From the Archives - Merro's music comes to Jamberoo, Illawarra Folk Festival September 2001

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Thanks to Chris Woodland & Rob Willis for performer names & to Rob for the following links

https://verandahmusic.blogspot.com/2019/05/sharing-harvest-jamberoo-recordings-now.html
In 2001, the Jamberoo Folk Festival featured two concerts by traditional performers, including Bill Case, Lola Wright, Eileen McCoy and many more. Long sleeping in the National Library’s Oral History and Folklore Collection, the full recordings, together with interviews and talks by Edgar Waters, Mark Cranfield and Robyn Holmes are now available online at https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1664097


John Meredith in Hobart 1987 by Tony Rees    all other photos © Bob Bolton


1. Mulga Wire, no.146, August 2001, p.10. The festival will pay a particular tribute to John Meredith (Merro) who died earlier this year and traditional Australian performers from all around the country will gather to perform in a special venue. The people who sang around campfires, who jammed in pubs (maybe even sang in the bath) and who kept the traditions alive will demonstrate that the tradition is still a living one.

2.   Mulga Wire, no.146, August 2001, p.11 - Sharing the Harvest - A great collection of older Australian performers is being organised by folklore collector and musician Rob Willis, supported by the National Library of Australia including Bill Case Band (SA), Gay Chalmers (Vic), Colin Charlton (Cookamidgera), Barney Flood (Coonabarabran), Frank Drinkwater (Forbes), Eileen McCoy & Cornelius Brandenburg (South Coast), Bob Payne (SA) & a host of new generation traditional players, plus dance to the combined efforts of all the Sharing the Harvest performers as The Great Southern Dance band.

The concerts were recorded & released as Sharing the Harvest [sound recording]: two concerts, Saturday 15 Sept., 2001 and Sunday 16 Sept., 2001 held at Jamberoo, New South Wales / interviewer, Rob Willis; recorded by John Harpley

Two concerts organised in honour of the late folklorist John Meredith. An assembly of older traditional players from all over Australia playing folk music and story telling. Included in the concerts were talks by senior representatives from the National Library of Australia, Robyn Holmes, Edgar Waters & Mark Cranfield who spoke on various aspects of folklore.

Sat. 15, 2001 Concert Tape 1 Conversation: Introduction to session by Rob Willis

Mark Cranfield's speech

Rob Willis introduces Bill Case, musician

Music: unidentified tunes (Bill Case on button accordion)

Storytelling: Bill Case storytelling

Conversation: Rob Willis introduces Frank Drinkwater, vocalist

Frank Drinkwater storytelling

Singing: Doleeo Mob song (Frank Drinkwater)

Conversation: Rob Willis & Frank Drinkwater discuss Frank's song Barney Flood, sleeper cutter

Singing: sleeper cutter songs (Frank Drinkwater)

Music: gum leaf playing (Frank Drinkwater)

Rob Willis introduces Maurie Gierisch (musician)

Storytelling & Music: Gierisch storytelling & playing unidentified tunes (button accordion)

Singing: Shining on the cookhouse door (Bill Case)

Saturday 15 Sept., 2001 Concert (continued) Tape 2 Conversation: Introduction by Rob Willis

Robyn Holmes speech

Storytelling & Music: Bill case unidentified tunes and stories

unidentified tunes (Bill Case on Button Accordion & Eileen McCoy on Fiddle)

storytelling & singing unidentified songs (Carrie Milliner vocalist)

unidentified song (Carrie Milliner & Chloe Roweth)

Jason & Chloe Roweth sing Carrie's song

Conversation: Rob Willis interviews Eileen McCoy

Music & Singing: unidentified tunes (Eileen McCoy on Fiddle)

unidentified tunes (Eileen McCoy on Fiddle & Cornelius Brandenberg)

Cornelius Brandenburg plays his tunes (unidentified)

general singalong.

