Since releasing his debut album Gurrumul in 2008, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has been widely revered as one of the most unique and important voices in Australian music.

Of course, his musical history goes back much further, as a member of successful Top End groups Yothu Yindi and the Saltwater Band. In Gurrumul: His Life & Music on the 28th and 29th of May, Gurrumul brings his remarkable story to the Opera House Concert Hall stage for Vivid LIVE.

Timed to coincide with the release of his definitive biography Gurrumul: His Life & Music, this one-off show will guide audiences through the songwriter’s life, with help from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In a world-first collaboration, songs from Gurrumul’s debut album and follow-up Rrakala have been arranged orchestrally and reworked into an ‘epic new concert of sheer cinematic beauty.’ Accompanying the show will be the premiere of rare footage and never-before-seen photography from his Yolngu upbringing right through to his international success.

Gurrumul’s fans include Elton John, Björk and Sting and his voice has melted hearts worldwide since he first rose to prominence in 2008. Vivid LIVE has now set the stage for audiences to delve deeper into Gurrumul’s music and spirit in a new way.

Check out the video for the single Gopuru from Rrakala:

What: Gurrumul: His Life & Music for Vivid LIVE

Where: The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

When: Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th of May

Info: Click here for tickets and more info

Father and sons Victor, Andro and Dauno are Martinez Akustika. On Friday night the trio will perform at 505 in Surry Hills to celebrate Victor’s 66th birthday and an impressive 47 year musical career.

Performing professionally since 1997, these guitarists have played the Sydney Opera House, Bluesfest, Peats Ridge, Thredbo Jazz, Thredbo World, Woodford and Bellingen Global Carnival and have toured with artists such as Ozomatli, Santana, Julio Iglesias, Gypsy Kings, Buena Vista Social Club, Michael Franti, Diana Krall, Andy Summers Trio, Concrete Blonde, George Benson, Brian Ferry, The Beach Boys, Richard Clapton, Blind Boys of Alabama, Angelique Kidjo, The King Solomon Burke and Jackson Brown to name just a few.

In an extra nod of appreciation following a particularly well-recieved tour of Japan in 2010, Victor was even approached by Japanese guitar manufacturer Giant Yairi Guitars  to develop the custom shop Victor Martinez Model!

This is a great opportunity to see an impressive trio of guitarists in an intimate setting, celebrating the career of an accomplished artist.

What: Martinez Akustika

Where: Venue 505

When: Friday 24 May

Info: Trybooking website

In its fourth year, Sydneyvision Song Contest is the antipodean answer to Eurovision, bringing the rappers out of Enmore, the emos out of Penrith, the folkies out of Woolloomooloo for a grand final screening at Dendy Cinemas Newtown, hosted by the glamorous duo Yuri and Constantina.  To enter, simply pen and perform an original song with the name of a Sydney suburb somewhere in the lyrics and post your music video to Newtown Neighbourhood Centre by 30 July.  For more information go to www.sydneyvision.org

What:  Sydneyvision Song Contest

Where:  Newtown Neighbourhood Centre

When:  now until 30th July

Cost:  free

Sydney Writers Festival

Sydney Writers’ Festival is Australia’s largest celebration of literature and ideas.  There will be about 300 events from Sydney to the Blue Mountains, from Monday 20th – Sunday 26th May.  This year the festival is focussing on ’The Art of Storytelling’, through different genres, fiction and non-fiction, in literature, digital media, business, music and politics.  For information on the whole program go to www.swf.org.au

What:  Sydney Writers Festival

Where:  Various venues around Sydney

When:  from Monday 20th- Sunday 26th May

Cost:  various/ free

 A Butcher of Distinction

‘He was our father, we were his sons. It was a mutual arrangement we had.’ 

