youth

first published in 2002 but only now in my sights
by way of one of those '1001 books you must read...' lists
picked at random on a google search to assist in book selection
when spoilt for choice at the local library and needing extra input
j m cootzee would be a current favourite author by way of turnover
having read 2 other novels by him in the last 6 months or so
this book is relatively short at a total of just over 168 pages
so able to be consumed in a few hours during today
mostly while sitting on an intercity bus so some quality reading time
john is living in his home country of south africa in the early 60's
is studying mathematics at university but secretly wants to be a poet
he lives alone, and leads a frugal and solitary life for a late teenager
much time is spent dedicated to the pursuit of his dream
mostly searching out and devouring the works of his literary idols
and often questioning their motives, intent and disparate writing styles

but in time he lost his taste for hopkins
just as he is in the process of losing his taste for shakespeare
hopkins lines are packed too tight with consonants
shakespeares too tight with metaphores
hopkins and shakespeare also set too much store on uncommon words
particularly old english words - maw, reck, pelf
he does not see why verse always has to be rising to a declamatory pitch
why it cannot be content to follow the flexations of the ordinary speaking voice
in fact, why it has to be so different from prose

as a backdrop to all this things have turned ugly in south africa
he senses only a matter of time until he is drafted into the white's security forces
so makes a break for it and heads to london - he would rather paris or vienna
but is aware of the likely problem of the language barrier in those cities
his work permit dictates he must secure income quite quickly
his university training enables application for a position at IBM
computer programming is an unheard of skill but he has some merit
and is appointed based on his mathematical studies at university
his time is then neatly split between life as a commuter/worker
and in his spare time continuing to prepare for life as a poet
searching out underground art, cinema and music in 1960's london
along the way he has several disastrous attempts at romance
but he remains resolute that to be a genuine and recognised poet
one has to first taste failure, sparseness and difficulty
eventually he wakes up to the irony of his dual life
and throws in the job at IBM to dedicate himself to bohemia
spends and bludges his way to a point at which reality again kicks in
he's then taken in by ICL to work on a secret cold war program
and thus as far removed from his ideal life as he could be
the conversion from idealism to pragmatism complete by the end of the book
i sense the book itself is quite auto-biographical (a coetzee trait)
or at least well-researched particularly in regards to early computing
most endearing about it is the way it describes so well the idealism of youth
then in turn the way that time and circumstances erode such ideals
all very philospohical really - could really have been called life
and a pleasant way to spend 4 hours on a bus

nathan haines

the nz international jazz festival is on in christchurch
some appealing performers are in town to strut their stuff
i've always wanted to see nathan haines so tonight is the night
mainly because he is performing at the glorious james hay theatre
one of the best (if not...) venues around for sit-down music
i bought my ticket on the day and scored a great seat
front-row in the dress circle looking down on the stage
which is quite close due to the fine design of this theatre
i got there quite early so there were mostly empty seats around me
waited for them to fill up but no go and the band are soon on stage
first thoughts are the low-key start means it's a support act
but not so - the man himself on sax and a 4 piece band
jazz guitarist, grand/electric pianist, electric bass and drums
i'm quite excited by the sense of ocassion and settle in
looking forward to the promise of some exciting contemporary jazz
the first piece is quite pleasant and seems a good warm-up
nathan is very polite between songs thanking us and the organisers
swings into another tune that similarly gets along quite nicely
introduces a male singer with a sweet voice to add to the mix
6 or 7 tunes are rolled out and before we know it, it's intermission
which makes for quite a short set and a break in proceedings
which i must admit mostly i find quite annoying
but it's a big night out for most and the chance to mingle
i walked the crowd looking for any obvious visiting jazz affecianados
conclusion - nope - all locals and of the 'jazz - nice' set - nevermind
i take my seat for the second set and hope for some grit
maybe the first half is just to placate the safe crowd
i know he can do it - seen documentaries, read the program
there is no doubt nathan haines is a very talented man
plays saxaphone, clarinet and flute with confidence and style
can write a tune or 2 and can obviously put together a band and lead them
seems quite comfortable in front of a large crowd on a big stage
will carry a band member needing constant guidance (drummer)
and has a choice of material that can mix up a set
tonight there is a good mix of covers and originals
instrumentals and sung pieces, piano and guitar solos
gives and asks for encouragement for various band members
but in this case...a reminder to me of a fine line that exists
between jazz musicians of ample skill and experience
and those that carve out a unique place in this musical world
thus able to excite and arouse and demand attention
tonight nathan haines set up shop as mr safe and reliable
and promised to cross the line but didn't quite make it
though in a couple of later tunes i felt a great connection
as the band hooked into a solid jazz-rock-funk feel and let fly
but in the end i thought they couldn't get off the stage quick enough
and the audience seemed very content to let them go
i also left the scene fairly quickly and pondered
wouldn't have missed the night at all
but there was something missing
a venue/audience/performer thing maybe
the edge factor - not there - damnit

gone baby gone

i'm just a little bit suspicious of american films with big name actors
equally so when it's the directional debut by a big hollywood star
ben affleck is now on the other side of the camera as director
young brother casey is the star as private detective patrick kenzie
his life and work partner is angie gennaro played by michelle monaghan
the film is based on the favourite book of ben affleck's with the same name
the baby in the title is in reference to a 4 year old girl named amanda
gone because she has disappeared and her family are distraught
patrick is asked to help and it's hard for him and angie to resist
so in they go and they take us on the ride with them
the film is set in the guts of boston where life is very tough
happiness seems to be a word no-one knows the meaning of
casey affleck as a tough and street-smart detective is a bit of a stretch
so there are a few scenes in the early part proving how tough he is
with his lazy boston talking style he takes on the worst of the baddies
can't always understand what he is saying but he gives it to them
and balances it all with tender scenes with angie and concern for the child
morgan freeman soon shows up as the affected police captain
who suffered his only daughter being murdered when she was 12
and prepared to bypass the law himself to find the missing child
appoints another long-serving detective (played by ed harris) and his sidekick
before long it is discovered the child has got caught up in a botched drug deal
and is being held pending return of the missing money
there is also the possiblity of some pedophiles in the mix
all pretty straight-forward up to now - had me hooked in
a bunch of disparate goodies joined in common good to save the child
versus a bunch of baddies in drug dealers and child molesters
got the feeling half of the film was used setting up the first part of the book
because in the second half a lot of stuff happens very quickly
as the forces of good start to unravel and finger-pointing starts
the director (affleck) seems to fast-forward over some parts using voiceover
and also annoyingly decides the audience may not have got some connections
so several earlier scenes are replayed as thought processes from the hero
there's action aplenty with lots of hand-guns drawn and used
in one scene i very much felt like i was involved in a game of quake
the hero with gun drawn moving through a house kicking down doors
and baddies coming and going through other doorways
there's a very strange scene in a bar with a masked intruder
that leads to more goodies come baddies going down
of course in the end the child is found alive and well
but by then it seems all the goodies are dead or now baddies
and there is only one man standing alone with the child
even his lady has dumped him because of his moral stance
so the final scene is just a little bit cloying
this is not a bad film - some great acting
and i suspect it's quite true to the story
maybe i should have read the book first
but it probably wouldn't appeal to me
just too much bad america in there
thanks for the reminder

