Featured Artists have included: David Arden (Co-Musical Director), Mark Atkins, Andy Alberts, Lou Bennett, Robbie Bundle, Kev Carmody, Liz Cavanagh, Sally Dastey, Emma Donovan, Kutcha Edwards, Carole Fraser, Joe Geia, Shane Howard (Co-Musical Director), Ruby Hunter, Paul Kelly, Bunna Lawrie, Jimmy Little, Rachael Maza Long, Shellie Morris, Stephen Pigram, Archie Roach, Peter Rotumah, Amy Saunders, Dan Sultan, G.R Burrarrawanga (deceased), Bart Willoughby, Ursula Yovich, Gabanbulu Yunupingu, Gurrumul Yunupingu Associate Artists have included: Eugene Ball (trumpet), Shannon Barnett (trombone), Aaron Choulai (piano), Michael Hohnen (bass), Andrea Keeble (violin), Sam Keevers (piano), Genevieve Lacey (recorder), Caerwen Martin (cello), Rory McDougall (drums), Michael Meagher (bass), Suzanne Simpson (violin), Erkki Veltheim (viola), Julien Wilson (sax), Jason Yarde (sax)
Steven Richardson (conception and realisation),
Kate Ben-Tovim (producer)
Produced by Arts House, a City of Melbourne contemporary arts initiative, in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation for the 2009 Regional Tour
Winner 2008 Deadly Award, Band of the Year
Winner 2007 Helpmann Award, Best Australian Contemporary Concert
For more information and touring queries contact Jude Gun at judgun@melbourne.vic.gov.au
Influences
Music as an instrument of identity, struggle, protest and resistance.
Sounds Like
"...an uplifting experience that said more about black and white solidarity than a million parliamentary speeches." Ray Purvis, West Australian
“This gathering of stars and styles was like listening to a gathering of Beaz, Dylan, Judy Collins, Eric Clapton and Odetta” John Slavin, The Age Newspaper
"There are no stars here, the 'star' is the music and the stories it tells, the stories of
Aboriginal Australians. Catch it if you can, you may never see so much talent together again" Melbourne Stage
After the success of Hidden Republic at the 2008 MIAF, The Black Arm Band is now preparing for its 2009 winter tour. The Band will perform 'murundak' at WOMAD UK outside London in the UK, amidst dates with the Queensland Music Festival (Thursday Island), the Darwin Festival, the Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns, and the Shinju Matsuri Festival in Broome. Partnering with the Fred Hollows Foundation, these dates will be supplemented with another 5 dates in remote and regional communities in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The Black Arm Band is a 32-piece ensemble featuring a line up of exceptional soloists performing works from the inspirational songbook of contemporary Indigenous life.
The Black Arm Band was created to perform MURUNDAK (meaning 'alive' in woirrwurung) for the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival. MURUNDAK is an extraordinary musical event that celebrates music as an instrument of identity, resistance, resilience and a call to freedom. HIDDEN REPUBLIC (2008) continues on where MURUNDAK left off, collaborating with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the pride and respect woven throughout Australian indigenous music.
The Black Arm Band are amongst the most respected names in Australian indigenous music and have included Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Bart Willoughby, Stephen Pigram, Dan Sultan, Peter Rotumah, Kutcha Edwards, Kev Carmody, Mark Atkins, Lou Bennett, Joe Geia and Dave Arden. These artists have been joined by musicians that have added their own unique artistic voices to Indigenous musical history, including Paul Kelly, Shane Howard and John Butler. A blistering backup band features some of Melbourne's finest jazz instrumentalists.
The Black Arm Band has toured to London UK, Cherbourg QLD, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Perth International Arts Festival and WOMADelaide in 2008, and the 2009 Remote and Regional Tour to Northern Australia begins soon!
Selected press quotes
"[Hidden Republic] was more than just a concert. It was . . . a ritual: a summoning of hope and possibility, a mourning and expiation, a gift of huge spiritual generosity, a Damn Good Time." Theatre Notes, 26/10/08
"...[murundak is] an uplifting experience that said more about black and white solidarity than a million parliamentary speeches." West Australian, 25/2/08
“murundak does not hide or sugar-coat the colder realities found throughout Australia’s history, nor the ongoing issues being tackled by the Indigenous community. Yet it overwhelmingly retains a tone of positivity and hope.” Arts Hub, 24/01/08
“...a massive, inspiring joyful celebration of survival against odds, with a suitably sharp sting in its tail...coming in so close after the departure of the Howard government...it takes on more of the character of a celebration rather than a fight. We have hope.” Australian Stage Online, 23/01/08
“...a sweaty, powerful, uplifting example of why cities and governments invest in festivals.” The Australian Newspaper, 30/10/06
“This gathering of stars and styles was like listening to a gathering of Beaz, Dylan, Judy Collins, Eric Clapton and Odetta.” The Age Newspaper, 30/10/06
“Up on stage at Hamer Hall on Friday night were some of the greatest performers this country can presently boast of, members of what is described as black folk protest, a phenomenon as significant to the national cultural life as Aboriginal art.” The Age Newspaper 30/10/06
“Audiences gave the Black Arm Band a standing ovation on Saturday night…‘Audiences received (the band) so well that you know that something healed, it just did’ Edmunds said.” The Age Newspaper, 30/10/06
There is something about the human imagination endeavoring to give us something extraordinary - something that even cracks the breastbone and gets inside you - that makes the work a privilege to work with, and to sand besides…To me, it’s a joy, actually, to see the audiences who come and make an authentic discovery of something they didn’t know was out there. And that’s why you do a festival.” Kristy Edmunds, quoted in The Australian Newspaper, 30/10/06
“There are no stars here, the 'star' is the music and the stories it tells, the stories of Aboriginal Australians. Catch it if you can, you may never see so much talent together again” Melbourne Stage Online, 29/10/06
Hi! I just watched the Black Arm Band it was awesome. I sang solo with The Asante Sana choir: http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2008/09/17/2366813.htm on Sunday 13th September at Anzac Oval. below is my bio and a interview with Kylie Henry at National Indigenous Radio Service, Please click the link: http://www.nirs. org.au/ and downloa inteview.