Fresh from a rural tragedy, two orphaned brothers stumble into the unfamiliar terrain of the city. All they know is that their father kept secrets in a pub basement and it is here, perhaps, that they’ll find a replacement for their lost family fortunes.  What they uncover instead is a distraught stranger with a terrible way of coping with grief.  For more information or to book go to http://venue505.com/

What:  A Butcher of Distinction

Where:  Old 505 Theatre -  505/ 342 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills

When:  Wednesday to Sunday, until 26th May

Cost:  $16.50/ 26.50

VIVID

Vivid Festival will light up Sydney with colour, creativity, technology and ideas.  Follow the light sculptures and projections from Sydney Opera House all the way around to Hickson Bay and Lunar Park .  To find out more about the different installations, plus live evenst that are part of the festival go to www.vividsydney.com

What:  Vivid Festival

Where:  Circular Quay – various lcoations

When:  from Friday 24th- Monday 10th June

Cost:  free

Paddington Markets

Paddington Markets hosts a collection of some of our best local designers and artists.  The markets, which have been running since 1973, have a diverse range of stalls from clothes to jewellery, food, plants, crafts and much more.  It also has a range of products to suit every budget.  What a great way to spend a Saturday!

What:  Paddington Markets

Where:  395 Oxford Street, Paddington

When: Every Saturday 10am – 5pm

Cost:  free

Paddington PS Country Fair

Paddington Public School Country Fair is on again!  It’s a day of pony rides, jumble sales, face painting, devonshire tea, fresh farm produce, live entertainment plus much more.  All the proceeds will go to Paddington Public School.  Come down and support the school.

What:  Paddington Public School CountryFair

Where:  Paddinton Public School, Oxford Street, Paddington

When:  Sunday 26th May, 10am- 3pm

Cost:  free

Motown Mondays

This night will offer you the best of Motown, Funk and Soul performed by Soultrane.  Sit back, relax and enjoy the music, get on the dance floor or bring your Horn or Sax along to play with the band.   Not a bad way to spend your Monday night.

What:  Soultrane- Music

Where:  White Horse Hotel, Crown Street, Surry Hills

When:  Monday’s from 8pm

Cost:  free

A Convict in the Family

These photos reveal the connection between convict settlers, their direct descendants and the petty crimes that changed the course of their family’s history. Drawn from a diverse cross-section of the community, sitters have been photographed alongside a representation of the item stolen by their ancestor.

What:  A Convict in the Family- Exhibition

Where:  Museum of Sydney

When:  daily 10am- 5pm, until 14th July

Cost:  $5/ $10

Set somewhere between haute couture and an industrial back lot ‘By Any Other Name’ deals with the complex issues of sexuality, politics and religion.

In a world where gay is normal and straight is queer what will become of our young, beautiful and sexually deviant lovers? The addition of fresh contemporary text lets us into the brawling world of the Capulets and Montagues, their servants and their star-crossed children.

‘By Any Other Name’ allows us to laugh in the face of tragedy, feel for the villain and perhaps fall out of love with the hero.

By Any Other Name is directed and adapted by Tristan Carey and Samantha Cunningham, designed by Dino Dimitiriadis and stars Jasper Garner Gore and Sophia Scarpellino and is a production of The Long Walk Theatre.

Sidetrack Theatre
  23 May – 1 June     Info / bookings: www.sidetrack.com.au

My next guest: ISEA Director, Jonathan Parsons chats about the 19^th International Symposium on Electronic Art. ISEA2013 gives Sydneysiders an opportunity to peek into the future of art, technology and science – from human cameras to Blade Runner scale Media Facades exploring innovation through a program of exhibitions, performances, talks, workshops and a 3-day conference featuring brilliant new ideas in the world today.

The 19^th International Symposium on Electronic Art is aligned with Vivid Sydney and will showcase the best media artworks and future-focused ideas from Australia and around the world.