love in the time of cholera (film)

hard on the heels of completing the book comes the film
the few reviews i had read had been quite harsh
one in particular warning those that loved the book
should basically brace themselves for a disappointing film
but i decided to shelve the reviews and go with an open mind
the absolute very first impression from the very first scene
was that of a homecoming - we meet the talking parrot
after which the doctor collapses and dies as in the book
and from that point on the film is as expected very true to the story
other first impressions were that the director had a big budget
lots of shots of sprawling marketplaces, lush gardens and large houses
people dressed to the nines in their fine and ample clothing
on the other hand the first major fault came fairly quickly
it seems almost unfair to criticise a period film for this
but the opening scenes with fermina daza as an elderly lady
showed a relatively young actor (giovanna mezzogiorno) with bad makeup
she was not the beautiful, elegant, breathtaking lady i wanted to see
however the still lovesick florentino ariza as an old man
played by javier bardem was much more convincing
just so far removed from the last big role in an old man film
we then went back to the 1880's where the love affair is born
and another major fault is soon thrust upon us
the young florentino is played by another actor of similar age
but the young fermina is the same actor playing the older woman
that may seem a trivial point but it seemed inconsistent
especially when the young actor is swapped out for javier bardem
the transition is quite jolting for the actors are quite physically different
once we get past that the ageing process is handled quite well
benjamin britt as fermina's doctor husband is well cast
playing the handsome, successful, insensitive cad with comfort
their relationship ebbs and flows quite true to the book
though time constraints mean we only see the big important scenes
which is probably natural for a film coming from a novel
but in this case that seems to have been a goal rather than a problem
my feeling was that each scene was too isolated from each other
probably days of work setting up each scene by director mike newell
with the actors seemingly using the book and not any screenplay
i very definitely felt the director was assuming the audience had read the book
for there were too many cases of unexplained events and situations
occassionally there would be a voiceover (florentino) to assist
but better to have done that more fully or not at all i felt
the 2 hours plus of the film went quite quickly as there is a lot to cover
in the end i sat there wondering how could it have been done better
couldn't help but conclude the use of unknown actors may have done it
even have it filmed in native spanish with sub-titles
get it back to the way originally written
but hollywood got their hands on it
must have been a bit of a no-brainer
36 millions copies sold = instant audience
i wanted to enjoy the film as much as the book
it successfully transported me to the place and time
but once there i had to keep plugging gaps
rather than be completely absorbed by the film
which would be a real problem if you hadn't read the book
so for me not the major disappointment i was warned of
but not an overwhelming experience either
still - wouldn't have missed this film
recommendation - do them both

love in the time of cholera (book)

el amor en los tiempos del colera
which is the first thing about this much-loved book
it was originally published in 1988 written in spanish
and then deftly and impressively translated to english
author gabriel garcia marquez was born in colombia
it is here and the greater caribbean that the book is set
my first exposure to the book was not long after it was published
a friend at the time had read it and was raving about it
and so from that it got put onto the 'one day must read' list
which is where it has been for the 20 (odd) years since then
now it has been made into a film starring javier bardem
i have full intentions of seeing the film on current release
but based on past experiences - better to read the book first
so off to the library, surprisingly it was available and out it went
i have taken it all in over the last couple of days
which says a lot about how very readable it is
at times i found myself ripping through the beautiful prose
more than a little impressed with how well constructed it was
indicating a great translation job if nothing else
but of course there is a lot more to it than just that
for one it is also a great history and geography lesson
it starts in 1929, goes back in time 50 years and works forward
a local boy florentino ariza falls in love at first sight
with a young girl fermina daza who is 4 years younger than he
her father disallows the relationship - he has his sights set higher
so they continue a clandestine relationship via letters
though they cannot meet in any other way and are kept apart
at the moment their paths can possibly join she unexpectedly denies him
which then sees them head off on quite different adult lives
she marries a successful doctor who heroically deals with the cholera plague
and she enjoys the trappings of his success with money, travel and status
he discovers and leads a life of debauchery and heart-breaking
while also building a career worthy of the woman he secretly loves
the book revolves around these 3 people and their lives
and in a very satisfying way works in some history lessons
including the introduction of telegraphs, flight and the 20th century
while covering a lot of ground in travels in and around colombia
similarly the devastation of the cholera epidemic is central to the story
and is never far away at any point with many references to it
but essentially this is a love story and this is the central theme
the leading lady eventually is free from the trappings of her marriage
and the man who loves her most in the world eventually gets closer
then coming full circle they resurrect their contact by letter
from there it would be a spoiler to provide more detail
but as with the rest of the book it is not as simple as it may seem
for this is not your average mills and boon love story
much more emotionally charged than that i would say
the author has described the characters personalities fully
and as a reader you feel you know them so completely
that you find yourself in full empathy with them and their emotions
which also means the 50 elapsed years seems quite reasonable
apart from it being a fascinating journey through time in this place
the ending unintentionally seems made for the big screen
which neatly sums up the rest of the book
in the right hands it will be a great film
hope they get it right