Sunday 16 Sept., 2001 Concert Tape 3: Introduction by Rob Willis

Rob Willis introduces Auriel Andrew, vocalist & guitarist

Storytelling and singing: Auriel Andrew, (stories & unidentified songs)

Carrie Milliner, vocalist (stories & unidentified songs)

Eileen McCoy, musician (stories & unidentified tunes)

Singing: Auriel Andrew & everyone singing (unidentified songs) Tape 4 Conversation: Introduction by Rob Willis

Edgar Waters speech

Rob Willis introduces Colin Charlton, Button Accordion musician

Rob Willis introduces Frank Drinkwater, vocalist

Rob Willis & Frank Drinkwater talk about songs (ie Doleeo song; Black Velvet Band song; Rig a Doo song)

Rob Willis introduces the Gay Charmers Band

Singing: Garnet Robinson sings a Baulch Brothers song

Recitation: unidentified poem

Music: general music session to finish the concert

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3. Colin Charlton, Lindy Charlton, Ron McFarlane, Stuart Simms, Morrie Gierisch

4.  Alan Musgrove, Eileen McCoy, Frank Drinkwater, Bill Case, Rob Willis, Don McBain

5.  Alan Musgrove, Eileen McCoy, Frank Drinkwater, Rob Willis

6.  Gay Charmers Band tbefore the Ball. Unfortunately Bob didn't take any photos of the ball.

7.  Dance with the Bill Case Band

8.  Dance with Gay Charmers band

9.  John Harpley, Maggie Duncan, Eileen McCoy, Garnet Robinson

10.   MC Chris Woodland with whipcracker, surname Decker

11.   Bloodwood (NT)

12.  Robyn Holmes, National Library

13.  Carrie Milliner, Robyn Holmes, Rob Willis, Eileen McCoy, Barney Flood. 

14. Bill Case, Don McBain, Eileen McCoy, Rob Willis

15.  Chloe Roweth, Carrie Milliner, Rob Willis, Bill Case, Don McBain, Eileen McCoy

16.  Bill Case, Don McBain, Eileen McCoy

17.  Chloe Roweth, Carrie Milliner, Rob Willis

18.  Chloe Roweth, Carrie Milliner

19. Maggie Duncan, Alan Musgrove, Eileen McCoy

20.   Dave de Hugard
21.   Jindi?-  front Mike Martin, Chloe & Jason Roweth

22.  Gay Charmers & friends  including Reg Murray & Bob McInnis
23.  Auriel Andrew, Rob Willis, Carrie, Eileen McCoy- The women's concert - VERY significant!!!!!!

24.   Auriel Andrew, Rob Willis

25.  Lindy Charlton, Colin Charlton, Rob Willis

26.  ? Charlton (Col's son), Colin Charlton (Colin Charlton on TROVE - Relatively a youngster, born in 1927, Colin Charlton is one of those remarkable bushmen who can just pick up any instrument and play it. He was equally at home on accordion, violin, concertina, banjo-mandolin, whistle, and nose-flute. Many of his older tunes were learnt from his musician father.

27.  Barney Flood, Robyn Holmes, NLA

28.  session - Chris Woodland (yellow wristband) Maggie in rainbow beanie, back of Doug Crawford's head at left front, 

29.  session  - back view of Robyn Holmes & Mark Cranfield at right

30. session - Chris Woodland to left with harmonica, Doug Crawford (concertina), ?? Bill Case,  Eileen McCoy

31.  dancers at the session - Robyn Holmes & Dave de Hugard, Bill Case on accordion

32.  Barbara & Lance Court (ACT)
33.

34.  session -  Eileen McCoy, Bill Case (red vest), Jimmy Moir (Akubra),

35.

36.  Nerys Evans & Ted Egan

37.  Jindi?- Roger Hargraves, Mike Martin, Chloe & Jason Roweth

38.

39. Wongawilli - Reg Murray, Graham Murray, Tania de Santi, Chloe Roweth, Jason Roweth, Jane Brownlee, Dave de Santi.

40. Greg O'Leary & Jane Brownlee with younger performers

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