Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Summer in Cloudyland


Greetings from a warm and humid Queensland as Summer starts its coming-in.  This post is being written during a short break from important lying in the pool duties.


1. The Circus of Desires Video Clip

We raved about the Neurum Creek Acoustic Music Festival, but what we didn't mention was that we used the opportunity over the weekend to make a film clip in that beautiful setting.  With the help of the wonderful Jeff Licence and a whole heap of folkie friends, we put together a video of the title track of our latest CD, The Circus of Desires.

You'll find the product of this labour of love on our webpage, www.cloudstreet.org.

We love it!



2. Christmas Céili this Saturday in Maleny - come and dance!

If you're going to be in South-East Queensland this Saturday, pop up to Maleny for the Christmas Ceili at the Maleny Primary School Hall, 16 Bunya Street, Maleny.

The Maleny Tunes Class (every Wednesday) and the Maleny Celtic Winter School (every June), are having a Christmas Ceili to have a load of fun and do a little bit of fundraising, so we can continue to foster the talents of traditional folk musicians across the coast and hinterland!

The music will be live - its the Maleny Céili Band! - and the dance callers include the wonderfully clear and experienced and simply lovely Davydd McDonald.

Its a family event, every age is welcome, $10 for grownups and kids are free. We'll have a cafe with tea, coffee, water and importantly, cakes, available and we're looking forward to a great community dance.


3. We're Teaching Singing in January

We'll be running a 5-day singing workshop on Traditional Singing in January as part of the Music Under the Southern Cross camp in Central Victoria (January 15-20, 2012).

This well-established week of music is a great way to acknowledge yourself as a musician, network with like-minded singers and players and focus your attention on your music for five glorious days.

This year's singing class will be taught at two levels, including an Advanced Development Workshop for more experienced singers who want to build on their skills.

Cost for the week is $680 including accommodation and all meals.  Classes without accommodation cost $300.  Concession rates are available for under-16s.

For further information on the singing classes, contact cloudstreet at mail@cloudstreet.org or on 0416 032 573.

For enrolment details, visit the Music Under the Southern Cross website at http://www.celt.com.au/summer.html#info



4. John Went West
John has spent much of the last few weeks travelling through Western New South Wales with Fada (with bandmates Jenny Fitzgibbon, Jeremy Dunlop and Steve Cook) playing Irish music for eager young primary school students. (With the occasional exception - John recalls one high school student asking, "Are you a leprechaun? Because you have freakishly small feet".)  With counselling, he is expected to recover fully.


5. Nicole's Art and Music Combine

Nic's been working on a new commissioned morris dancing painting, but took time to go to Boxwood, a week-long workshop in New Zealand, where she studied flute and fiddle with three acclaimed teachers, Chris Norman, Alasdair  Fraser and Natalie Haas.

An exciting concept which had been simmering in her mind achieved clarity at Boxwood and she has started a new body of work called "Fiddle Icons".  She's planning a series of portraits of influential fiddle players and their instruments, borrowing some of the iconography of traditional Byzantine icon painting.

For more information, including a sneak peek of the first work, check out Nicole's art blog:  http://nicolemurrayartblog.blogspot.com/

6. UK 2012
April, 2012 will see us back in the United Kingdom for a seven-week tour with our schedule almost full, thanks to the wonderful work of Jacey Bedford Tour Management.

You'll find an up-to-date schedule of our gigs for this tour on our gigs page.  We'll keep updating it as more come in.

7. It's Blogtastic!
An Australian Folk Song a Day (ozfolksongaday.blogspot.com) is powering on, with 5000 visits in October and already more than 6000 in November.  A couple of illness-induced gaps have been filled, with more and more songs coming out of the woodwork.  Visit the blog, marvel at the music, ooh and aah at the extensive lyric library which is growing by the day.