two days in paris

get the impression julie delpy can turn her hand to anything
in this film she is credited as the writer, director, producer and leading actor
i could not remember what films i had seen her in previously
in this case the temptation to spend some time in paris attracted me
i've seen a few similar concept films over the last year or so
paris je t'aime and an apartment in paris most memorably
both providing great insights to this wonderful city
the film stars french photographer marion (julie delpy)
and boyfriend and american interior designer jack (adam goldberg)
in a brief stopover on their way home to new york from italy
they've been dating for 2 years now and all is going well
until marion reveals her family and former life to jack
she owns a tiny apartment above her parents that is their base for the 2 days
marion's parents (played by julie's real life parents) are french-eccentric
he is an avant-garde artist (as in real life) and suspicious of marion's boyfriends
she is a doting mother trying her best for her husband and 2 daughters
and with a luminous past confessed in a scene-stealing moment
there are some hilarious scenes around the family dining table
as jack in turn is questioned, teased, mocked and patronised
all in rapid-fire french - subtitles let us in on the fun but jack is wallowing
it's easy to feel jack's claustrophobia and anxiety to get out and about
which then brings on some very interesting encounters
parisien taxi-drivers are given a very hard time by marion/julie
she pulls no punches in stereotyping them as racists, bigots, and misogynists
then there are repeat encounters with a few of marions past love interests
so the escape into the big outdoors brings more problems for jack
he is well set up as being quite neurotic and even hypercondriac
marion plays her part as the stable and charming peace-maker
she even tells a few white lies to save jack from his own insecurities
which then start to unravel for her and cause some friction
this results in some very well acted scenes as they thrash out these issues
then the tables are turned and it becomes marions turn to be neurotic
and jack has to get a grip and provide the stability in the relationship
it all becomes a bit touch and go and leads to an unpredictable ending
i couldn't help but thinking how realistic and believable this all was
i was most impressed with the way the confrontation was presented
and even more impressed with the way it was resolved (or not)
apparantly julie delpy and adam goldberg were once an item
so this may have assisted in the chemistry that seems to exist on screen
amongst the personal story there are also some big issues touched on
some quite subtle references to american culture and attitudes
not as criticism necessarily but by way of explanation
for the way in which americans do behave out in the world
it's quite a fast-paced film that crams in quite a lot
including some very interesting music worked into the story
i found i very much enjoyed this film - entertainment and a story
i sat there at the end of the film and watched the credits roll
lost count of the number of times i saw the name julie delpy
all the above but also stills photographer, music composer, editor
and significantly with some songs as performer and/or singer
she is one very busy and talented lady
and must be very proud of this film

(a) good friday

this is one day of the year when shutdown is possible
generally i find easter a good time to not go away
i like the 4 day weekend that given due respect
means some valuable time-out time can be taken
and generally partake in some serious self-indulgence
but only after giving some thought process to the day's significance
this morning i took the time to do the usual scan of online news and blogs
democracy now had a special broadcast marking a significant anniversary
5 years since the shock and awe attacks on the innocent people of baghdad
that were the start of a war that was only supposed to last months
john mccain back then was the dumbass claiming that was all it would take
today they also included an article about mccain in iraq this week
again placing his foot firmly in his mouth re terrorists training in iran
and this guy is now close to running for president of the u s of a
to quote another commenter - is he a liar, stupid or both?
what was truely rivetting and compelling on today's broadcast though
was a long piece covering what is called the winter soldier hearings
whereby returned soldiers are providing accounts of their time in iraq
i could not believe what i was hearing - literally brought tears to my eyes
stories of brutality, stories of families losing children to war and suicide
stories of the insensitive handling of raped women in the armed forces
and george double-yuh continues to claims the war is all but won
all in all a quite depressing and sobering subject to dwell on this day
from there i moved onto my favourite blog called the time being
a daily posting by the lead singer of the church mr steven kilbey
every day he posts some interesting story, anecdote or brain-dump
today he also chose to dwell on the meaning of good friday
i hope he doesn't mind but i have cut and pasted his thoughts here
probably against all known rules of internet or blog etiquette
but he says things that need to be kept in mind
certainly got me thinking about where to from here
and kept my mind engaged for most of the rest of this day
which largely involved an unusual activity for me called gardening
followed by a 2 hour walk including a tai chi session in the local domain
all the time with the mp3 player filling my head with some favourite music
now there's something with a much underrated power to heal and unite
i know this for real - i been there - i done that - got to spread the word
which all followed on from mr kilbeys words of wisdom herein
it has been quite a good friday really for me
non-harmful self-indulgence is ok