7  - 16 June   – at various venues across Sydney  including the MCA, COFA, UNSW, Carriageworks, Performance Space, Artspace, Customs House and the Seymour Centre as well as roving locations throughout the city.            Info: www.isea2013.org

My next guest: Musician, Patrick James tells us about his just released debut EP “All About To Change”. Patrick James is carving his way in the music world – with sellout shows in Sydney and capital cities. After moving to Sydney from Port Macquarie, Patrick picked up his guitar and took to the streets of Sydney – the Glebe Markets, Newtown and The Rocks. Pat’s busking outings have turned into mini shows with his growing fan base. Fascinated with harmonies and the intricacies of bringing his music to life in a bigger way, from the street to the stage, the Patrick James experience evolves from a guy with a guitar to a full band experience.

    More info: www.patrickjames.com.au

I look forward to your company 10.30am – 12.00pm

Margaux

Chucho Valdes and the Afro-Cuban Messengers

Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger Valdes is the son of the similarly influential Cuban bandleader Bebo Valdes, from whom he first received piano lessons. He subsequently enrolled at the Municipal Music Conservatory of Havana and graduated at age 14.

In 1973, he formed the innovative and highly influential Latin jazz ensemble Irakere. With its unique mix of jazz, rock, funk, classical and traditional Cuban rhythms, Irakere was an explosive and creative ensemble that quickly caught the attention of audiences and the band’s Grammy winning 1979 self-titled concert album  sparked international interest.  Despite many personnel changes over the years, Irakere became a musical institution, some of its members—such as trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera—having long since become stars in their own right.

The four-time Grammy winning and three-time Latin Grammy winning virtuosoSince the ’80s, Chucho Valdes has released a steady flow of albums including 1986′s Lucumi (Messidor), 1998′s Bele Bele en la Habana (Blue Note), 2000′s Live at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note), 2002′s Fantasia Cubana: Variations on Classical Themes (Blue Note). In his most recent work, Chucho’s Steps (2010), leading the Afro-Cuban Messengers, Valdés glanced back at his work with Irakere, paid tribute to his influences, and suggested a path forward, especially regarding his work with Afro-Cuban rhythms.

“With Irakere, there was a period of experimentation, of finding how to mix Yoruba rhythms [from the music in the liturgy of the Afro-Cuban religion known in the United States as Santería] and adapt them to Cuban dance music and jazz,” he explained in a recent conversation. “Now I have retaken that storyline, but with a different focus.”

Performing in Sydney for the very first time, Valdés will be joined by his esteemed Havana-based quintet The Afro-Cuban Messengers, performing music from his new, yet-unreleased 2013 album, the eagerly awaited follow-up to “Chucho’s Steps”, which won the 2011 Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album.

Have a look at this live performance from 2010:

What: Chucho Valdes and the Afro-Cuban Messengers

When: Wed 12th June

Where: Sydney Opera House

Info: Sydney Opera House website

Sydney’s street art culture is burgeoning currently, and the main hub for the scene is the inner west. Julian had a chat to inner west based art collective Dead Bird Society about their most recent show Re:Creation, at Scratch Art Space in Marrickville.

The three artists, Jomapi (Johan Marais-Piper) , The Thing (Gary Panayi) and The Seed (Jack Drummond), talked about their process in making varying works in mediums including digital, graphic, sculpture and print and including their own solo work as well as group work in their shows.

The guys all come from varying backgrounds artistically, both trained and untrained, and discussed how this still bears little on their approach to the work and how they collaborate; their main inspiration is drawn from what they find around them, as well as each other.

There’s plenty of art collectives springing up in Sydney at the moment; some of which arise mainly as a platform for exposure in a large and growing art scene, but the guys from DBS had a strong affinity for the work they create as well as eachother, as friends and peers. They almost seemed to treat their union as similar to being in a band; drawing on eachothers strengths and allowing each to have their own place.

Dead Bird Society Re:Creation has now closed at Scratch Art Space, but you can find and follow the crew at their page here.