8. Yes, We'll Be At Woodford.
cloudstreet  will make a couple of stealth appearances at this year's Woodford Folk Festival, performing as part of a special presentation on the Green Bans movement.  An Unlikely Alliance will also feature Peggy Seeger and a host of local talent.  You'll find this show in the Greenhouse from 6.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
We'll also be taking part in The Green Man Quest with the combined Queensland Morris sides (Saturday, Folklorica, 6.15pm.)
And of course, John will be joining the crew for the smash-hit game show, Game On in the Greenhouse, and no doubt leading his team to victory once more in the Great Comedy Debate on Saturday afternoon.
Nic is planning a full programme of workshops and will join the line-up with the fabulous Maleny Céili Band on Thursday afternoon.

9. And the National!
If you're really keen to mark a spot in your diary, cloudstreet  are booked for the 2012 National Folk Festival in Canberra at Easter.  


10. Morningsong for Brisbane Singers
We run the Morningsong Choir  in Bulimba every Friday if you find yourself at a loose end on Friday mornings.  Check out the website and come along to stretch your voice, meet some lovely people and make beautiful music together. We'll be singing through til December 16.

11. CDs make great Christmas Gifts.
For that special person in your life, what better gift than music to fill their hearts with joy, beautiful harmonies to lift their spirits and a simple way to show your good taste and support for local music.  Cloudstreet CDs are available in a variety of colours, but only one shape or size.  Visit the cloudstreet shop for the gift that sings.

12. Subscription
As always, we aim to keep our mailing list up-to-date.  If  for any reason wish to be removed from our mailing list, simply reply to this email with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject field.  Alternatively, if you prefer, you can unsubscribe yourself from our list by going to our Subscription Page and following the instructions there.

If you would like to respond to this email, simply hit reply and your mail will come to us.  Or just email us at mail@cloudstreet.org.


And remember, music makes everything better.

See you soon down the road,
Nicole and John
cloudstreet


Saturday, October 1, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Spider By The Gwydir

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Spider By The Gwydir: Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download By the sluggish River Gwydir lived a wicked redbacked spide...

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Henry's Downfall

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Henry's Downfall: Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Come all you wild and wicked youths wherever you may ...

Thursday, September 15, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Stockman

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Stockman: Words: Unknown Tune: Allan Cunningham ( A Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea )

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Bound For Darling Harbour

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Bound For Darling Harbour: Merv Lilley

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Colonial Experience

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Colonial Experience:

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Jolly Puddlers

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Jolly Puddlers: Charles Thatcher

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Mazlin's Mill

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Mazlin's Mill: Words: Unkown Tune: Traditional ( Freedom's on the Wallaby ) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to dow...

The Road Goes Ever On - Our Latest News




And now for all the news from Cloudstreet!


1. News Flash - Brisbane 
World Music Singing Workshop this weekend.
For anyone who hasn't heard yet, Nicole has organised an opportunity to sing all weekend with the inspiring Beat Lehmann, who has directed Woodford Folk Festival's 200-voice Fire Choir for the past three years. Beat collects gorgeous music from many cultures in his travels round the world, and he's teaching this fabulously uplifting material this weekend in Bardon. Here's the flyer...



2. Neurum Creek Acoustic Music Festival
One of the best little festivals we've ever been to, The Neurum Creek Music Festival combines a relaxed camping experience with one small marquee stage showing high-quality, diverse acoustic music. We were in the company of greats with the Barleyshakes (who rocked the house, mad, bad and almost totally trad), the Jar, a nine-year reunion of the PoachersInnes Campbell and Present CompanyEmma Nixon and Tony Vandermeer, The Hydrangeas, Martin Pearson  Sunas, and a surprise visit from Kristina Olsen! There was non-stop terrific music all day and evening, and then quiet sleeping time. Brilliant festival. Nearly froze at night, but the sessions round the campfires were a highlight. And we made a film clip at the festival, which we will announce proudly to all and sundry as soon as its ready.



3. And before that there was NEW ZEALAND!
In August we toured around New Zealand for two and a half weeks, meeting delightful audiences and enjoying a series of beautiful gigs in amongst driving through the spectacular countryside. There was a record cold temperature while we were there and we got to play in the snow. It wasn't in the plan, so now we own a lot more winter clothing.