jesus
its good friday
the day a bunch of ignorant villains
nailed up a guy to a wooden cross
and left him to die in agony
how many good men have come n gone
their words of emancipation and connection
disregarded, misinterpreted?
the meek aint inherited the earth...yet
its still being run by loads of proud idiots
using her up
killing us off
most so called christians who never read
the fucking new testament with both their ears open
or even read it at all
the heroes among us
they show us the way
(my brave friend in hospital)
humanity
yeah be proud of yerself
dreaming up your rationalisations
you have butchered tortured and ruined
because of them
we told ourselves lies
and we found em easy to believe
and we brutalised n behaved inhumanely
inhumane n inhuman
jesus
i dont need to catalogue it all again
have a look at hiroshima n nagasaki
have a look at belsen
have a look at whaling
have a look at inquisitions
have a look at crusades
have a look at vlad the impaler
n nero n caligula
the israelites n babylonians
jesus
are we capable of cruelty and unimaginable horror
on gigantic scales or what?
jesus, did we listen?
jesus, does an idiot like georgie bush
really think he is somehow born again in your name?
how can one violent thing be done in your name
and the irony of it not blast em sprawling?
how is there so much wilful ignorance
concocted and laid at your feet?
the catholic church with their dark secrets
their midnight mass and the countless
bent priests playing with boys
their ritual n palaver n self aggrandizement
the very opposite of christs simplicity n humility
he would despise it
he would despise bush
he would despise the southern fundamentalist tv evangelists
in some sick nightmare of a world
the sages n seers words n prophecies
are twisted into self serving bullshit sermons
exhorting all the most superstitious claptrap
christ would hate assault weapons
christ would weep at biological warfare
christ would sob at guantanomo fucking bay(or whatever is called)
christ would rail against deforestation n renditioning
and persecutions n executions
and our unbelievably INHUMAN treatment of the beasts
christ would not believe that we rip their claws n horns n teeth
n tails n feathers n fins off in a bloodthirsty dimmed haze..
could christ believe that weve even finally buggered up the weather
(boys n girls the fun is just starting)
i urge you
today
to read the four gospels
read them with an open heart
dont fucking quibble with this or that
or even me
let that message sink in
dont look for the contradictions
dont mis quote or partially quote
a phrase or 2 which is seemingly at odds
why?
you aint gonna change my mind
was he the son of god?
aint we all?
was he the son of man?
yes
he was a hero
he did things like a real man
he preached love n got himself crucified
well aint that just like this earth...?
what gives, fiendss?
hey
i aint no christian preacher
hey you sophisticated smartass
sitting at yer computer
saying oh no killer
dont try n sell me jesus again
hey you dull n unimaginative knuckleheads
cant see the woods for the trees
hey gunslinger
hey war presidents
hey fascists
hey popes
hey bishops n field marshalls
hey adolf n cheney n queen victoria
hey tobacco n oil companies
hey mcdonalds n the fuckin" colonel
hey ku klux klan (oooh your costumes are so "bad")
hey taliban n al-queda
hey idi amin hey slobbydan milosovich
you guys had yer chance
look where we are
weve almost fucked up our own dear planet
the amazon almost gone
for what
big macs?
american n australian native peoples...almost gone
theres like 50 snow leopards left
the islands in the pacific going under
in 10 years.. (10 years...!!!!)
no more fish in sea
no more ozone
no compassion
no love
no respect
cmon
people now
smile on your brother
everybody get together
try to love one another right now...
todd said
i'd rather die by a dream
than live by a lie...
lets be courageous
lets change ourselves
look at me
it can be done
evolve
evolve now
into what we all could have been
start today
start here
lets change this world
for the better
whatever that means
stop thinking
just
do it!

link to steve kilbey's blog here

light (but not) plane

sometimes things just happen that you have to go with
on this day my father suggested a drive out to the local airport
which is mostly used to house an aviation museum
a lot of the locals are keen aviators and work there volunteerily
over the easter weekend warbirds over wanaka is on again
a bi-annual airshow featuring planes from various wars
it's become a big international event drawing huge crowds
the local airport serves as a handy stopover/refueling point
3 harvard aircraft had stopped by overnight en route
and were due to take off and continue south at a certain time
our plan was to simply head out there and take a look
would be the closest we would get to warbirds over wanaka
the price of fuel and the hassles of traffic crowds and otherwise
diminished the appeal for this year - who knows about 2010?
as we leisurely strolled around inspecting the harvards
a light plane cruised into view and was parked alongside
thereby providing a photo opportunity for the proud owner
myself and my father were drawn to the sight of this plane
for whatever reason it was very eye-catching
and so a conversation was struck up with owner/pilot michael
turns out he had something in common with my father
had gone through the same pilot's training in the 1950's
so he was very happy to tell us about his pride and joy
an italian built plane called a pioneer 300 model hawk
the surprising thing about this plane is that it is not a plane
it is officially classified as a micro-light aircraft
which means all sorts of rules and regulations are bypassed
e.g. anyone with a car licence can legally fly the thing
as we oohed and aahed at the beauty of this big man's toy
...(or should that be this man's big toy?)
michael said quite candidly - would you like a flight?
no hesitation, no shyness, no doubt there and offer accepted
so off they went as i watched on with delight
some other very interesting details of this vehicle
...powered by a motor used also on bmw motorcycles
...runs on normal car fuel and quite economical
...top speed of a healthy 180kph
...entirely retractable undercarriage
...auto-pilot and in-built gps system
...twin controls for the sharing of flying duties
...long range (3,000km from memory)
...engine service required only every 1,500 hours
after the half-hour flight we learnt more about michael
turns out he is a retired commercial pilot
last flew large boeing 767 aircraft
had all but given away flying as a career or hobby
then saw this aircraft on display at an air show
as with us was very impressed at first sight
unlike us had the money to pursue his interest further
ordered a plane with a few more extras including the gps
parted with $250,000 and has not looked back since
he has clocked up over 200 hours in the air in 6 months
largely it seems taking interested people on joy flights
seems like a great way to pass retirement
shame about the carbon footprint
i'll wait for the electric version
dream on

a flying womad

i have just completed the annual trek to adelaide
for the one and only compulsory event on my calendar
attendance at the womad festival
world of music and dance
first visited it in 2001 and have been back every time since
in 2002 it was still a bi-annual event so it was a 2 year wait
for my second visit in 2003 and then an annual event
so 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and this year makes 8 times
a few years ago they added new plymouth nz to the list of sites
which means there are now 8 womads a year all over the planet
new plymouth always happens a week after womadelaide
so a lot of the same performers are at both festivals
today i took a flight from adelaide to auckland
as i need to be in that city for work reasons
as i was queuing up to go through immigration
i recognised a few very obvious african musicians
and it occurred to me that i could be sharing the flight with a few more
there's a chap by the name of thomas brooman
has the role of artistic director for womad internationally
which presumably means he travels the world
checking out music and musicians
offers some of them a gig at a womad festival, or 2, or more
then gets to go and see them play the gig in front of an adoring crowd
which basically means this chap has my dream job
he and his wife were seated in the row on the other side of the aisle
they seemed very down to earth considering their envious lifestyle
but then i often think does doing music as a job
detract from doing music as a hobby
he didn't even have a ipod so that proves it (well?)
seated behind me were the members of the terem quartet (russia)
in front were various members of taraf de haidouks (romania)
further back was peruvian diva susana baca
and a number of african musicians with assorted instruments
i was truely humbled by the presence of greatness
wanted to do the gush thing but resisted
and played the part of the ignorant whitey-boy
buried under his headphones and fiddling with his laptop
if only they knew the love and respect i had for them all
but to quote a line from a popular song from the 80's
i am the son and heir of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
so instead i just happily indulged myself
churning over memories of a great weekend
and happily gave a hand to a romanian to fill out his immigration form
then watched as another stupid dumb white male take him on in a drinking competition
air new zealand are very generous with their mini-bottles of wine
so it was all on for young (kiwi) and old (romanian)
you would suspect a hardened east european musician of senior years
is going to have it all over a football-loving beer-swilling music-ignorant idiot
who upon disembarkation decided to play the accomodating kiwi host
shoulder-tapped a disinterested french lady manager of our lady from peru
and proceeded to question her immigration style on her intended destination
oh - new plymouth - hic - never been there - hic - lived all my life in napier - hic
i catch the eye of the french lady - look at me i will her
we're not all like that - you're going to love it here
by the time i got to immigration the word was out
and i helped another romanian musician with his form
overcome my shyness as he thanked me effusively for helping him
and i in turn thanked him for his music at womadelaide
walked out of the airport very happy i did
last time i shared a plane with a bunch of stars
it was the trounced all blacks on the way back from south africa
couldn't help but compare the experiences
musicians 1 sportsmen 0

