If you like your country bittersweet, be thankful for the predicament that Harmony James finds herself in. The former jillaroo, who has always preferred to drift in lonely outposts, learned her song-writing craft under wide-open skies. Now, thanks to the phenomenal success of her first two albums, she hasn’t been near a horse for a couple of years. Small wonder she’s called her third album Cautionary Tales.

“I’m a city rat now,” she laughs of that sacrifice, “although more accurately it’s the ’burbs of Brisbane. My life has changed massively – and hence I’ve ditched the cowgirl hat because it no longer feels authentic. It’s a bit like, ‘Be careful what you wish for’”

Harmony’s 2009 debut album, Tailwind, was chased by a slew of accolades: breakthrough awards from VCMA and APRA, Golden Guitar nominations for Best Female Artist and Best Album, eight top ten songs on the National Country Music Charts and first prize in the country division of Nashville’s International Songwriting Competition. The follow-up, 2012’s Handfuls of Sky, was critically acclaimed and produced ‘Pride’ which spent six weeks a top the Country Music airplay charts.

Thankfully, the change of scenery has only inspired her songwriting further. Recording Cautionary Tales in Albert Studios and Ramrod in Sydney, she kept on board long-time producer Herm Kovac and her regular band (guitarist Glen Hannah, bassist Jeff McCormack and drummer Steve Fearnley). Tracking live, they played intuitively together, with overdubs of mandolin, fiddle and pedal steel added later. The result is an album that’s all heart.

Harmony deals in honesty and empathy, whether she’s channelling the grief of a family that’s sold out to a fracking company in ‘#CSG’, or imagining the internal lives of stoic old stockmen in ‘Cold Western Wind’. Often her observations are vignettes, with deft little touches such as ‘searching for distractions in the pages of an in-flight magazine’ during a journey of heartache in ‘30,000 Feet’.

The agonising ‘Icebergs (The Day That Never Came)’ is a simple piano piece about the death of a child – and how human interactions continue oblivious to someone’s private turmoil: ‘Somebody asked me how I’d spend the long weekend / Said I’d go hiking in the hills, I try to do it every spring / She laughed and said, well ain’t you fancy-free? … With no idea what’s driving me’.

In ‘Faraway Eyes’, there’s a painful moment of discovery: ‘I found a map he’d been reading with a route marked out in red/ And the road he’d be leading didn’t bring him home again / It was creased and worn like he’d had it long, long time’. It’s inspired by Harmony’s Baptist preacher father back in Victoria. “He’s been a stayer,” she says, “but he has a restless nature. He’s always been hankering for this other world that he didn’t choose.

Even with her craft admired by top songwriters in the field – Don Walker and Bill Chambers among them – Harmony understands there are games one needs to play. “People want me to write peppy up-tempo, but that’s not my natural position,” she admits. ‘There’s usually a sneaky undertone of regret or remorse or guilt. For me to do jazz hands and all that stuff, I really have to push out of myself.”

While this may be true, moments like ‘Skinny Flat White’ (written with Brooke McClymont as an observation of interaction in the city) and the sassy ‘Something Something’ do counterbalance the pathos. It’s Harmony’s hope, though, that her lyrics will trigger cinematic visuals in the listener, just as John Williamson’s songs do for her. Take the epic ‘Pancho’s Boy’, with its mariachi horns, Confederate-style drumming and panoramic structure. It segues into traditional Western melody ‘Red River Valley’ towards the end, and then a single harmonica line, as might be played at a campfire. That couldn’t be more of a Harmony James touch.

“When I was a kid I thought I was a cowboy in the American West,” she confesses. “We didn’t have a TV. We had wall-to-wall bookshelves and I would hide a Western book under my pillow and read it at night with a torch. That’s how I realised I should write songs for a living, because I was so obsessed with that fantasy. I wished I was in 1800s and it strongly influenced the way I sing.”

In that spirit and with an uncanny ability to put herself in other people’s boots, Harmony James has created a beautifully wrought album in Cautionary Tales, shining a light on the human condition.

