Duke's Place Australian Songs in Concert & Session with Dan Kelly, Friday 10th May, 2019, 7.30 for 8pm + report

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Daniel Kelly is a singer/songwriter from Yass who writes and plays ballads from the Irish, Scottish and English traditions along with original material in the folk ballad style. Daniel’s fourth album was a set of original ballads written about the Yass Valley region, a few of the songs focus on the strong connection Yass has to Ireland.




Dan will be singing songs from his latest CD - Zombie Sheep of the Murrumbidgee

Album Background: I’ve lived in Yass since 2006, and recently started looking into the history of the town and the region. I found enough interesting stories going back to the founding of the town in 1837 (though the region was first visited by Hamilton Hume in 1821) to put together an album of folk ballads.

Website

Facebook Page

ReverbNation

YouTube Channel

Bush Music Club  
Tritton Hall, Hut 44
Addison Road Centre
142 Addison Road, Marrickville

Map here  https://addiroad.org.au/about-us/contact-us/ - Hut 44 is to the left of the Gumbramorra Green.  from the Editorial in Singabout 1(1) Summer 1956 -  aims of the Bush Music Club - to popularise Australian folk song and to encourage the composition of a new kind of song - one that is traditional in style but contemporary in theme.

Duke's Place, 2nd Fridays February to December, 7.30 for 8pm start - concert is followed by a session.
$10, BYOG and a contribution for supper  
enquiries & bookings Sandra 9358 4886 
www.bushmusic.org.au         http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/


 

Drawing of Duke Tritton by Hottie Lahm, 1959.

 Duke's Place, named after our honoured early member Harold 'Duke' Tritton (1886-1965), is the place to go once a month for a great night of Australian songs in concert and session. Duke was a powerful singer who supplied BMC with many songs he had learnt in his younger days while working as a shearer and at other bush jobs. He was also a songwriter and poet giving us songs that have entered the tradition such as Sandy Hollow Line and Shearing in the Bar.

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(Photos © Sandra Nixon) 

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Duke's place with Two voices in the Crowd by ‘Sweet Songs & Soft Guitar’, the music of Judy Small and Eric Bogle, with Kathy and Matthew Clarke, Friday 12th April + report

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https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Songs-Soft-Guitar-1610309122532745/

  

Wife to a cocky farmer

Bush Music Club  
Tritton Hall, Hut 44
Addison Road Centre
142 Addison Road, Marrickville
from the Editorial in Singabout 1(1) 1956 -  aims of the Bush Music Club - to popularise Australian folk song and to encourage the composition of a new kind of song - one that is traditional in style but contemporary in theme.

Duke's Place, 2nd Fridays February to December, 7.30 for 8pm start - concert is followed by a session.
$10, BYOG and a contribution for supper  

enquiries Sandra 9358 4886 
www.bushmusic.org.au         http://bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au/
Map here https://addiroad.org.au/about-us/contact-us/ - Hut 44 is to the left of the Gumbramorra Green. 


Drawing of Duke Tritton by Hottie Lahm, 1959.

 Duke's Place, named after our honoured early member Harold 'Duke' Tritton (1886-1965), is the place to go once a month for a great night of Australian songs in concert and session. Duke was a powerful singer who supplied BMC with many songs he had learnt in his younger days while working as a shearer and at other bush jobs. He was also a songwriter and poet giving us songs that have entered the tradition such as Sandy Hollow Line and Shearing in the Bar.

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(Photos © Sandra Nixon) 

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Goulburn Railway Sesquicentenary Ball aka 2019 Heritage Ball, 7.30 to 11.30 Saturday 25th May.

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BMC Heritage Ball Press Release

Earlybird Bookings Extended

Earlybird Bookings for the Heritage Ball 2019 have been extended till 7th May to give members a little more time to organise their ticket purchase and to round up friends to join them in groups and tables. Although it is named the Goulburn Railway Sesquicentenary Ball please be assured that this is definitely the Bush Music Club's Heritage Ball which has been held annually since the early 1980s. Your support is important.

The online ticket booking link is https://www.trybooking.com/469110

The Honourable Margaret Beazley AO QC, Governor of New South Wales has accepted the invitation to be our guest of honour.