christies beach

the monday after womadelaide is a comedown day
it's also a public holiday in adelaide for a horse race
unusually this year i was not due to leave town until tuesday
so the forces of good conspired to lay on a special day
a friend and her daughter were also in town for womad
they had a cousin domiciled in the city with a spare car
it was offered to us to go wherever we wanted
the heat of womad meant that a beach was a good idea
as was the temptation of some wine-sampling
so it was decided to do both in no particular order
we cruised south out of adelaide destination mclaren vale
our fear was traffic and crowds on this public holiday
but mclaren vale was a relative ghost town
seems south australians refuse to travel in heat
so it felt like we had the valley to ourselves
common sense dictated that we would limit ourselves to 3 wineries
d'arenberg was selected primarily on brand recognition
a bit of a disappointing start though with disinterested staff
not exactly going out of their way to sell their wares
maybe they detected that we were not big spenders
though the car owner later suggested the s a plates were the problem
suggesting south australians are over selling wine to south australians
next stop was a place called the olive grove
a producer of fine wines, olives, jams, chutneys, etc
the total opposite treatment was received here
major clicking of personalities between the mother behind the counter
and the mother in our group meant an hour or so was spent there
lots of idle chat starting on wine, then onto olives and then drugs
over the counter drugs specifically in reference to headache killers
for me the 2005 shiraz was just what i like in a red wine
dense, dark, strong, smooth and able to be enjoyed in sips
but alas the (lack of) budget meant no purchases made
then off to a winery called tapestry estate
the attraction here was a fine antipasto lunch
washed down with a glass or 2 of fine chardonnay
overlooking the sloping hills of the mclaren vale valley
all quite blissful really and a chance to compare notes on womad
then into the car and the return journey via the beaches south of adelaide
first and most impressive being christies beach where a refreshing swim was had
timing meant that we were there as the sun sank across the water
making for a photo opportunity even an amatuer could embrace
and manage to snap a few photos of the moment
which with later enhancement
makes for a great memory

womadelaide 2008

the big act on sunday night was supposed to be cesaria evora
but she had fallen ill in sydney and so a no-show in adelaide
her band did a brilliant job highlighting on saturday night
but on sunday they were swapped out for a lesser stage act
sharon jones and the dap kings got promoted to the big stage
it was a little bit underwhelming really and cesaria was missed
i mean funk/r 'n' b/soul is ok but it's just not sunday night
it was just too close to corporate american music for me
i think the general feeling was much the same for the crowd
we were there out of curiousity and not much else really
polite applause at the end of the set and a quick escape for most
i wandered off to watch the tibetan monks close the festival
but unfortunately i had been beaten at my own game
and most of the crowd had settled in before the start
i got there too late and had to settle for a far-off position
that meant the connection was just not there for a change
just like quite a few other acts that i had seen but not rated highly
the beautiful girls are a quite reasonable 3 piece rock outfit
the billy cobham septet did no favours for jazz and were quite boring
victor valdez did a quite ok version of australian meets mexican mariachi
farafina were good at the time but quickly forgotten (not a good sign)
the john butler trio were loud and over-stayed their (big) welcome
taraf de haidouks were apparantly brilliant but not from my far-off position
zic zazou brought their own portable kiosk-come-stage and were huge fun
...another 24 acts performed that i just did not get anywhere near
you just cannot see everything across the 6 stages at this festival
the highlights of this year's festival came down to 3 really
toumani diabate's symmetric orchestra were astounding
mamadou diabate's solo concert was breathtaking
cesaria evora's band were heartwarming
another womadelaide for another year
a very hot event at least literally
roll on 2009

martin hayes and dennis cahill

there's a stage at womadelaide that i think is my favourite
it's called the morton bay stage and is quite small and welcoming
it it is nestled alongside a few very impressive morton bay fig trees
huge almost prehistoric looking trees with massive above ground roots
in prior events in years go by is was possible to take a seat on a root
and be fulfilled both by that sensation and some extraordinary music
this year the roots were cordoned off which came as no surprise
i'm sure the trees did not really need the human contact
but still performers on this stage were of exemplary standard
according to the program martin cahill is a irish fiddle virtuoso
impressively is the six-time all-ireland fiddle champion
dennis cahill is american-born (chicago) to irish parents
they met in the 1980's in chicago and have played together since
mostly in jazz-rock fusion outfits but lately as a duo
i was suitably taken in by the writeup in the program
especially when their scheduled appearance would be on this stage
i have locked in memories of a similar collaboration from the 1980's
a fiddle/guitar duo called (bill) oskay and (michael) o'domhnail
staples of the much revered windham hill label of that time
their album nightnoise contains many beautifully crafted tunes
and so maybe unfairly i was attendance at this show with that in mind
the duo came on stage with fading sunlight and a rousing reception
martin hayes brandishing his fiddle and taking a humble bow
dennis cahill looking to me like tom morello on a side project
they launched into their music and from the first note were locked in
it appeared their connection was sustained by eye contact
not with each other but with the others hands and instrument
i was quite a way back in the crowd but the intensity was conveyed
no simple verse, chorus, singalong, tra-le-la, jiggy things here
this was complex music played with skill and precision
no idea of course whether it was note perfect to a score
or whether in fact improvisation was the major component
i suspect the later judging by the on-stage connection
and their own excitement as a tune was completed
given wild and enthusiastic applause by an enraptured audience
martin took charge of the between song banter
he spoke with that lovely gentle lilting irish accent
told us briefly about the origins or meaning of some of the tunes
and also expressed their genuine excitement at performing for us
by the time they had finished their hour long set
the sun had given up for the day and darkness had descended
there were a lot of very happy people then on the move
and in appreciation of the music just witnessed
heading off to take in the first beer of the day
another morton bay stage triumph
there's one of those every year
this was it for 2008
cheers!

