Dancing About - compiled by Aylwen Garden 8

Bluegrass News - by Lindsay Mar 9

Bush Poetry About - by Frank Daniel 12

Festival Calendar - by Kathleen Keys 14

Miles to Go, David Hyams - by David De Santi 16

The Ploughboys - by David De Santi 18

Bundaburg Comes to Canberra - by Jan Nary 20

Electronics for Acoustic Instruments Pt.5 - by Andy Copeman 21

Folklines - by Sim Sommons 22

Bloodwood - by David De Santi 24

Folk Places & People, Boite - by Therese Virtue 26

Scene or new deal? - by Jamie McKew 28

Punch and Judy - by Keith Preston 35

WOMADelaide Folk Festival photo essay - by Tony Lewis 36

The Illawarra Festival photo essay - by Graeme Morrison 37

Return to Nulla Nulla - by Rob Willis 38

In Noted Company - by Carole Helman 39

Sydney Coffee Lounge Scene Pt.3 - by Malcolm Turnbull 41

Django Reihardt - by Nic Charles 44

Bill Scott - by Roger Ilott 45

Denis Kevans - by Jefferson Lea 48

The Three Roses - by Carl Cleves 50

Between the Lines - by Jason Roweth 52

Penelope Swales - by Ian Champ 54

The 5th String - by John Taylor 55

CD Reviews - by various folk music lovers 57

The Trad&Now CD Catalogue 61

Bluegrass News by Lindsay Mar

Welcome to the Trad&Now Bluegrass column for Autumn 2006. We offer news from Harrietville, Illawarra and Tamworth whilst our travel section goes even further afield to the Mountaineer Opry House, Milton, West Virginia. News Arguably the big news in Australian Bluegrass since the last issue of Trad&Now is the Harrietville Bluegrass and Traditional Country Music Convention November 18-20, 2005. Lonnie Hoppers, Joe Isaacs, Stacey York and Danny Jones more than justified their position as the headliners. Lonnie Hoppers (banjo) is the first return act to Harrietville and informally voted by Harrietvillers as the most gentlemanly of all US visitors. However it was also a return visit for Joe Isaacs who virtually stole the Bluegrass show with those tear jerking dead mother songs on Sunday afternoon and a most informative guitar workshop. Stacey York, the Kentucky songbird was in fine singing form and Danny Jones was able to entertain not only with mandolin and song but some first hand Bill Monroe and Kentucky stories. Danny Jones has the distinction of the only Bluegrass Boy to grow up in Rosine Kentucky - the birthplace of Bill Monroe.

Poetry About... by Frank Daniel

The Annual General Meeting of the Australian Bush Poets Association was held on Saturday 28th January at St. Edwards Hall, Tamworth. Forty members attended. Noel Stallard of Arana Hills, Brisbane was elected President with retiring president Frank Daniel assuming the vice presidency. The Secretary re-elected is Ed Parmenter of Coffs Harbour. Treasurer, re-elected, Marie Smith, Dorrigo NSW. State Reps. Maurice O’Brien, SA; Dennis Carstairs, Vic; Carol Heuchan, NSW; Manfred Vijars, Qld. and Rusty Christensen, WA. Duncan Williams, a Tamworth resident, was elected as the Tamworth Representative to keep the association up to date with happenings in Tamworth during the year. Committee members are Gabby Colquhoun, Dennis Carstairs, Ron Liekefett.

Miles to go

In the words of Radio National’s Planet producer Doug Spencer "David Hyams has for many years been one of the more conspicuously useful players on Australia's western seaboard…" In 2005 he is likely to have also been one of the busiest - in between managing and touring his own seven piece Miles To Go band (nominated as "Best World Music act" for the third time in the 2006 WA Music Industry Association’s WAMI awards) and his longstanding gigs accompanying Bernard Carney and Kimberley indigenous singer-songwriter Peter Brandy, he toured Australia with Ireland’s Sean Keane and soon after joined Sean and the band for a festival in Ireland. Less than three weeks later, David found himself in the Central desert co-ordinating and recording a music project at the remote WA Aboriginal Community of Mantamaru.