The Heritage Ensemble has its final rehearsal next weekend and are looking forward to playing for the Ball in a different setting. The hall decoration will feature railway pictures pertinent to the 150th anniversary of the arrival of rail in Goulburn.

A follow-up picnic on the Sunday is being planned. Details to follow.

Dave Johnson

Book tickets here

   Early bird tickets are available until 7th MAY

Adults - $50
Concession card holders, Bush Music Club & Monaro Folk Society members - $45

Group of 8 people - $360
For larger groups please contact Dave directly

Secondary or tertiary students - $40

Primary aged children - $20

The Heritage Ball this year is an exciting collaboration with folk in Goulburn who are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the railway. The Goulburn Loco Roundhouse Preservation Society is organising a weekend of railway focussed events with the NSW Governor arriving by steam train and unveiling plaques and planting trees. At first I offered to run a dance and then realised that with the Heritage Ball usually held at this time it was going to be a crowded May. Discussion with BMC President, Sharyn Mattern and Ball Coordinator, Wendy Richmond led to the idea of having an out of town Heritage Ball and the Goulburn Railway Sesquicentenary Ball was initiated.


2000 Gold Medal Heritage Ball, Cumberland Hospital, Parramatta (Bob Bolton photo)

Goulburn allows us to draw on dancers from Canberra and the local Social Dance group are keen to come too. As well, we can draw on musicians from ACT and around Goulburn as well as our usual Sydney suspects. There will be opportunity to display ball costumes during the day, though purists would distinuish between day wear and evening wear. A word of warning though, accommodation in Goulburn will be difficult to get closer to the date so be advised and get in early.

The Council has been approached to allow use of the rotunda in Belmore Park for concert items such as the Concert Party might provide utilising that splendid collection of Railway Songs that Brian Dunnett and Ralph Pride assembled. Any other groups, duos or soloists would be welcome to contribute to this historically themed weekend.


Concert in the park, Bush Traditions Gathering - 2010 (Sandra Nixon photo)

Goulburn even has an active SteamPunk group and a branch of the Creative Anachronists so hopefully some of them will join in the fun and attend the Ball. Workshops to familiarise dancers with the programme will be available in Sydney as usual, and also in Canberra and Goulburn. The programme incidentally revives some of the dances that some will recall were danced at the 2005 Heritage Ball which celebrated the 150th anniversary of the start of the railway in Sydney. The annual dance competition had the challenge of creating a new dance to music of the period, namely The Sydney Railway Waltz, The Railway Gallope and The Railway Polka. If my memory serves me well John Short took out the honours with his Railway Waltz.


So there it is: Goulburn Railway Sesquicentenary Ball on the 25th of May in the St Saviours Church Hall in Burke St Goulburn. The Heritage Ensemble and I look forward to seeing you there.

enquiries - Dave Johnson

BMC Life Member, 

Heritage Ball Musical Director for 30 Years

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TSDAV presents Cue & Do - A Dance for Dancers at 2019 National Folk Festival

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email from Norm Ellis

Hello dance clubs, callers and  dancers,

As some of you may already know, I (through TSDAV) have been tasked by the National Folk Festival, to run "A Dance for Dancers" - in lieu of a 'Dancers Dance', at this year's National Festival.

Under the Act Name "Cue & Do", the intention is to run an intensive 2 hour dance, briefed and called with a minimum of fuss, but mostly NOT walked through, structured for competent dancers, and to maximise dancing enjoyment.

I am attaching a copy of the proposed dance program.Full dance instructions (& video links if available) will be posted on the TSDAV website - under "NFF 2019: A Dance for Dancers"  http://www.tsdav.asn.au/

Many of the dances you will be able to do on a 'follow-the-call' basis, even if you may not know them by name!

However, some others will present more of a challenge (without walk-thoughs) so I recommend that you familiarise yourselves with them BEFORE the event.

To this end, the next 3 TSDAV Dance Workshops (ie 11th Hour Sessions) will be devoted largely to the dances on program. These will be held at Surrey Hills. This of course won't help interstate dancers, unless you can co-opt your local dance club to practice them!

You will notice several features / idiosyncrasies of the 'A Dance for Dancers' program

* there are no couples dances (these being adequately catered for in the Tea Dance & Heritage Ball)

* there are 3 occasions where alternative dances can be done to the same music (eg Postie's & Double Postie's) you are invited to "jack-up" your own sets for the more advanced alternative!

