MY BREATH MY MUSIC

I HAVE JUST BECOME INVOLVED IN SOMETHING VERY INTERESTING, AND I THINK, IN THE FUTURE, VERY SATISFYING. I AM A MEMBER OF A YAHOO GROUP FOR WIND CONTROLLERS, (WIND SYNTHS). I DON'T VISIT OFTEN, BUT HAD A LOOK THE OTHER DAY, AND THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM A GUY IN HOLLAND TO WX5 PLAYERS IN AUSTRALIA. THERE ONLY A FEW OF US. RUUD TEACHES PEOPLE, KIDS MAINLY, WITH VARIOUS DISABILITIES, BUT MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY IN PARTICULAR.
A LADY IN SYDNEY APPROACHED RUUD TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIS TEACHING AND THE WX5 INSTRUMENT, WITH THE AIM TO HELP HER SON. THINGS HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY, A DONATION TO BUY A WX5 WAS PROVIDED BY SOMEONE IN ENGLAND
I GOT INVOLVED AND NOW WE HAVE A YOUNG FELLOW IN SYDNEY WITH MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY ABOUT TO GET AN INSTRUMENT AND BE SUBJECTED TO MY INSTRUCTION. (THE DOWNSIDE FOR HIM)!
IT IS JUST FANTASTIC WHAT HAPPENS AROUND THE WORLD! CHECK OUT THIS SITE, AND MAKE A DONATION TO RUUD TO BUY MORE INSTRUMENTS.
GO TO THE LINKS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE BLOG AND CLICK ON "MY BREATH MY MUSIC"

NEW STUDIO LAYOUT

I HAVEN'T POSTED ANYTHING FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S JUST THAT I'VE BEEN BUSY DOING SOME RECORDING, AND REORGANISING MY STUDIO SPACE, GETTING THE MIXER AND SOME OF THE MORE OUTBOARD GEAR CLOSER TO HAND, FREEING UP RACK SPACE THAT I WILL BEGIN TO FILL THE VACANT SPACES WITH MORE GEAR AS I GET CLOSER TO MOVING TO MY NEW STUDIO IN MURRURUNDI. ALSO, LAST WEEK WE HAD THE WORST STORMS I'VE EVER SEEN ON THE AUSTRALIAN COAST. WE GOT OVER 300MM OR 12 INCHES OF RAIN IN ONE DAY. WE WERE BLACKED OUT FROM FRIDAY NIGHT TO SUNDAY NIGHT AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AREA ARE STILL BLACKED OUT. 9 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

A FELINE FAN? NO, JUST LIKES THE WARMTH!

BONDI BITCH BAND

THE OTHER DAY, SOMEONE WAS ASKING ABOUT THIS GROUP, TRYING TO FIND ANY MUSIC THEY MAY HAVE RECORDED, AND ROB ASKEW TURNS UP WITH THESE PICS, THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. (TAKEN CIRCA 1977)



BILLY CHILVERS (GUITAR) WAYNE THOMAS (DRUMS & BAD JOKES) GREG HIGGS(BASS) LINDSAY ASKEW (GUITAR&SLIDE) & SHARON SIMS (THE BONDI BITCH)

JEREMY STEIG AND BILL EVANS

WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, ABOUT 1968, I DISCOVERED JEREMY STEIG. HE IS A FANTASTIC FLAUTIST, AND A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY AFTER ROLAND KIRK AND YUSEFF LATEEF. IT WAS ANOTHER NEW DIMENSION IN MY SEARCH FOR NEW JAZZ. THIS MAN MUST BE THE MOST UNDERRATED FLAUTIST IN HISTORY! HE MADE A REMARKABLE ALBUM WITH BILL EVANS, "WHAT'S NEW" AND I WAS HOOKED! HE MADE MANY ALBUMS SINCE THEN. I WISH HE WOULD COME TO AUSTRALIA! HE RECORDED WITH MIKE NOCK. MIKE NOCK....... WORLD CLASS PIANIST.

FLUTE IN ROCK MUSIC

I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN A BACK SEAT WHEN COMMENTING ON THE USE OF FLUTE IN ROCK MUSIC OVER THE DECADES. MAINLY BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A VERY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR, OR SO I THOUGHT. I SUPPOSE WE CAN ALL REMEMBER FLUTE ON GOIN' UP THE COUNTRY BY CANNED HEAT, A BIT OF FLUTE ON SOME MAMAS AND PAPAS, IAN ANDERSON OF JETHRO TULL (WHO STOLE HIS STYLE FROM ROLAND KIRK),
MYSELF IN AUSTRALIA, SOME BITS IN TRAFFIC ETC AND I FIND NOW ANOTHER OLD FAVOURITE OF MINE, JEREMY STEIG, FROM NEW YORK, ( A JAZZ FLAUTIST PRIMARILY,) PLAYED WITH HENDRIX, JOHNNY WINTER, ETC ETC, AND THE BEASTY BOYS!