FOLLOW HARMONY JAMES ONLINE:

Facebook |Twitter |Instagram

For further information please  contact your local Warner Music representative
www.harmonyjames.com.au

Harmony James Feature For Awesome Aussie Music

Taken from East Journey Website-
East Journey members, like Yothu Yindi before them, have deep spiritual relationships with their land and sea country. These relationships, in part, are maintained through song, dance and ceremony, and public aspects of this relationship are found in the band’s recordings and live performances.

‘Our inspiration and material is drawn from manikay (ceremonial song poetry), traditional melodies and instruments that, through guidance and encouragement from our old people, is fused together with western and contemporary musical traditions.

Our music is a blend of contemporary rock and acoustic, highlighted with traditional bilma (clapsticks) and yidaki (didgeridoo), that tells our ancestral stories in a uniquely different modern style that has the ability to engage our audience, no matter whether the broader general Australian public are from the city, bush or sea areas.

We are seeking to strengthen our recognition within Australia in the areas of music, dance and culture that are of mutual benefit to all, and plan to build on traditional knowledge, and on the past success of Yolngu musicians, notably close family members from Yothu Yindi and also Gurrumul, and share our experiences and skill sets to build strong communities and develop role models for the future’.
http://eastjourney.com.au/home

This Interview contains music from East Journey, please visit this link for more details:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/east-journey/id521596246

EAST Journey Interview from the Boomerang Festival 2016

Boomerang is the first of its kind. Never has an Indigenous festival of this holistic calibre been so accessible; featuring an array of music, dance, theatre, comedy, film and visual arts, along with cultural knowledge exchanges and thought provoking conversations.

Boomerang features the very best our original culture has to offer in the arts, talks and ideas, as well as emerging musicians, and dancers, workshops and much more.

Hosted by the oldest living culture it’s a time to get up close and personal, there is nothing that quite matches the exchanges our audiences experience.
http://www.boomerangfestival.com.au/

Cairns FM 89.1 speaking with Rhoda Roberts at Boomerang Festival 2016.MP3

Details
Following from the success of Tasty Jam 1 in December 2015, The Taste Cairns bring their original music collobrative to THE JACK for TASTY JAM 2 on Fri 29th April.

The Tasty Jam concept invites 1 band, 1 solo performer and 1 MC to perform alongside THE TASTE for an event that encourages original music and collaboration.

We're super excited to confirm we have reggae rock giants CROSSROADS making the trip up the Bruce from Townsville alongside locals INO REEVES and DIGGIS. Hosted by our very own VAINZ the night will kick off with a special solo set by 'The Boogie Man' CHRIS OAKSHOTT and also feature a set from THE TASTE.


We are also offering a special Artist Sampler CD with all $10 Pre Sale Tickets. PM The Taste Cairns on Facebook or email thetaste_mitch@hotmail. Tickets at the door $12.

Make sure you check out!


TASTY JAM 2 -  THE JACK

SHARI SEBBENS: 
‘The New Black Voice’
 A NIDA graduate from the JabirrJabirr / Bardi Peoples, Sebbens, is one of six children, born and raised in Darwin. She featured in the feature film Sapphires and is a regular on a number of television series including the award winning Redfern Now, The Gods of Wheat Street, and the new comedy series 8MMM. A well-known theatre performer, she recently appeared in the Sydney theatre production The Battle of Waterloo and the Belvoir street production of Radiance.

Shari won Most Outstanding New Talent at the 2013 Logie Awards. 

 Shari Sebbens speaks with Marcus Smith & Mark Graham(Cairns FM 89.1) after her workshop 'LOL' during the Boomerang Festival 2016

Shari Sebbens Interview.MP3

George Negus is a well known Australian author, journalist and television presenter specialising in international affairs. He remains a director of his own media consulting company, Negus Media International. George, a long time friend of Indigenous communities will be in conversation with indigenous chefs Mark Olive and Clayton Donovan and also Ernie Dingo for the NRL footy panel.

Marcus Smith speaks with George Negus about the Boomerang Festival and why everyone should come and check it out.