terem quartet

these guys were a real hoot to watch perform
played some quite serious music in a comical way
they obviously knew about the art of entertainment
presumably honed after 21 years on the road
including several prior trips in womadelaide
most visually striking was the huge bass balalaika
closely followed by the wild hair of the piano accordian player
most songs featured his head madly bobbing from side to side
in time to the music and causing his long hair to flay wildly
their country of origin is russia and gypsy/folk music is their style
they also mixed in some recognisable classical pieces
presumably tchaikovsky as advised in the program
the program also mentioned their high esteem on the world circuit
having performed with the likes of womad man peter gabriel
and also such other stars as nigel kennedy and led zeppelin
they very much reminded me of another russian group
huun huur tu who made a big impression as last year's festival
4 similarly attired gents on traditional instruments
playing largely traditional tunes but mixing it up
to provide a spark of familiarity in their show
in this case terem quartet hauled out a tune
from their vase repertoire of over 200 songs
that had the crowd go into overdrive with delight
it took me a minute or 2 to recognise the tune
one of those ones where you know it but can't place it
in this case it was the theme from get smart
played with great precision but with a lot of fun
it really was the highlight of their much varied set
which upon conclusion had 4 very happy musicians
and a crowd on their feet providing a standing ovation
another brilliant womadelaide concert

mamadou diabate

sunday afternoon march 9th adelaide botannical gardens
apparantly on this afternoon it got to 40 degrees celsius
most daytime attendees at womadelaide were under trees
or staying away until the relief of sunset
the previous night i had witnessed a truely memorable concert
toumani diabate's symmetric orchestra on the main stage
another brilliant example of african music at it's best
on this afternoon his cousin mamadou was due on a minor stage
rumours circulated that toumani would join him in a duet or 2
so my afternoon activities centred around getting to this show
which meant in my usual style sacrificing a prior performance
to ensure a good position for the show of choice
i arrived at the zoo stage about 20 minutes before time
plonked myself down a few metres from the stage
and waited with anticipation for mamadou diabate to appear
he's a big man with a beautiful and modest personality
did all but apologise for not being as good as his famous cousin
but anyone who can pull a tune from the kora is no slouch
mamadou played a largely solo set in the blistering heat
that brilliantly demonstrated the complexity of the instrument
this 21-stringed instrument is a bass, rhythm and lead guitar all in one
it takes a lifetime to master it with skills passed down the generations
tuning the instrument in itself must require great skill
throughout his set mamadou would be seen to be bending the neck
or stopping a tune to take some action that seemed necessary
amplification of the instrument serves it very well
at times with my eyes closed i could hear electric guitars
a solid bass line, harpsichord sounding melodies
occassionally the strum of an acoustic guitar or picking of a mandolin
but then open the eyes to behold one man and his instrument
by the time he excitedly introduced his special guest
i was happily lost in the performance and oblivious to the heat
toumani took the time to remind us just how highly regarded mamadou is
he's been nominated for grammy awards and is in high demand
which just meant as a duet we were in for a real treat
there had been no rehearsal for this performance
so it was based largely on instinct, feel, connection
just like the best jazz performance should be
another reference point
just an amazing show




















toumani diabate in performance with his cousin mamadou
upon taking the stage he took the time to make 2 statements
firstly anyone who can play even 1 tune on the kora is a master
thereby suitably paying homage to the reverential mamadou
secondly he very sincerely reminded this small audience
that we were very lucky to witness this rare collaboration
no argument from me - a truely exceptional womad moment

toumani diabate's symmetric orchestra

without a doubt the most important show of womadelaide 2008
stage 1 10pm saturday night and the crowd were all there
i did the usual pre-show manoeuvre to get a position of first choice
smack-bang centre about 10 metres back from the high stage
i.e. great view and pick up the sound from on stage and front of house
the anticipation was high for this performance and the crowd was buzzing
by the time the large band hit the stage excitement levels were very high
they warmed up with a very busy, tight and fast introduction
mostly featuring the djembe drummer (pictured)
who strode the stage like a man possessed and worked the crowd
an unidentified man dressed in all white traditional robes then sang
a strong and beautiful voice well matched to the music going on
he could have easily stayed centre stage all night but his stay was brief
it seemed his main role was then to bring on the main man
and so he guided the star with the aid of a crutch to his position
ensured he was comfortable sitting behind his kora and departed
and then things cranked up another level with the kora in the mix
i don't think i have ever heard such precision playing at womad
complex rhythms, players coming in and out, stop/start beats
each musician totally in sync with each other but looking totally relaxed
a wonderful piece of music that had me glancing skywards more than once
and bringing to mind heaven on earth thoughts only experienced in this place
that may be a bit of a big claim but womadelaide really can be that special
it's not just about the music - it's the warmth of the night air
and a special atmosphere resulting from a united crowd
toumani took time out at the end of one tune
to give us all a lesson in the magic that is his chosen instrument
spoke briefly of the griot tradition from his home country of mali
and then deftly demonstated the way in which the kora is played
21 strings and 10 fingers used to produce 3 quite separate sounds
a bass line, a melody and then improvisation added on top
another first for me at womadelaide
a workshop usually enjoyed on a minor stage now on stage 1
i suspect that toumani diabate would be one of a few that could do that
he also took time to explain the concept behind this current band
a respectful mix of old and new - instruments and musical styles
so with that all taken in we then experienced a wonderful set of music
so many highlights with various members of the band in the spotlight
our favourite djembe player relished his time in front
and the guitarist played duelling instruments with main man
thus not only demonstrating the strength of the sound of guitar and kora
but also proving the dexterity of the playing of both musicians
no wonder toumani diabate is held in such high esteem
he is a leader, composer, teacher and a master musician
for me i was totally satisfied and also unusually for me
i decided to hang onto the experience
and gave the final show for the night a miss
left the gardens and walked back to the hotel on a high
a very fulfilling day's music in my head
topped off by this magical show
as good as it gets