* there is one Scottish medley where the one dance is danced first in Strathspey time, and then in Reel time without a break between. This one has a modified "Rights & Lefts" that it will help to be familiar with!

* there is one dance which contains a "partial sheepskin hey" which you need to be familiar with!

Remember, the aim is to dance, not have a workshop!

Please help spread the word, and I hope to see many of you at the National. 

Cheers, Norm
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NFF 2019 ~ A Dance for Dancers ~ provisional list of dances, in program order -

3C circle The Book Exchange - a scatter mixer

4C Square Dip & Dive Quadrille

3C longways Viking Sheepskin “partial Sheepskin Hey”

4C longways Postie’s Jig / Daryl’s Double Postie’s for 5 dancers Domino 5

DM (Playford) Devil’s Maggot (music ‘Up Jumped the Devil’ - a la contra)

4C longways W Bonnie Cuckoo

Big circle Yellow Cab Jig aka Yellow Cat’s Jig

3C longways S+R The Silver Grey 3x 32b S + 3x32b R - danced consecutively

5C longways The Percolator

4C Square Sweets of May

3C circle W Turning by Threes

4/6C longways Trip to Bavaria / Double Bavarian

Big circle* Festival Interceltique 40b (*or 9 C circles)

4C longways Grevillea Grove / The Bakers Wife (8C circle) “a Strip the Willow dance”

DM Star Trek

5C ring The CHOGM Pentrille

1½ SP Genevieve’s Jig 3 facing 3, progressive

4C longways Mairi’s Wedding

Big circle W Swedish Progressive Waltz

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Melbourne Practice

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Festival of Folklife in the 1981 Festival of Sydney

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The Festival of Sydney celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Commonwealth of Australia with a birthday party like no other. The day-time celebrations in Hyde Park included brass bands, folk groups and a range of free outdoor entertainment.
The Australiana theme continued with a new venture for the Festival; Australian Cinema: The New Generation. Across a week, this presentation of the latest independent films from Australia’s newest generation of filmmakers saw cinema take a stronger position in the Festival line-up, alongside the usual strands of theatre, dance and music.


MUSIC, included the Festival of Folklife as well as classical & other styles.
Other events which were part of the Festival - THEATRE,  CABARET,  CIRCUS, ART, CELEBRATIONS,  FILM,  MAGIC, POETRY, and SPORT, 


(BMC Archives)

The Festival Of Folklife: Back To The Bush
Dave de Hugard, the Colonial Dancers, Alec Richards, Joe Weatherby, Walter McLaughlan, Higgins Municipal Band, Alex Hood


The Festival Of Folklife: Beat Your Breasts
The Ovarian Sisters, Mary Jane Carpenter, Maree Cunnington


The Festival Of Folklife: Bush Dance
Rum Culls Bush Band, Higgins Municipal Band, Sendeka Music


The Festival Of Folklife: Family Concert
Mike and Michelle Jackson, Marcus Turner, Bernard Bolan, Rum Culls Bush Band, Sedenka


The Festival Of Folklife
Gove Scrivenar, Chris Duffy's Bluegrass Conspiracy, Robin Williamson


The Festival Of Folklife: Grand Colonial Bush Dance
Rum Culls Bush Band, Higgins Municipal Band, Sedenka, compered by Frank Canty and Mike Jackson


The Festival Of Folklife: Rebels All!
Denis Kevans, John Dengate, Phyl Lobl


The Festival Of Folklife: Shamrock And Thistle
Robin Williamson, Cathie O'Sullivan, the Celtic Dancers, Pipe and Drum, Raglan Road, Joe Heaney


The Festival Of Folklife: So You Want Blood!
Jeannie Lewis, Nathan Waks and others


The Festival Of Folklife: Troubadours And Minstrels
Early Music Duo, Laberinto, Roy Harris (UK)


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Traditional Australian Bush instruments. Text of a lecture delivered by Alan Scott at a W.E.A. Folk Lore week end, 15th July, 1962

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Program for concert from the Maher Collection (courtesy Ann & Frank Maher) 

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5 scans from Singabout 4(4), 1962, pages 2, 8-11.











Review of Folk Song Weekend by Singabout Editor Gay Terry,
Singabout 5(1), 1963, pages 10 - 11.