George Negus interview for Cairns FM 89.1

GETANO BANN:
‘Issues affecting island communities’
As a singer, song writer, story teller, registered music therapist, for Getano Bann, music, dance, storytelling and humour were an influential and integral part of his childhood, growing up in an extended Torres Strait Islander Family. As a music therapist Getano works with children on the streets, in drug rehabilitation and in detention centres, and is passionate about the power of music and the arts in healing process.

His songs are a rich blend and mixture of musical styles including Latin, Blues, Soul, Funk, Ballads, Reggae and Rock. GETANO intertwines family stories, cultural perspectives, life lessons, self-reflective moments and gollops of humour, which makes a performance of irresistible listening and entertaining moments.

GETANO works as a Registered Music Therapist specialising in Children and Adolescents issues including addictions, self-esteem, anger, grief loss and bereavement and mental health, working  in numerous settings, situations and environments from Prisons, Youth Centres, Schools, Refuges, Flexible Learning Centres, Libraries, Detox Units, Hospitals, Respite Centres, Community Centres and Kindergartens.

He has also worked as a professional Dancer (Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre), Graduate of CASM (Centre of Aboriginal Studies in Music), Dance Choreographer – Outback Children Spectacular (2,500 School children from Outback NSW 1988), Conceptualising and Coordinating ‘Peace in the Park’ (1990, the 10th Anniversary of the slaying of John Lennon), and working with several theatre companies.

Gatano has been a guest presenter on the Humphy ‘B’ Bear show, performing at various high profile festivals including the Woodford / Maleny Folk Festivals, 4th South Pacific Festival (Tahiti), Bellingen Global Roots Festival, Queensland Writer’s Festival, Thredbo World Music Festival, Torres Strait Islander Festival, Warana, Winter Solstice, The Biennial, Dar’ Festival, Adelaide and Brisbane Fringe Festivals, NAIDOC Celebrations and Public speaking engagements. 

Getano Bann Interview at Boomerang Festival Part 1

Getano Bann Interview at Boomerang Festival 2016 Part 2

DHINAWAN DANCE & CULTURAL WORKSHOPS
From the Gamillaroi Bigambul peoples, AKA Mick Baker, is known for his spontaneous, straight-from-the-heart cultural commentary. Founder and front man of Dhinawan Dreaming, the Byron Bay-based entertainer uses the mediums of dance, song and storytelling to promote cultural awareness and understanding in a humorous, insightful and thought-provoking way.

Mick Baker interview at Boomerang Festival 2016.MP3

Album Download: http://geni.us/MaadSick
Album Stream: http://spoti.fi/28QSgsF

Clay - Rudeboys
iTunes: http://geni.us/Rudeboys
Spotify: http://spoti.fi/28ThexK
Amazon: http://amzn.to/28Ro296
Google Play: https://goo.gl/Fm1RII

http://www.REGGAEVILLE.com    
http://www.ONENESS-RECORDS.com 


MAAD SICK REGGAEVILLE RIDDIM
Produced by M.v.Korff & B.Zecher for Oneness-Records
Music: M.v.Korff, B.Zecher
Drums, Keys, Bass: Moritz “DaBaron“ v.Korff
Guits: Uli “Ulinjah“ Czermak, Tavi Angelrock
Sax: Hannes „AlCaphorn“ Hermann
Backing Vocals: Rica Newell, Sherieta Lewis, Jahcoustix
Mix & Master: Umberto Echo

Clay - Rudeboys [Maad Sick Reggaeville Riddim | Oneness Records 2016]

Unreleased underground track taken from the unreleased Mau Power mixtape - Volume II - All On Me.

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This Moment (Im Gone Feat) - God Child

PLEASE GO TO MY FB PAGE and like it.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/DJ-Marcus-FAR-I/396815500387601
Other Interviews:
IceHouse
https://soundcloud.com/cairns-fm89-1/cairns-fm-891iva-davies-icehouse-dubhouse-feature
Marcia Hines
https://soundcloud.com/cairns-fm89-1/marcia-hines-feature-for-cairns-fm-891-new-album-amazing
John Waters
https://soundcloud.com/cairns-fm89-1/john-waters-feature-looking-through-glass-onion-tour

Harmony James Feature For Awesome Aussie Music

DJ Marcus Far I