Wild Colonial Ploughboys

In 1995 a group of musicians came together to play a late night gig at the Maldon Folk Festival in central Victoria. It was rough and spontaneous, the players only had a hazy vision of what they wanted out of this, but the band’s chemistry and the life of the performance was

something special. The audience went mad. The Ploughboys were formed. The music of The Ploughboys is a unique blend of styles. It is predominantly a folk/rock sound. Bass, bodhran, drums and acoustic guitars provide the rhythm, while fiddle, keyboards, accordion, two

lead vocalists and four part harmonies colour the front line. The Ploughboys’ three songwriters have brought Celtic, folk, rock, and country influences to the band’s repertoire of original songs. Interestingly, the Ploughboys have combined all of these genres into many of their original songs and tunes which have been best described as "...original-penned songs that reek of Ireland and the Australian landscape..." (David Conoley, Geelong Advertiser)

Sweet sounds of a sugar town - Bundaberg Comes to Canberra

In a year that celebrates The Working Life and The Italians in Australia as its two main themes and Queensland as the featured State, the National Folk Festival 2006 is delighted to host Sweet Sounds of a Sugar Town, an audio- visual pastiche of music, soundscapes, stories and images produced by the Bundaberg Media Research group at Central Queensland University with assistance from Festivals Australia. The music producers, Karl Neuenfeldt and Nigel Pegrum, have cleverly woven together the sounds of the sugar industry, the planting, irrigating, harvesting, transporting, processing and refining with the drumming and percussion talents of local 21year-old musician Dane Costigan, whose grandfather Percy Bond was a cane cutter.

Electronics for Acoustic Instruments - by Andy Copeman

Most of us have two ears that work in tandem to give us information about the space we inhabit.. Our brains compare the very subtle differences in the sounds that arrive at our two ears and then build up a sonic picture of our surroundings. This is why most CD systems, mp3 players, TV’s, PC’s etc have stereo outputs. If you ever get the chance to experience a stereo system that can be "mono-ed" so that all differences between the two channels are removed you will be amazed at how flat and boring the mono sound is compared to full stereo.

Folklines Towards a broader view of Australian Folk Culture - by Sim Symons

Since its introduction in 1994, the Folklines Multicultural Music and Arts Program at Woodford Folk Festival has presented some of Australia’s finest and most interesting multicultural performances. Set as it is within the expansive cultural parameters that make up Woodford Folk Festival, the Folklines Program seeks to highlight the wide range of traditional cultural activities, specifically music, dance, poetry and theatre, that exist within contemporary Australian society. The program builds on some of the excellent work that has been done by the folk movement in Australia over the last 50 years in promoting the folk culture of Australia to the community at large.

Still Battlin’ in the Territory

In their 26th year Bloodwood are still proud, enthusiastic participators in the Australian folk music scene although their playing schedule is not as hectic as it used to be. The name of the band comes from a prominent Eucalypt tree found on the sand plains of Central Australia. Over the years the band have entertained audiences in their home town of Alice Springs, at festivals around Australia and on several overseas trips. David De Santi met the members back in 1988 at the National Folk Festival in Sutherland, NSW and with Wongawilli played at their Alice Springs venue, The Overlander Steakhouse, in 1992. Fourteen years later Dave talks to Scotty Balfour about the band and its journey.

The Boite World Music Cafe On the Move

Fifteen years and more than 1100 concerts after establishing itself in a tiny timber Guide hall in North Fitzroy, the Boite World Music Cafe is expanding its reach and its range by embracing two new venues in 2006. With an agenda for music from the many cultures in the vivid tapestry that is Melbourne’s and Australia’s folk culture, the Music Cafe has for many years trod the fine line required of a performance venue in a residential neighbourhood. Even with the constraints of low volume, fully acoustic concerts with an absolute minimum of things percussive, have charmed audiences two nights a week for many years. Looking back over 1100 concerts, it’s hard to pick particular highlights!

Scene Or New Deal? - by Jamie McKew

The idea that folk music is limited to a scene has been declared "dead"! In the drastically edited words of Eric Bogle: Folk Festivals: Booming Folk Clubs: Dying Blues Music: at least you can dance to some of it. Young Band Music: is generally extremely professional you can dance to it. Singer/Songwriter Music: you can't dance to it." Past: To be laid to rest and sadly missed. Music Forum had asked for an article on "the situation for folk music in Australia a summary of the scene". As a councillor in waiting for the Music Council of Australia and an activist in the genre since 1977, this is a good time to reflect on the state of play for folk music.