MAX IS CROOK!

BAD NEWS FROM THE U.S.
MAX MERRITT IS IN HOSPITAL WITH KIDNEY PROBLEMS/FAILURE?

NOW THIS IS PIZZA!

I love pizza , I made these, because I saw a picture of a beautiful pizza in California, and it made me hungry!

NEW BLUES RADIO PROGRAM ON 90.50 FM

TOMORROW NIGHT IN THE SYDNEY REGION, BROADCASTING ON 90.5 FM MY OLD MATE, FRANK DENGATE IS PRESENTING HIS FIRST "BLUES CIRCUS" RADIO PROGRAM.
THE SHOW WILL FEATURE A VERY BROAD RANGE OF BLUES AND RELATED MUSIC, SO TUNE IN BETWEEN 6-7 PM.





I'M SURE FRANK IS A FAMILIAR FACE TO MANY BLUES FANS AND IS A LONG TERM REGULAR AT GOULBURN, NAROOMA , PATONGA AND MANY MORE FESTIVALS. HE IS ALSO A VERY ENTERTAINING DANCER.

JOE "BEEBOP" LANE DIES IN SYDNEY 13TH APRIL 2007

I JUST DISCOVERED THAT JOE LANE, BEEBOP JAZZ SINGER AND ALL ROUND LEGENDARY CHARACTER ON THE AUSTRALIAN JAZZ SCENE DIED ON FRIDAY. IN THE EARLY 70'S I SHARED DIGS WITH JOE. WE LIVED ABOVE THE GUITAR SHOP ON OXFORD ST DARLINGHURST. THIS WAS A WELL KNOWN LATE NIGHT HAUNT FOR SYDNEY'S MUSOS, WHO WOULD OFTEN CALL IN FOR A JAM. HIS GOOD MATES IN THOSE DAYS WERE BERNIE MCGANN, JOHN POCHEE AND MANY OTHER UP AND COMING JAZZ ARTISTS. THESE GUYS ARE NOW TODAY' S LEGENDS. I WAS 21 AT THE TIME, AND THE SKILLS OF THESE GUYS WAS INTIMIDATING, BRILLIANT MUSICIANS ALL. JOE WAS A BOP SINGER, AND NEVER DEVIATED FROM THE GENRE. HE HAD A DOGGED AND SINGLE MINDED BELIEF IN HIS ART. WHAT A GREAT CHARACTER, WHAT A TRUE LEGEND!!!
VALE JOE.

YESTERDAY WE PLAYED AT THE BASEMENT

NO, NOT THAT BASEMENT, KEITH AND HELEN'S BASEMENT, A FAR FRIENDLIER CROWD, MUCH BETTER FOOD AND VERY REASONABLE DRINK PRICES! HELEN AND KEITH, ON BASS AND DRUMS RESPECTIVELY REGULARLY JAM WITH BEC WHITTINGTON, A MUSIC STUDENT AT AIM, PLAYS KEYBOARDS, GUITAR, SINGS AND WRITES GOOD MATERIAL.
I SAT IN WITH THEM FOR THE AFTERNOON, AND LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SOME MORE WITH THEM.

ANGUS YOUNG MEETS LIBERACE!

HAD A GREAT NIGHT LAST NIGHT, WITH FRIENDS KEITH AND HELEN, VISITING OUR FRIENDS, ROB, MELANIE AND GRAEME, "THE NEXT BEST THING", GREAT FUN, A GREAT GROUP DOING HITS FROM THE 60-90'S BRILLIANTLY. IF YOU ARE IN AND AROUND SYDNEY, AND SEE THEM ADVERTISED AT YOUR LOCAL CLUB, AND YOU WANT A NIGHT OF DANCING AND FUN, THEY REALLY FILL THE BILL.

SOME CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THIS BLOG

IF YOU HAVE VISITED THIS BLOG BEFORE, YOU WILL NOTICE A FEW CHANGES. I HAVE INCLUDED A "VIDEO CLIPS OF THE WEEK" , SOME OTHER SLIGHTLY MORE PERMANENT VIDEO CLIPS FEATURING PARTICULAR ARTISTS, AND A NEWS UPDATES SECTION. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE CLIPS.