cesaria evora band

a rumour circulated around womadelaide later on saturday afternoon
cesaria evora had suffered a stroke while on stage in sydney
and under doctor's orders was under observation and not spotlights
damn - this was going to be the big highlight for me this year
double damn - had been in sydney during the week
could have (did consider) going to a show at the opera house
but no - ticket bought for womadelaide and besides
the atmosphere outdoors with an adoring music-loving crowd
would surpass the likely polite but reserved opera house mob
so upon hearing this news my first selfish thought was all about me
but then this quickly transpired to concern for the main lady
an announcement was made that her band would still perform
which raised the excitement level to almost normal point
for her band is quite superb in it's own right and worth attention
it has been said that cesaria is a bit lacking in stage presence
but she makes up for that with the beauty of her voice
i am very familiar with a live concert dvd filmed in paris
and from that i knew that the band alone could be very good
so again i got myself well placed centre front main stage
there certainly seemed to be nervousness from the band
no doubt some of the audience were unaware of the situation
but within a few tunes the crowd were well settled
and giving abundant applause to the band for each tune
this obviously gave them more confidence
it almost looked like they enjoyed their time on stage
i'm sure uppermost in their mind was their leading lady
but given the opportunity to effectively improvise
they filled the gap admirably and with great style
the big man saxaphone player seemed to be filling in the most
closely followed by the violin player and pianist
it was odd at times knowing the music but not hearing the voice
but then again the warmth of the music rose to the occasion
the beautiful and dominant piano playing most effective
on their african-fado-brazilian styled but original music
by the end of the set there was a bunch of happy musicians
and an equally satisfied and content large saturday night crowd
assuming cesaria gets over this little hiccup
i have a feeling she and they will return
to a likely huge reception next year
here's hoping she just returns
to the stage
great band

susana baca

isn't she the most beautiful lady in white
susana baca was on the main stage on saturday evening
all the way from peru and with a fine band in tow
putting together a powerful acoustic based sound
including some authentic peruvian percussive instruments
most impressively a cajon - an upturned wooden fruit crate
the musician astride it and eeking out a unique percussive sound
there was also acoustic guitar, upright bass, and extra percussion
i'd just left a prior performance feeling a little underwhelmed
and so was needing a top-up of musical positivity
memories of the previous nights diva were with me
in that case mavis staples had taken over the same stage
and had belted out a very american set of tunes
but for me it was not what i go to womad for - real soul please
so i was most hopeful susana baca would provide that
it didn't take more than a few seconds of her set to feel it
and so i stayed happily centre-stage and took it all in
watched as she worked the band and crowd with style
totally at ease with her voice and place in our world
this is a totally lazy way to describe a unique performer
but take the voice, emotion and presence of mariza
combine with the tunes and feel of the band of cesaria
and you'd come up very close to the music of susana
my humble apologies for describing it in that way
but it struck me watching the show unfold this was it
which meant i was totally besotted by her performance
her band similarly seemed totally dedicated to her
gave her as little or as much as she needed at any point
a rousing number with all musicians hard at it
or backing off to leave her beautiful voice totally in charge
requiring the mere tap of the cajon or pluck of the nylon strung guitar
she was clearly feeling at home on the big stage with a big crowd
for the sun was on the wane and taking the mercury with it
a glance behind confirmed to me the crowd was now present
searing, scorching, relentless sun and heat beaten for the day
a sense of relief in the air and the expectation with it
we all knew we were at the best place we could be
and susana baca beautifully reminded us of that
couldn't have wished for a better start to the evening
a lady of great style and substance
and significantly...
soul

beirut

beirut is ostensibly the name of an american band
but actually is the recording name used by zach condon
a young american keyboards player who hit the big time
i'd seen reference to this artist in various magazines
mostly connected to big selling world music albums
and also at the centre of some debate about world music
i.e. can an artist with no roots in his chosen music
be considered an authentic proponent of that music
zach seems drawn to an eastern european style of music
a laconic, off-key, off-beat kind of swing-thing
brass used extensively and feet encouraged to move
i took up a position under a tree to the rear of the crowd
really to satisfy my curiosity about this performer
the crowd, also mostly young were well into it
but try as i might i just could not get a connection
so off i went and took up a position very close to the stage
from where i could cast a discerning eye over the proceedings
he certainly did not hold back on the personnel on stage
at one point i counted 13 people on stage including 3 dancers
zach was very much the master of ceremonies seated at the keyboards
he spent a lot of the time pointing, shouting, instructing, noodling
maybe the band was having an off day and needing leadership
but for me it just did not come across as a totally fun-filled event
various members seemed to know they had to appear happy
and they probably got away with a crowd enjoying the moment
dusk was approaching and the worst of the heat of the day was over
which in itself was worth celebrating by having a jig to the music
for me the highlight was when a trio of dancers arrived on stage
and proceeded to impress with their unusual dance steps
nothing so formal as a traditional or ethnic routine
nor as casual as anyone could deliver given the right beat
but a hybrid of raqs sharki and south american samba style movements
in other words lots of hip-shaking and lower body agitation
the crowd lapped it up and joined in as best they could
so it was a very happy crowd by the end of the set
which meant they whooped and hollered for more
and the band duly obliged at least 2 times
i'm sure they put that one down as a success
me - can't remember much at all about the music
images of the main man being the boss man
and 3 young ladies doing a fine dance
so i guess i'm in the opposing camp
whitey boys can't do world music
maybe a bit harsh there
sorry beirut
seen better

