Along with most other best laid plans, my new years resolution to be more frequent with website posts has proven to be an embarrassing failure!
In any case, here’s where we’re at…
The year began with Circuit performances at the Cygnet Folk Festival. Thanks to Erin for having us and to Jeremy Sibson for stepping up for the drumming duties. I remember these performances as the first few where it felt like we were less trying to replicate the record and more exploring the material as it lives in the live environment. This is always what has excited me about the material with this band - how it can evolve on stage.
Straight from Cygnet I headed north to Wagga Wagga for the Riverina Summer School of Strings. What an absolute pleasure - in spite of the sweltering heat! I had my bedrock of classical music experiences reawakened but through the prism of the last 23 years of traditional musics. That in itself was a fascinating experience. We had a lovely class of mandolins tackling some trad repertoire as the principle class, and in the afternoon sessions I took a world music ensemble - similar to the FAME and WMFO groups I run. I’ll be back running the same classes again next year so keep it in mind for the diary… Thanks to Jeff Donovan and Sue Collins.
The staff concerts were exceptional and as chance would have it I was reconnected with my favourite conductor from the youth orchestra program in Tasmania - Doreen Cumming - also on staff. I feel quite lucky to have been able to pass on how important and influential the two years with her at the helm of the orchestra were to me, given how my path has diverged so much from the classical world.
Also running the world music ensemble was Khalida de Ridder who it seems has criss crossed in parallel my own odd little trajectory, without ever sitting down to get a tune. Was great to finally meet, share some music, and discover what I found to be an astounding shared musical language. These moments seem rare as hen’s teeth and I treasure them as a result. With some luck her various schedules will permit some development of that music in the future. In the meantime, keep an eye out for her playing with Trio Cavallaro.
Straight from Wagga and its 45° temperatures, I headed with Alison over to guest with the Shoogles at the Barrowlands Ballroom in Glasgow - 2°C. Neither Wagga nor Glasgow could be described as sublime, both seemed equally ridiculous in close succession. I had a great time at the gig though, playing some golden oldies with some golden oldies. Ha! In all seriousness though, that band is like family to me, the sort I wished I could catch up for a wee natter more often.
Back in Tasmania and the album projects ramped up with work on my duo with Kate Burke, a new record for Elly Barret and additional work on both Laura Flanagan and Ruth Hazleton’s respective solo albums.
February also saw the Circuit head out sans drummer to NSW in a format that was surprisingly rewarding. I had always imagined the band as the sort of music that was designed for a dancing audience, but that would stand up to repeated listens on its musical merit alone as well. The thought of that without the drums altered my perception of the music and taking it out live was a bit of an unknown. I’m really grateful to Rosie MacDonald and the Fairlight Folk Club, and Roger Hargreaves in Bathurst for trusting us because the music became focused in a way that wasn’t possible with drums in the past. Because the Circuit is an ostensibly new group, playing new music, we haven’t had much opportunity to really examine each part and workshop how the various voices and instruments interact live. Without drums, and with all the groove having to be generated from just the four interlocking instruments we had room to listen and refine. Total pleasure for me… We’ll be taking that format of the band out in late July around Victoria so keep an ear out for updates.
March was crunch time for the new duo record with Kate Burke, with the Easter deadline ever looming. Jarlath Henderson and John McCusker sent superlative pipes, whistles and fiddle parts for us and Calum provided wonderful mixes as ever. I’m really proud of this record and I think the music stands up as everything I’d hoped it would and could be. Thanks Kate and everyone else involved! We’ll also be out and about coming to a venue near you! Hope to see youse there! Currently available here.
In the meantime, I’m currently sitting in the airport about to head home after another 3 days in the studio with Ruth Hazleton. This record is gonna be a dead set killer. Really proud to be involved in it and of what Ruthie has undertaken with this bold new material. Next up for me I’ll be appearing at the Burns Festival in Camperdown from July 3rd for masterclasses and the 5th for concerts with Kate. I’m heading a recording project for Melbourne box legend Paddy Fitz after that. The Circuit will be touring Victoria in late July with Kate and I doing support. The Ramblin Roses have been dusting off the amps and blasting out good vibes in Melbourne and Tasmania and will be back at the Lomond Hotel August 2nd. I’ve got bits and bobs coming up with Louisa Wise in Melbourne August 3rd, and Khalida and/or I jointly run a monthly session at the Fern Tree Tavern - last Thursday of the month.
Plenty of places and opportunities to come and say hi!
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