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John Dengate Political Songwriting Competition, Gulgong Folk Festival, 2018 and 2019

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2019

The winning entry was from the pen of Cilla Kinross, who almost won this event last year. Thanks to Cilla for allowing us to publish it.

Black is the Colour of Scott Morrison’s Coal
(To the tune of Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair)
lyrics by Cilla Kinross

Black is the colour of Scott Morrison’s coal The slippery bastard has sold the devil his soul Does he think we can eat it? Does he think it will grow? I know where he can shove it, Scott Morrison’s coal He goes to Adani, and says ‘hey, mate’ You can have half of Queensland at a very good rate We’ll throw in a railway and a shipping port too You just need to tell us what you want us to do Don’t worry about them Aborigines or that pesky bird We’ll move them away, where they cannot be heard We'll lock up protesters, and we'll change all the laws, To make sure all emissions are truly yours He goes to New York where he struts the stage But doesn’t make the summit, nothing useful to say. Smooches up to Donald, his dinosaur mate A pair of farting old fossils on a climate-free date. He offers aid…… to our neighbour, Fiji For islands going glug-glug-glug in the rising sea ‘You got wet feet, mate? Here, have some cash Get yourself some gumboots, How good is that?’ He lets the Nationals drain the rivers dry He prays for rain, but lets the country fry How good is Scomo? He's as good as coal Which is just as black as the bastard’s soul

1985 Bush Music Festival - left to right Richard Depledge, Cierwin Jones? sitting on step, Ron and Libby Brown, Penny Davis and Roger Ilot, unknown man in front of table, Cilla Kinross and Tom Sawyer.   (Margaret Bradford photo)

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2018
One again Derek Dowding was the winner with Donald (to the tune of Patrick Gilmour's When Johnny comes marching home again)

Derek Dowding A songwriter with a difference, Derek presents a selection of his original songs ranging from satirical pieces crammed with cutting social commentary and offbeat humour as well as lilting tunes accompanying thoughtful, illustrative poetry. Side-stepping subject matter typically seen in the work of contemporary songwriters, Derek excels as a quirky wordsmith possessing an acute wit and an eye for the overtly absurd and unjust. The winner of last years John Dengate Political Satire Songwriting Competition, Derek impressed a lot of people and should be a massive hit this festival (2018 program)

Di announcing the winner

Derek receiving the goblet from Cllr Sam Paine, Deputy Mayor of Mid-Western Regional Council.
Photos of the Festival from Mudgee Guardian Gulgong Folk Festival
Gulgong Folk Festival on Facebook

Steel City Sue

Ross Kurtz
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Report on Concert Party & friends at 2019 Illawarra Folk Festival

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Photos © Sandra Nixon

Report on Saplings sessions @ 2019 Illawarra Folk Festival

2019 Dale and John Dengate Parody Mug attracts brilliant Songs and Performers


2 song sessions & a family bush dance




1. Dance sound check

2.  Emma

3.  Set up

4.   Gail, Moira, Sharyn, Maggie, Vanessa



5. The band

6.  Venue manager Claire was a member of Pinchgut Colonial Band in the late 80s.


7. Sharyn, Moira, Maggie, Vanessa, Wally

8.  Margaret calling

9. First dance

10. Cathy & Owen

11.

12. 

13.

14.

15.


16.

17. the little rainbow girl had a wonderful time

18.

19.

20. Saturday workshop under Ralph's excellent direction


21.  Chris

22. Beth

23.

24.

25.

26.


27.


28.  Sunday workshop, again led by Ralph


29.  Lost egg


30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.


37.
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38. The Roweth Band


39.  The Guilty Three with Lachlan Dengate on drums.

40. The Pie Eaters - Alan Musgrove and Rob Stephens
 
41. Combined Union Choirs - Illawarra Union Singers, Sydney Trade Union Choir, Newcastle People's Chorus

42. Black Joak Morris

43. Bill

44.  The Bottlers

45.  Dave de Hugard

46.

47.

48.

49.  Dave admiring Rick's accordion

50.  Ted Egan

51 Session on Saturday night - Chris, Brian


52.  Rick, Dave, harmonica player

53.  Brian, Rick, & Dave with Roger & John from Dingo's Breakfast

54.  Chris, Brian, Sean, Rick

55. Frank & bones,  John Thompson, Dingos

56. Wally



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