Planxty, the Third Coming

Christy Moore had become a big attraction on the British folk scene. He had gone over during the Irish Bank Strike of 1967 and I would meet him sometimes when I was doing a tour there. Bill Leader had asked him to make an album and Christy said he wanted to do it in Ireland. He asked Donal (Lunny) and myself, Liam O’Flynn, Kevin Conneff and a few more if we would go down to his sister and brother-in-law’s house in Prosperous, County Kildare and help him make the record. We rehearsed in my flat in Donnybrook and then went and recorded Prosperous. Christy began to come home from England more and more often and play with us at the Mug’s Gig which was now upstairs in Slatts, a big advance on downstairs! It was such a success that we employed Morgan-the-Packer to meet the patrons at the door and smilingly, jam them in! One day, Christy came home to stay.

Punch & Judy The King of the Puppets

Punch and Judy is one of the world's most famous and long running puppet shows. It is recognised as the national puppet theatre of England and just last month was 'officially' included as a "British Icon". Punch and Judy can be found wherever the English language is spoken: America, Canada, Australia, even Hong Kong and South Africa. More than this, though Punch is part of the hand-puppet phenomena that was a central part of 'people's entertainment' that has endured for centuries and sees Punch and his many European cousins still popular today despite the onslaught of children's video, film and animation. Punch for example never made the jump from the street or beach into children's TV... partly because he could not be 'sanitised' and made totally kid-friendly.

Return to Nulla Nulla - by Rob Willis

This is the third time I have taken readers on a trip to look at the musical and other traditions of the Nulla Nulla area in northern NSW. My mates and I have been visiting and recording on ‘The Nulla" (as it is better known to locals) since the early 1990s and look like continuing for a long while yet. Situated 51 kms west from Kempsey NSW on the Armidale road the area is better recognised as the boyhood home of Australia’s legendary country music performer, the late Slim Dusty.

In Noted Company - by Carole Helman

IN NOTED COMPANY is a body of artworks by 20 year old ALYSSIA FRASER, paying tribute to folk music and the people who make it. This exhibition was launched in Lismore by an enthusiastic musical ‘session’. "A visual delight – a lyrical, intuitive, connected, celebratory acknowledging of the magic and rhythm created by musicians" - Deanne Rackham (visual arts teacher, Trinity Catholic College Lismore).

Key Players on the Sydney Coffee Lounge Scene - Part 3

Sonja Tallis was a strikingly pretty 19 year old, rendered mildly exotic by her Norwegian and Greek parentage, her fondness for wearing black, and her avoidance of make-up. According to one press report, she also indulged a liking for fast cars, water-skiing and Bacardi rum. Just starting out in the newspaper business as a copy-girl while studying journalism part-time at Sydney Technical College, she had her sights set on higher things. She had already begun acting with fringe theatre groups and, as folk music became more and more fashionable, she

threw in her day job "and took on casual work hoping to find another group or another person to start with again". A mutual friend (a Kingston Trio devotee) suggested Tallis audition a young advertising cadet, Sean Cullip. Although he had learned piano and ukelele as a child and knew a few guitar chords, Cullip had no previous involvement in the folk scene. He remembers that, at the first meeting at the Prince Edward Theatre (in September 1963), the pair could find only one song they knew in common (the Peter Paul & Mary hit ‘Lemon Tree’). Tallis responded to his voice and enthusiasm however: "We found we both had the same ideas about music; so then we began working on arrangements and numbers". The duo rehearsed singlemindedly four to five hours a night for nearly four months. Cullip recalls those practice sessions as the most interesting part of the work. "If either one of us found a phrase or a line in the music that we particularly liked, we would work at it again and again". In the process, he believes they became so "in tune" with the music they were creating that they became "one person". Their biggest problem - always - was finding songs suited to two voices and palatable to audiences.

Django Reinhardt - by Nick Charles

Many times over the years as a performer and teacher I’ve been asked the question "who’s the greatest?" As a young player I frequently answered Hendrix or Clapton. The usual "guitar god" suspects. Later I would have said Big Bill, Blind Blake, perhaps Doc Watson and so on. In reality of course the answer is.. there are so many great players and so many styles. Having said that, few create and define a style more profoundly than Django Reinhardt. Django both wrote the book on Gypsy Jazz and closed it. Once again sweeping the world "Gypsy Jazz" or

"Jazz Manouche" is astounding when first encountered. The powerful swinging rhythm (affectionately known as "the manouche pump") the breathtaking flourishes and solos and not to mention the lesser known haunting slow melodies such as "Nuages" and "Tears" are all unforgettable and inspiring.