DAVISTOWN BLUES FESTIVAL

YESTERDAY I GOT ALONG TO THIS FEST WHICH HAD A PROMISING START WITH A PLEASANT FERRY TRIP FROM WOY WOY. IT'S A DAY LONG AFFAIR, WITH THE EMPHASIS ON LONG. IT STARTS ABOUT LUNCH TIME AND ENDS ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
I HAVE A LOW BOREDOM THRESHOLD TO SOLO BLUES ACTS BUT ENJOYED OPENING ACT PHILL EDGELY FROM ENGLAND. HE WAS FOLLOWED BY ENTERTAINING SETS FROM THE BLUES BOMBERS AND FINN, ONLY INTERRUPTED BY COL RAY AND THE SCARY CATS ON THE SECOND STAGE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THE SCARY CATS BEFORE, AND WAS EXPECTING MAYBE ROCKABILLY OR JUMP BUT THEY GOT UNDER MY RADAR. WE WERE INSTEAD GIVEN AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR PAIRED WITH A HARP PLAYER DRESSED LIKE RABBIS. THE BOREDOM METER PEAKED. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE MISSISSIPPI SHAKEDOWN, AN ELECTRIC TRIO FRONTED BY A SINGER/GUITARIST WITH A CLIPPED HICCUPING STYLE, REMINISCENT OF BUDDY HOLLY. THE SET GROUND ON UNTIL SOMEONE HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA TO DISTRACT THE AUDIENCE WITH A SMOKE MACHINE, WHICH TRIGGERED THE FIRE EVACUATION SYSTEM, COMPLETE WITH FLASHING LIGHT AND LOUD HORN. AT THIS STAGE, THE BAND SHOULD HAVE STOPPED, AND RESUMED A JAM IN THE SAME TEMPO AND KEY OF THE FIRE ALARM, BUT THEY DECIDED TO PLAY ON! VERY ODD, VERY PAINFUL.
GHOST TRAIN, A BAND FROM PORT MACQUARIE OFFERED NOTHING VERY FRESH.
THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ANNIE CEE BAND ON THE SECOND STAGE. THEY SUFFERED FROM AN INADEQUATE PA ,UNMIKED AMPS AND RESULTED IN THE SINGER BEING UNSURE OF WHAT REGISTER TO SING IN AND COMPETING AGAINST A GUITARIST WITH A SEEMINGLY DIFFERENT AGENDA TO THE BASS AND DRUMMER WHO MANFULLY MARCHED ON. JAN PRESTON FOLLOWED THIS, IN TRIO FORM WITH JIM CONWAY ON HARP AND THE DRUMMER FROM THE TREVOR FINLAY BAND. PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS ALL, STILL, THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL EXERCISE. JIM CONWAY APPEARED OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE, DECIDEDLY SO WHEN ASKED TO SOLO IN "THE BABY ELEPHANT WALK", WHICH JAN ASSURED US WAS BOOGIE WOOGIE. I WAS HAVING UNCOMFORTABLE FLASHBACKS TO WINIFRED ATTWELL AT THE ST GEORGE LEAGUES CLUB. JAN DIDN'T KNOW THE DRUMMER'S NAME WHEN COMPLIMENTING HIM ON A NICE SOLO, WHICH CONFIRMED THEY DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER, AND AFTER A JIM CONWAY SOLO, SAID "NOT BAD FROM A BLOKE IN A WHEELCHAIR", WHICH I'M SURE WAS MEANT TO BE A COMPLIMENT.
I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO STAY AND SEE THE TREVOR FINLAY BAND, BUT ANOTHER SET FROM ANNIE CEE BAND WAS TOO BIG A PRICE TO PAY.
IF THIS GETS BACK TO THE PROMOTER, WHO I AM SURE TOOK A MAJOR BURN ON THE EVENT, DUE TO A VERY SMALL CROWD, I'M VERY SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT IF THEY ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO IT AGAIN, A COUPLE OF HOURS SHORTER, AND MORE QUALITY AND LESS QUANTITY MAY WORK.

DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL

MY BRITISH/IRISH CORRESPONDENT, MARGO ENRIGHT, UNDERTAKES SOME UNUSUAL DUTIES FROM TIME TO TIME, THIS IS FROM THE LONGFORD BANJO FESTIVAL, CO.LONGFORD IRELAND.
PICTURED BELOW, IS MARGO, SECOND FROM RIGHT WITH HUSBAND ADRIAN, A BANJO, DOBRO AND ACCORDIAN PLAYER, THE JAPANESE LADY TO THE LEFT IS TESTAMENT TO THE DIVERSE INTERESTS OF THE JAPANESE.