Kindest Regards Alice Springs Singer Songwriter Rhubee Neale
Dropping in to say thank you to all the Black Armband the Fred Hollows Foundation people, all the artists and crew for such a special night of music in Fitzroy Crossing, everyone who attended had such a great night and will be talking about the night for a while.
Peace love and respects to you all and also to your families.
i live a few miles west of detroit. motown has been the home of 'soul music' for over 40 years.
i say the black arm band is writing & playing music that is generated in the human soul. it is music that is necessary in todays world. if brings together large groups of people from many cultures , many voices , many interpretations of the truth. it then distills all of this into a sound which invites & inspires mutual respect & love as well as joy & excitement.
it is reassuring to know that these people are working today in the world to celebrate the humanity of people everywhere.
WHERE dips the rocky highland Of Sleuth Wood in the lake, There lies a leafy island Where flapping herons wake The drowsy water rats; There we've hid our faery vats, Full of berrys And of reddest stolen cherries. Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand, For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.
Where the wave of moonlight glosses The dim gray sands with light, Far off by furthest Rosses We foot it all the night, Weaving olden dances Mingling hands and mingling glances Till the moon has taken flight; To and fro we leap And chase the frothy bubbles, While the world is full of troubles And anxious in its sleep. Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand, For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.
Where the wandering water gushes From the hills above Glen-Car, In pools among the rushes That scarce could bathe a star, We seek for slumbering trout And whispering in their ears Give them unquiet dreams; Leaning softly out From ferns that drop their tears Over the young streams. Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand, For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.
Away with us he's going, The solemn-eyed: He'll hear no more the lowing Of the calves on the warm hillside Or the kettle on the hob Sing peace into his breast, Or see the brown mice bob Round and round the oatmeal chest. For he comes, the human child, To the waters and the wild With a faery, hand in hand, For the world's more full of weeping than he can understand.
Aboriginal Artist’s headline in Young Art Global in Vienna is his 3rd International Opening for 2008
Australian Aboriginal artist Wayne Quilliam is captivating audiences across the Globe with his latest collection of beautifully crafted nudes. His most recent opening was in Vienna, Austria at the Museum of Young Art (MOYA) for the ‘Young Art Global’ exhibition.
Described as “a metaphoric abstraction of Aboriginal culture and spirituality”, Quilliams ‘Lowanna’ series explores the intimate relationship between the human form and the unique patterns of nature” and he is the featured artist amongst a group of international artists from Brazil, Columbia, China, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Philippines, Russia, South Africa and South Korea. This is a major coup for the renowned photographer, proud to be hanging at the privately founded MOYA - the first museum exclusively dedicated to Young Art of the 21st century.
When asked to create a ‘one off’ collection to represent the uniqueness of Aboriginal Australia today, Quilliam says he had to consider many factors: “Due to my extensive library of ‘Indigenous Images’ the traditional ethnographic representation was expected but this was the opportunity to change perceptions, to articulate the new wave of contemporary Indigenous art that is evolving from all parts of our culture.
“This artwork is my interpretation of the mystical connection between humans and Mother Earth, the exploration of beauty and spirit as one. I am honoured to be chosen as Australia’s representative to such a prestigious event and would like to thank the Australian Embassy and MOYA for their support”, he said.
In April this year ‘Lowanna’ (beautiful woman) series was opened in Mexico City by the Australian Ambassador to Mexico Ms Katrina Cooper, Quilliam then travelled to Berlin, Germany to launch the second instalment with Mr Ian Kemish the Ambassador to Germany and this week completed his third international opening for 2008 and 12th e
Fantastic show in Brizzie!!! Tears and laughs....hope this one goes all over this planet, for this needs to be experienced...youre a deadly crew...Thank u all so much keep up the good work...LovejoyNow 2 all da people.
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