New Zealand has an active folk scene (just like its got an active volcano), and we found lots of opportunities to session with lovely players, in Waikato, in Whangarei (which is pronounced Fong-ah-ray, just in case you'd like to know), in Nelson, and on the interislander ferry, where we played tunes for our passage.

The scenes of devastated buildings in Christchurch will never leave us – as we drove into the city, we saw churches with the back wall completely fallen away, a steeple sitting in the garden, and rubble everywhere. While we were in Christchurch we experienced an earthquake that reached 4.3 on the Richter scale, and this is an almost daily occurrence still for the people of Christchurch, though it no longer makes the international news. People have endured the snowy winter in temporary accommodation and under canvas. The city has changed forever.

Snow-capped mountain peaks were a feature of the whole tour (and we never stopped saying wow!) and we finished the tour with a house concert in an old school house in Taranaki, within sight of the spectacular snowy point of the volcano.

4. The week before that we were in the desert.
Cloudstreet played at the opening of the Red Earth Arts Festival in Roxby Downs, which is real desert country, full of Sturt's desert peas, uranium and opals. The town is only 26 years old and is there to service the mine, and its full of lively people who know they are there for a limited time and throw themselves into community activities. We did a crazy, chatty interview on Rox FM, saw an art exhibition, played our concert, met a jeweller and was treated to seeing her studio, and went to the nearby shanty town of Andamooka, where opals have been mined since the 1930s, and where people used to go if they wanted to disappear.



5. And before that?
Since we last chatted, we've also played in Braidwood, Canberra, Sydney and Townsville.



6. So what's next?
• Tea and Music: Between the Jigs and Reels. A concert at the State Library of Qld with Emma Nixon and Tony Vandermeer and Cloudstreet, Tuesday 27 September, 10.30am, bookings through qtix 136 246  SOLD OUT!

We've a bit of time at home over the next few weeks, before John is off again with Musica Viva in Schools, and Nicole makes another trip to New Zealand for more tunes.  Great to be home as the weather warms up.

And we're starting work on a new album!



7. Celtic Southern Cross in January

January will see us in Central Victoria to teach the Traditional Singing class at the Celtic Southern Cross Summer School (January 15-20, 2011)    This a great week of music in a delightful setting.  Treat yourself to the week of singing that you've been aching for.

This year the Singing class will involve Traditional Singing as well as a new Advanced development workshop, with each focusing on different vocal challenges.
Traditional Singing

This class will follow on from our workshop approach of the past three years, with new repertoire and exercises.
• physical and vocal warm-ups
• learn traditional songs and harmony parts
• vocal techniques
• chorus songs 
• listening to celtic traditional singers
• improvising
• the singing session
Advanced Singing - Development Workshop
A new workshop for more experienced singers, looking for a more detailed technical challenge.
• share warm-up and repertoire activities with intermediate group in the morning
• participants are requested to bring a piece of traditional repertoire to develop into a performance piece with other class members in two, three or four part harmony
• focus on tone production, dynamics, performance skills, pitch matching, phrasing, expression.

For more details and bookings, visit Music Under the Southern Cross.



8. It's Blogalossal!
John's blog, An Australian Folk Song a Day (ozfolksongaday.blogspot.com) is going from strength to strength, passing the 30 000 visit mark a couple of weeks ago.  (He's busy catching up today after 3 days of voice-loss).  Visit the blog, marvel at the music, ooh and aah at the extensive lyric library which is now available to both all and sundry.



9. Subscription
If you've received this email in error (particularly if you've already unsubscribed, we apologise)  As always, we aim to keep our mailing list up-to-date.  If  for any reason wish to be removed from our mailing list, simply reply to this email with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject field.  Alternatively, if you prefer, you can unsubscribe yourself from our list by going to our Subscription Page and following the instructions there.

If you would like to respond to this email, simply hit reply and your mail will come to us.  Or just email us at mail@cloudstreet.org.




May the music keep coming.

See you soon down the road,
Nicole and John
cloudstreet

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Friday, September 2, 2011

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Monday, August 22, 2011

Friday, August 19, 2011

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Monday, August 15, 2011

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Friday, August 5, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Devil-May-Care

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Devil-May-Care: "Words: Will H Ogilvie Tune: Traditional ( Villikins and his Dinah ) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to downloa..."

