan’s eventual CD), Pt Fairy (visiting) and…
Frances Folk Gathering (last weekend) – SA/Vic border.
Now this is a fun one. Competitions for all and workshops for the local kids as well. A great lil’ pub – thanks Nigel & Sue. The Tonkin clan established this beauty and they come from far & wide. Qld & Tamworth to Melb & Adelaide plus guests from Tibet & Japan. In the second year the friendly contests began and yours truly with artful John Francis won dual first. This year – its 4th saw our Japanese banjo master guest, Monza, win while Paul Wookey & I took out equal second. I’ve looked after sound for the last 2 years and always come away after the week with very sore smiling muscles. Thanks to All there.
To come now is
Port Fairy Folk Fest (VIC) with TG and various friends
The Blue Mountains Folk Fest (NSW)with TG and The Borderers
St Patricks Day at the Surry Hills Gaelic Club, (Sydney) before finally arriving home
Amazing months indeed, thanks very much to the many we got to share it with,
and hearty hopes of seeing more of you soon.
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au has received a large increase of visits too, ta very much
– new pics and info going up soon. And for those with any interesting pictures of our encounters,
there’s a spot for them too! (Keep file size under 50k though please)
National Fiddle Fest in Richmond (Sydney as a Supper Club Band exerpt), Nat Folk Fest (Easter in Canberra with Dya Singh) and Mt Beauty in Victoria (with TG & Jeanette Wormald)- one weekend after another.
And The Supper Club to go on tour in 2003
We are undertaking to involve Jigme Namgyal, a Tibetian multi – artist with a small
“SupperClub” tour on the mothers day weekend in May 9/10/11 in Armidale.
Tamworth and Mothers Day undecided somewhere between Tamworth & Sydney – together with Didgeridoo master, Mark Atkins, Pu Yu (Taiwan
Flautist/ piano) and David Hellens on hot Banjo! It just gets more multi – cultural! Feels good.
Austria, USA & UK Tours to follow becoming a GrandDad in early June – you can wish my daughter well. And see many of you soon
Love & Light in the Magic of Music
Andrew Clermont
Thought for the day
Just remember one thing –
to laugh and smile more
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au new pics & info all the time.