The production takes the audience from the conflict zones of China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea and Sri Lanka, to the fraught family squabbles of suburban Australia. These candid narratives are drawn from vastly diverse personal experiences – from a daring escape by fishing boat, to a grand arrival by cruise ship; from seven years in a labour farm, to the gruelling stage routines at Shanghai’s first burlesque club; from a Chinese marriage market to an Australian queer wedding.  The storytellers are: academic and author Ien Ang; performer and writer Jenevieve Chang;  filmmaker and writer Michael C.S. Park; producer and writer Sheila Pham; social worker and food writer Paul van Reyk and civil marriage celebrant Willa Zheng.

This exploration of family across generations and continents is told through words and rare photographs from private collections with music by composer Nicholas Ng.

Stories Then & Now which is presented by Carriageworks and Sydney’s principal contemporary Asian Australian performance company Performance 4a, is an umbrella event of this year’s Sydney Writers’ Festival.

22 – 25 May 2013 at Carriageworks               information/tickets:  carriageworks.com.au

My next guests – Director, Lee Lewis and actor, Matt Zeremes will chat about an exciting new play on at the Griffin Theatre, The Bull, The Moon and The Coronet of Stars.

This love 
story takes the audience into an orgy of antiquity, cupcakes and beachside frivolity as it follows the story of Marion, an artist, struggling with the imperfections of everyday life in her quest for perfect love.

Playwright, Van Badham was inspired by the Greek myths of Ariadne, Theseus and Dionysis and the play is an exploration of how each generation intuitively repurposes these mythologies to explore their own problems. “The Greeks provided the framework for bold engagement with social catastrophe, but also for something as intricate and domestic as how a young woman learns to survive a broken heart.”

This world premiere of The Bull, The Moon and The Coronet of Stars is a co- production of: Griffin Theatre Company; Merrigong Theatre Company and HotHouse Theatre and stars Silvia Colloca and Matt Zeremes.

10 May – 8 June

SBW Stables Theatre, 10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross   Monday – Friday 7pm
        Saturday 2pm and 7pm           Info / tickets: 02 9361 3817 or www.griffintheatre.com.au

To Listen to the Interviews: CLICK HERE   9 May 2013 arts thursday margaux dombkins

Thanks for your company

Margaux

The Urban Gypsies have played at numerous festivals and clubs nationally over more than 8 years of constant performance. The four members, Gavin Libotte (guitar), Dieter Kleemann (guitar), Anatoli Torjinski (cello) and Stuart Henderson (percussion), are known for their creative writing skills and innovative sounds. Their music has been called “distinctive, sophisticated and original.”

The group have released three albums, Gypsy Fever in 2000, Sauvage in 2003 and Beautiful Catastrophe in 2008. In 2009 the band launched Beautiful Catastrophe in several headline shows at select Sydney venues The Vanguard in May and The Basement in October.  At the Sound Lounge on June 21st, the Urban Gypsies will be playing material from this album and introducing exciting new material from their upcoming fourth album ‘Samsara’. Don’t miss out!

What: Urban Gypsies at SIMA at the Sound Lounge

Where: Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, cnr Cleveland St and City Rd

When: Friday 21st of June at 8:30pm

Info: Click here for more info and tickets

With a simple walk at the beginning and end of each day, children can achieve a healthier and more active lifestyle. This annual national event seeks to promote road safety, health, public transport and concern for the environment by encouraging children to walk and commute safely to school.

WSTSD offers a chance for parents and carers of primary school-aged children to promote safe pedestrian behavior. Its message also reminds parents and carers to supervise their young children closely, especially those under 10 years of age. WSTSD will inform parents, carers, teachers and children of the benefits of regular walking.The event also promotes reduced car-dependency, greater use of public transport, cleaner air, improved diets and road safety to primary school children throughout Australia.

To record how many kilometres the children have been walking, WSTSD has introduced an App for Apple and Android smartphones. The free app allows children and parents to track their kilometres travelled to and from school, the time they spent walking and their average speed. You can download the free app at www.walk.com.au

The aims of WSTSD are:

• To teach children healthy lifestyle habits from a young age as they learn that walking is the best form of exercise. It’s easy, free and these habits tend to last a lifetime.
• To help reduce hazardous traffic congestion in and around schools, creating pedestrian-safe areas for children entering or leaving school.
• To help ease global warming and climate change, as they reduce car-dependency.