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Irishman's Goldmine

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Irishman's Goldmine: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download 'Twas a long time ago, just how long I don't know, S..."

Monday, August 1, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Ballad of the Drover

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Ballad of the Drover: "Words: Henry Lawson Tune: Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Across the stony ridges,..."

Saturday, July 30, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Union Boy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Union Boy: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download When I first arrived in Quirindi, those girls they ju..."

Friday, July 29, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Leaving Nancy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Leaving Nancy: "Eric Bogle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download In comes the train and the whole platform shakes, It s..."

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Nine Miles From Gundagai

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Nine Miles From Gundagai: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I'm used to punching bullock teams across the hills an..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Nine Miles From Gundagai

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Nine Miles From Gundagai: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I'm used to punching bullock teams across the hills an..."

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Cockies of Bungaree

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Cockies of Bungaree: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Come all you weary travellers that's out of work just min..."

Monday, July 25, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Four Little Johnny Cakes

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Four Little Johnny Cakes: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Hurrah for the Lachlan, boys, and join me in a cheer..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Four Little Johnny Cakes

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Four Little Johnny Cakes: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Hurrah for the Lachlan, boys, and join me in a cheer..."

Friday, July 22, 2011

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: John Kanaka

An Australian Folk Song A Day: John Kanaka: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I heard, I heard, the old man say, John Kanaka-naka ..."

Monday, July 18, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Big Gun Shearer

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Big Gun Shearer: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Well the new chum toils with heart and soul, Shearin..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Big Gun Shearer

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Big Gun Shearer: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Well the new chum toils with heart and soul, Shearin..."

Friday, July 15, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Maggie May

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Maggie May: "Anonymous Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Oh come along all you sailor boys and listen to my pl..."

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Widgegoweera Joe

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Widgegoweera Joe: "Tully (?) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I'm only a back-blocks shearer, as easily can be seen..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Dying Fettler

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Dying Fettler: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download A strapping young fettler lay dying, With a shovel suppo..."

Sunday, July 10, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Wild Colonial Boy (2)

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Wild Colonial Boy (2): "Anonymous Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download There was a wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doolan was his nam..."

Saturday, July 9, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Who Wouldn't Be A Digger

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Who Wouldn't Be A Digger: "Words: Charles Thatcher Tune: Rev. E Bradley Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download A decided stop t..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Wild Colonial Boy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Wild Colonial Boy: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download There was a wild colonial boy, Jack Donahoe by name..."

Friday, July 8, 2011

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Damper And Tea

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Damper And Tea: "Words: PS Raphael Tune: Trad ( The Maid of Llangollen ) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Thoug..."

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Dying Stockman

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Dying Stockman: "Words: Horace Flower Tune: Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download A strapping young stockman lay d..."

Sunday, July 3, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Stringybark Creek

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Stringybark Creek: "Anonymous Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download A Sergeant and three constables set out from Mansfiel..."

Friday, July 1, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Little Gomez

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Little Gomez: "Eric Bogle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Oh, I used to have a doggie and I called him little ..."

Thursday, June 30, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Keg of Rum

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Keg of Rum: "Anonymous Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download My name is old Jack Palmer, and I once dug for gold A..."

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Monday, June 27, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Poor Ned

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Poor Ned: "Trevor Lucas Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Eighteen-hundred and seventy-eight Was the year I..."

Sunday, June 26, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Poor Ned Kelly

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Poor Ned Kelly: "Smiling Billy Blinkhorn Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Let me tell you all a story of a bad m..."

Friday, June 24, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Ronald Ryan

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Ronald Ryan: "Mark Cryle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Ronald Ryan was the poor bastard son of a drunken mine..."

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Cabbage-Tree Hat

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Cabbage-Tree Hat: "Words: Unknown Tune: Henry Russell ( The Ivy Green ) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download There..."