don mcglashan and the seven sisters

midday saturday adelaide and it's a stinker
don mcglashan has the opening spot on the main stage
people stayed away from the blazing heat in their droves
so securing a good spot for this performance was a breeze
though lack of those meant it was an endurance test
this man should be as famous as neil funn
rose to fame in nz at least with a band called blam blam blam
came close to wider fame with another outfit called the muttonbirds
now has another outfit that was part of the lineup at womadelaide
to be honest i'm not sure why he was at the festival
though presumably his nz pedigree means he is a world musician
not complaining though as i was more than happy to see him
i walked into the domain as they started their set
by the time i was centre stage a few songs had gone by
and the band was well into a tune called envy of angels
which is just a gorgeous tune highlighting his vocals
and his ability to write and perform a classic song
this one is from his muttonbirds days
which gave me hope for a performance of a real classic
there is no depression in new zealand
originally recorded by blam blam blam in 1981
but i had a feeling it was unlikely at this time and place
there were a number of other memorable tunes
very nz oriented including one about the auckland harbour bridge
the band seemed very comfortable on the big stage
and the on-stage jokes indicated a friendly comraderie
don generally took the time to introduce each tune
one in particular he announced as a real nz classic
which had me excitedly waiting for the opening chords i expected
but instead the band played another old favourite of mine
a tune called nature originally done by the fourmyula
and also recorded and performed by the muttonbirds
very happy to be reminded of a song from the past
and done so well in difficult circumstances
there seemed to be a few fellow kiwis in the small crowd
who joined in loud applause at the end of the song
and also at the end of the set
i hope they get a good hearing elsewhere
and someone with influence
goes oh yes he should be famous
and does the right thing
thanks don
good show

mavis staples

mavis staples did one concert only at womadelaide
she was the big headline act on friday the opening night
there's been a great series on abc tv lately about soul music
our lady of this night featured on it a few weeks back
ignorant me had no idea of the significance of her family
but of course the staple singers were central to all that soul
so seeing her on the bill at womadelaide meant a must see
not wanting to be ageist her but she has to be pushing 70
which puts her in the class of divas who have gone before
over the years at womadelaide many elder ladies have sung
this year as well as mavis there was supposed to be cesaria
but alas she had a stroke on stage in sydney (another story)
mavis staples has an amazing voice and an even better laugh
got the impression she was enjoying every moment
though the occassional side-stage foray seemed necessary
to catch her breath and let the band take over
mr axe man particularly had fun in the spotlight
let rip with a most impressive display of guitar histrionics
almost made me think i was at crossroads guitar festival
and not a world music festival...but...let's not be picky
each tune in the set was totally recognisable
i kept thinking i really had missed something
if this lady had been responsible for all these tunes
but then i decided she was doing a bunch of covers
in the end i enjoyed it but it did feel a bit false
me the purist is not a huge fan of cover bands
even allowing for this lady's claim on the material
i discovered afterwards her latest album is all covers
done with real style and soul i would suggest
and a huge seller in her home country of the u s
the band she had on this night was first rate
a simple lineup of guitar, bass, drums at the core
and augmented by mavis and 3 backup singers
one being her very own sister (stage left)
i wanted to be totally enthralled by the event
as obviously were many around me
but for me not quite
still very good though

clube do balanco

there's something going on with music that i quite like
though most likely it's always been there and i am just waking up
it's about the energy and inventiveness of younger musicians
adding their modern take to a traditional style of music
you could say that is constantly happening with rock music
but for me rock just doesn't excite as much as it could
especially when the most popular bands on the planet
have been doing the same old thing for decades
(pushing for half a century in at least one case)
however pushing out past the rock boundaries
and there's some very exciting music being made
a couple of years ago it was local band cat empire
fusing all sorts of styles and mixing in rap and scratching
last year the gotan project delivered a mixed up tango style
this year clube do balanco from brazil laid on a great set
it was on a minor stage mid friday night that i saw them
a 9 piece band complete with trumpet and trombone
they played at one speed and laid down a compelling rhythm
the crowd was hooked from the first beat and didn't give up
according to the program they are the kings of samba-rock
and traditionally play in very large venues across brazil
you can sense a healthy respect for their musical genre
but seem also to be influenced by modern culture
while not exactly using rap-style vocals
or mixing in scratch sounds from turntables
there was a presence of a happy-go-lucky attitude
that mean they just had a lot of fun belting it out
if on stage is where they feel most comfortable
then showing up after a long flight to a foreign country
to be met by a wildly enthusiastic crowd must be infectious
of course i had no idea of what any of the tunes were
the program also mentioned that do some standard samba tracks
in their own style but me the ignorant west-ey boy there
all i know was that each and every tune was played expertly
each member of the band taking some time in the spotlight
i personally thought the stabbing brass section was a highlight
and the young guy on percussion demanded attention
the bass-player was rock-solid and very fluent
the guitarist/vocalist had no trouble centre-stage
and the female vocalist had a big voice and presence
i lost count of the number of encores they delivered
which probably upset the organisers and their schedule a bit
but at the time more was all that mattered
an excellent womadelaide show

dr natesan ramani

home again - back at womadelaide for another year
flew down from sydney and straight to the usual hotel
the austral hotel - not the most salubrious of venues
but close, cheap, functional, reliable and nostalgic
checked in, dumped bags, loaded up the essentials and then
once again i had one of my favourite experiences
walking through the main gates of womadelaide on the friday evening
in this case familiarity certainly does not breed contempt
quite the opposite as it is a given that a wonderful weekend is about to unfold
from my experience i also find that time slows right down over the 3 days
probably because there is no need to rush around madly
just make a few basic decisions about what needs to be seen
then work (avoid) the crowd accordingly
this means favouring acts on the smaller stages
or settling in well before start time for the bigger acts
one of the highlights of friday night was dr natesan ramani
highly regarded flute player from south india
his is a very simple flute made from bamboo
he was accompanied by son and grandson also on flutes
and sitar, tabler and claypot drum musicians
one thing i have learnt from repeat visits to womadelaide
is that late night performances by such musicians are very compelling
especially as invariably in this setting in the still of the warm night
there is something quite calming about eastern music
i can never remember much about the actual music
just know that at that moment there is nothing better
than the simplicity of a beautiful flute sound
and the tapping of a tabler drum
with a sitar sound coming in and out
when you can give over to the music and let it float over
my usual position of choice is stretched out on the grass
staring up at the stars and taking it all in
the occassional glance to stage to legitimise the moment
and usually with the rest of the audience at the end of the set
leaping to my feet to join in the standing ovation
expressing genuine gratitude for a special performance
and then the wander back to the hotel
through the botannical gardens
eagerly anticipating 2 more days
bliss really