For more information on how to participate please head to the Walk Safely To School Day website.

My first guest

Poems narrated by Horatio include: In Flanders Fields (John McCrae); For The Fallen (Lawrence Binyon); Clancy Of The Overflow and Waltzing Matilda (Banjo Patterson); My Country (Dorethea MacKellar); To A Dead Mate (C.J. Dennis).

Tribute – a collection of poems narrated by Horatio Neate is available on CD from The Australian War Memorial www.awm.gov.au

My next guest – is author and historian, David Cameron. David, an expert on the Anzac campaign, chats about his just released sixth book on Gallipoli. “Shadows Of Anzac” presents a personal perspective of soldiers and non-combatants alike. A military and social history, these stories and accounts are told from both sides of the trenches – from Turkish and Anzacs – and delves into memories of the people who were ‘there’ and through their eyes we see a different side of Gallipoli. “Shadows Of Anzac” provides an intimate and powerful perspective of Anzac, a richly varied portrayal that describes the absurdity, monotony and often humour that sat alongside the horrors of the bitter fight to claim the peninsula.

Shadows Of Anzac by David Cameron is available at bookstores and online at www.bigskypublishing.com.au

Music: the music featured in today’s program is from the Band of the Royal Military College, Duntroon (RMC Band). Its roles for the Army and the Australian Defence Force in Canberra are predominately ceremonial. Away from the ceremonial role, the RMC Band performs as a concert band and the variety of ensembles achievable in that instrumentation. The ensembles within RMC Band are the: concert band; marching band; stage band; woodwind quintet; brass quintet; jazz ensemble; rock band; dixie band (known as the Steamboat Stompers); saxophone quartet; clarinet quartet; and woodwind trio.

The RMC Band’s CD “Music from a Century of Leadership” is available from www.militaryshop.com.au

Thanks for your company    TO LISTEN TO PART ONE  OF THE  INTERVIEWS: CLICK HEREPart One anzac day tribute margaux dombkins 25 april 2013 arts thursday

Margaux                                  TO LISTEN TO PART TWO OF THE INTERVIEWS: CLICK HEREPart Two anzac day tribute margaux dombkins 25 april 2013 arts thursday

Nate is in town playing two shows for 505′s International Jazz Fest (visit venue505.com for more info/bookings):

Monday 20th May – Nate Wood (and band) + Virna Sanzone

Wednesday 29th May – Kneebody

12:02 AM – Dark Eyes by Jack Teagarden
12:16 AM – Autobahn by Kraftwerk
12:18 AM – Get Me To The Church On Time by Shelley Manne
12:23 AM – I’ve Got A Fang by They Might Be Giants
12:31 AM – Under The Milky Way by Jimmy Little
12:35 AM – Girl by The Beatles
12:40 AM – Girl Don’t Tell Me by The Beach Boys
12:44 AM – Lonely Teardrops by Jackie Wilson
12:47 AM – The Entrepreneur by Kneebody
12:52 AM – Hawaiian Grind Boogie by La Tarantella
12:57 AM – Do It Again by Nate Wood
1:18 PM – You Can Have Your Moment by Kneebody
1:35 PM – End Of Days by Weyou
1:46 PM – Autobahn by Senor Coconut

Bombshell (detail from video still), Cigdem Aydemir, winner of the emerging artist award, Redlands Art Prize. Courtesy the artist.

Arts Monday’s Jane Raffan interviews Katie Dyer, Curator of the National Art School, Darlinghurst, about the School and the Prize and a selection of works from amongst the 42 artists from Australia and New Zealand in this year’s exhibition.

Uniquely, this prize aims to foster artist mentorship by pairing established artists selected by a guest curator with emerging artists in exhibition. Winners are judged from each category. This year’s guest curator is the renowned Julie Rrap, and Katie Dyer was one of the judges.