Monday, June 20, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Love's Request

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Love's Request: "Words: Unknown Tune: Nicolo ( We Have Lived and Loved Together ) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download ..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Fanny Bay

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Fanny Bay: "Words: Unknown Tune: Dr Arthur Collahan Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download With a couple of little..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Leaving the Land

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Leaving the Land: "Eric Bogle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download It's time to go now, Jenny, no ne..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Leaving the Land

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Leaving the Land: "Eric Bogle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download It's time to go now, Jenny, no ne..."

Thursday, June 16, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Down in the Goldmine

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Down in the Goldmine: "Words: Unknown Tune: Joseph Bryan Geoghegan Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Coolgardie folk reme..."

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Convict Maid

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Convict Maid: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Ye London maids attend to me While I relate my mis..."

Monday, June 13, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Way Down Eurobin

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Way Down Eurobin: "Words: Stan Dean Tunes: Swanee River Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Way down Eurobin, Ovens..."

Thursday, June 9, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Terrorist Song

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Terrorist Song: "Words: John Dengate Tune: Trad (The Knickerbocker Line) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download As..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Death of Ben Hall

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Death of Ben Hall: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Come all Australia's son to me, a hero has been sl..."

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Saturday, May 28, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Holy Dan

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Holy Dan: "Words: Unknown Tune: John Thompson Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download It was in the Queensland dr..."

Friday, May 27, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: A Bushman's Song

An Australian Folk Song A Day: A Bushman's Song: "Words: AB Paterson Tune: Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I'm travellin' down the Cast..."

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Bullock Dray

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Bullock Dray: "Trad Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Oh! the shearing is all over and the wool is coming down..."

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Australian folk song a day: black sheep

http://ozfolksongaday.blogspot.com/2011/05/black-sheep.html


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Monday, May 23, 2011

Sunday, May 22, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Bluey Brink

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Bluey Brink: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download There once was a shearer by name Bluey Brink A devil fo..."

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Cane Killed Abel

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Cane Killed Abel: "Words: Merv Lilley Tune: Chris Kempster Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I was a cane cutter,..."

Friday, May 13, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The F-111

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The F-111: "Words: Lyell Sayer Tune: Traditional (Johnny Lad) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Now, Mr Robe..."

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Cloudstreet: Artist of the Year



We were delighted to be presented with the Artist of the Year Award at this year's Mount Beauty Music Festival in Northern Victoria. The award was decided based on audience surveys from the 2010 festival. This win led to us returning to the festival this year.

A great time was had by all.

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Marching Song of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Marching Song of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade: "Words: Unknown Tune: Trad (Marching Through Georgia) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download We’re..."

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ham Fat Man

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ham Fat Man: "Words: Walter Cassell Tune: Traditional ( The Cuckoo's Nest ) Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download ..."

Monday, May 9, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ryebuck Shearer

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ryebuck Shearer: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I come from the south and my name is Field And when ..."

Sunday, May 8, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Bark Hut

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Bark Hut: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Oh, my name is Bob the Swagman before you all I stand An..."

Friday, May 6, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Swagman's Dream

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Swagman's Dream: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Twas in the lovely Queensland bush, a worn out swagman ..."

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Now I'm Easy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Now I'm Easy: "Eric Bogle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download For nearly sixty years I've been a cocky Of droughts ..."

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sunday, May 1, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Billy of Tea

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Billy of Tea: "Words: Unknown Tune: Bonnie Dundee Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download You can talk of your whiskey..."

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Thursday, April 28, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Maryborough Miner

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Maryborough Miner: "Unknown, with words based on T he Murrumbidgee Shearer by Banjo Paterson. Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to d..."

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Fine Young Men

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Fine Young Men: "Words: Eric Bogle Music: John Munro Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download They told all the fine you..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Les Darcy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Les Darcy: "Newton and Warener Chappeli Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Roll up ! roll up ! and see the sh..."

Sunday, April 24, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Across the Western Plains

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Across the Western Plains: "Traditional . Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download CHORUS: It's all for me grog my jolly jolly grog Al..."

Saturday, April 23, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Pauline Hanson Song

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Pauline Hanson Song: "Martin Pearson Performed by Martin Pearson & John Thompson. From their second album, Never The Twain: Live at the Pod . Pauline Hanson ..."