BILL SCOTT 1923-2005 - by Roger Ilott

Bill Scott, folklorist and writer of Australian folk classics such as "Hey Rain!" and "Where the Cane Fires Burn", and author of many books, including "The Complete Book of Australian Folklore" (Ure Smith, 1976), died in Warwick Hospital on December 22nd, 2005, after a long illness. He was 82. I was privileged to know Bill for the last 18 years or so and to collaborate on many songs with him. Bill made a lasting contribution to Australian culture, devoting much of his life to folklore and folk music. He also wrote novels, short stories, verse, biographies, magazine articles, anthologies and songs. His poetry and short stories have been widely anthologised.

DENIS KEVANS The Poet Lorikeet (15/1/1939 - 23/8/2005) - by Jefferson Lee

The Australian folk tradition music scene, poetry world, human rights and labour movement are all in mourning over the sudden death of Blue Mountains-based poet Denis Kevans at Sydney's Westmead Hospital on the morning of Tuesday August 23rd 2005 following complications from heart surgery. With his death expired the voice that turned literally hundreds of local preservation campaigns and human rights concerns into songs, verse, ditties and script with humour and rancour. A Kevans’ poem on any issue sorted out 'right from wrong' and became the defining fiat, whether it was a local council zoning matter, or what stance to take on a foreign war. He was that influential!

The Three Roses Parissa Bouas, Zulya Kamalova and Kavisha Mazzella - Voices of multi-cultural Australia - by Carl Cleves

Since the growth of fear-mongering in our media we have witnessed increasing attacks on multi-culturalism in Australia. This goes directly against the trend seen at many of our folk festivals, which have broadened the scope of roots music on offer to incorporate many of the rich traditions that we as a nation have been blessed with for many years. er suburbs of our cities are extraordinary Chinese, Indian, Latin, Arab, African and European virtuoso musicians, composers and dancers of which we have been fortunate enough to catch a glimpse, thanks to our broad-minded festival directors. Looking at other cultures around the world one notices that hybrid cultures are often the most dynamic and rich. The USA fused African, Anglo Saxon, Jewish, Hispanic and other traditions. Brazilian music is a blend of African, 

European and native Indian musics in constant flux. Port cities such as New Orleans, Havana or Rio de Janeiro, where sailors and traders from all over the globe have mingled, are hotbeds for musical innovation. And so we can consider ourselves lucky to live in a country where a

quarter of our population is born elsewhere and where so many spices, rhythms and voices are added to our cultural stew.

Between the Lines The Folk Process at work in Australia - by Jason Roweth - Carrie Milliner 1926 - 2005

On the 16th of November 2005 Australian traditional singer Carrie Milliner passed away. Carrie (nee Bobbin, born 1926) grew up in the bush of "The Nullica", eight miles from Eden, on the far south coast of NSW. The large extended family lived hard-working lives as sleeper cutters. In fertile isolation, this family of singers aurally maintained a fantastic collection of songs – traditional ballads, early country, music hall humour, parodies and poems. Some of the songs have a traceable history in the family for generations. Carrie in particular found a passion for remembering the songs and sang many of them for collectors Rob Willis, John Meredith, John Harpley and Kevin Bradley. Beautiful and seemingly forgotten stories and melodies, unified by Carrie's anecdotes from her early life provide a fascinating glimpse of the Australian aural tradition at work.

Penelope Swales - Totally Gourdgeous - by Ian Champ

Penelope Swales fuses ancient and modern techniques to produce stringed instruments that are Totally Gourdgeous. T&N: What was the first instrument you made? Well, I made a batch of eight. Two mandolins, four guitars, two basses I think it was. They were all based on gourds – I’ve never made a "normal" instrument, but I might someday.

The 5th String - by John Taylor

Three years ago I had the great good fortune to pick some tunes with the Cumbrian chapter of the great American music conspiracy called bluegrass. This comprised Dapper Miller (bass, vocals), John Lamb (guitar and vocals), Sam Clarke (guitar and vocals), Jez Nattrass (mandolin and vocals), Ben James (fiddle) and Geoff Weekes (banjo). On New Years Day 2006 I was once more in Cumbria, but with a little sadness. Jez Nattrass had passed away a couple of months back. I mention that as Jez was a fine mandolinist, guitarist and luthier,