Interview I  Redlands I – The National Art School

Interview II  Redlands II – The Prize

Interview III  Redlands III – The Prize cont.

More on the exhibition: http://www.nas.edu.au/NASGallery

And the Prize: http://www.redlands.nsw.edu.au/go/redlands-community/redlands-konica-minolta-art-prize

Program blog: http://eastsidefm.org/2013/05/arts-monday-20-may-2013/

Lisa Hilton – Getaway

The third album from Lisa Hilton in as many years, it features the regular trio of Hilton on Piano, Larry Grenadier on Bass and Nasheet Waits on drums. The album traverses various moods, some brooding others brighter, and at times there’s even a hint of blues to the release too.

Tracks played on The New Thing:

‘Stepping Into Paradise’

‘Slow Down’

‘Getaway’

‘Just For Fun’

Andrew Robson Trio – Songbook

Songbook is Eastside Radio’s Album Of The Week this Week! The Sydney trio of Andrew Robson (Sax), Hamish Stuart (Drums) and Steve Elphick (Bass) have been together for twenty years and their latest album once again showcases their flow and finesse together. Featuring the additional talents of James Greening on trombone/pocket trumpet and Sandy Evans on Sax, the release is exceptionally limited edition and only available at Birdland Records and andrewrobsontrio.com

Tracks played on The New Thing:

‘Can’t Stand Still To Save Your Soul’

‘Two Watch Bob’

‘Flex’

‘Catherine Hill Bay’

Kelly Dance – Goodnight Berlin

Australian Kelly Dance is quite the nomad having lived in Fiji, Indonesia, Hong Kong, London and Germany. Goodnight Berlin is her second album and was recorded over ten days in Berlin. Out now on Broken Stone Records, at times dreamy and other times haunting.

Tracks played on The New Thing:

‘Sandy’

‘Division’

‘White, White Ghosts’

‘Australia’

Independent Track Of The Week

‘Undertaker’ by Max Savage. Check it out here: http://maxsavage.bandcamp.com/

Steve Martin & Edie Brickell – Love Has Come For You

The comedian/actor Steve Martin is actually a very accomplished Banjo Player. A fact that Im sure many of you were not aware of! Here he has teamed up with Edie Brickell to deliver a Banjo inspired Bluegrass experience. A surprisingly good listen!

Tracks played on The New Thing:

‘Shawnee’

‘Who You Gonna Take?’

‘Love Has Come For You’

‘Remember Me This Way’

Be sure to tune in every Monday from 9.00am til 10.30am for your weekly dose of fresh new music!

Sammy Al

xxx

In the 1970s Bobby Womack was a hit-making machine, recording R ‘n’ B anthems such as ‘Across 110th Street’, ‘Woman’s Gotta Have It’ and ‘That’s The Way I Feel About Cha’ and writing for some of the biggest artists of the time, including The Rolling Stones’ chart breakthrough ‘It’s All Over Now’, Janis Joplin’s swansong ‘Mercedes Benz’ and Sly and the Family Stone’s funk masterpiece, ‘There’s a Riot Goin’ On.’

By the mid-eighties however, Womack had faded from the limelight and he effectively stopped singing and performing at all. In 2012, The Bravest Man In The Universe was a revelation, telling Womack’s tragic story with a fresher, modern sound.  Co-produced by Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), Womack’s first album of original material since 1994 broke him out of a cycle of drug-addiction and depression.

On May 24th and 25th, Womack will demonstrate his renewed energy with a big band celebration of one of soul music’s greatest songbooks and most timeless voices at Vivid LIVE. Recently described by The Telegraph as a ‘mad, brilliant, soulful genius’ and ‘at the apex of his game’ by the Guardian, Womack’s Australian debut on the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall stage will be an unmissable event.

What: Bobby Womack at the Opera House for Vivid LIVE

When: Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th of May

Where: The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Info: Click here for tickets and more info