Thursday, April 21, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Song of Artesian Water

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Song of Artesian Water: "Words: AB Paterson Tune: The Overlanders Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Now the stock have sta..."

Monday, April 18, 2011

Saturday, April 16, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ballad of 1891

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ballad of 1891: "Words: Helen Palmer Music: Doreen Jacobs Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download The price of wool was ..."

Friday, April 15, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Bump Me Into Parliament

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Bump Me Into Parliament: "Words: Bill Casey Tune: Yankee Doodle Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Come listen all kind frie..."

Thursday, April 14, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Border Fence

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Border Fence: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I work on the border fence, a boundary rider's mission And..."

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Irishman's Song

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Irishman's Song: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Sure it's just about ten years ago as near as I can tell ..."

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Sergeant Small

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Sergeant Small: "Tex Morton, Brad Tate, Terry Boylan Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download went broke in western Queen..."

Monday, April 11, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Ye Sons of Australia

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Ye Sons of Australia: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Ye sons of Australia forget not your braves, Bring the wil..."

Sunday, April 10, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Woolloomoolloo Lair

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Woolloomoolloo Lair: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download On the day that I was born, it was a cold & a frosty m..."

Saturday, April 9, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: My Old Black Billy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: My Old Black Billy: "Words: Edward Harrington. Music. Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download I've humped my bluey ..."

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Andy's Gone With Cattle

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Andy's Gone With Cattle: "Words: Henry Lawson Tune: Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Our Andy's gone to battle ..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Burke & Wills

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Burke & Wills: "Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download When Burke and Wills left Melbourne, ten thousand came to ..."

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Lime Juice Tub

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Lime Juice Tub: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download When shearing comes lay down your drums Step on the b..."

Sunday, April 3, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Kelly Gang

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Kelly Gang: "Words: Traditional Tune: The Wearing of the Green. Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Oh, Paddy dea..."

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Whisper Low

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Whisper Low: "Words: Will H Ogilvie Tune: Unknown Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download We have rowed together at ev..."

Monday, March 28, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Euabalong Ball

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Euabalong Ball: "Traditional. Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Oh who hasn't heard of Euabalong Ball Where the lads o..."

Saturday, March 26, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The London Apprentice Boy

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The London Apprentice Boy: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download Twas on the eighth of last July, My love to me did say 'C..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Doing Time

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Doing Time: "Traditional Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download It's a bitter day of sorrow When you drink the cup of sh..."

Sunday, March 20, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: No More Boomerang

An Australian Folk Song A Day: No More Boomerang: "Words: Oodgeroo Noonuccal Tune: Phyl Lobl Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download No more boomerang no more..."

Saturday, March 19, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: It's On

An Australian Folk Song A Day: It's On: "Don Henderson Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Right-click to download A sad story you'll hear if you listen to me, About tw..."

Friday, March 4, 2011

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: On The Queensland Railway Line

An Australian Folk Song A Day: On The Queensland Railway Line: "Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc On the Queensland railway lines There are stations where one dines Private individuals Also run..."

Monday, February 28, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Reedy River

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Reedy River: "Words: Henry Lawson Tune: Chris Kempster Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Ten miles down Reedy River, a pool of water lies And..."

Sunday, February 27, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Flash Jack From Gundagai

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Flash Jack From Gundagai: "Trad. Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc I've shore at Burrabogie and I've shore at Toganmain I've shore at Big Willandra and out..."

Saturday, February 26, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ballad of Johnny Golden

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ballad of Johnny Golden: "Words: Sigerson Clifford Tune: John Thompson Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc Let Kerry's sons remember well the men who marc..."

Friday, February 25, 2011

Thursday, February 24, 2011

News from the West

By Road, Rail and Air


This latest update finds us in Western Australia where we've had a week of family catch-up and some unexpected lying about....

1. Not as mobile as you might think

On the 30th of January, John arrived home. Sandy and Suzanna being about to flee overseas to Morocco, we'd moved in, in anticipation of taking over the house in their absence. An important rule: THE CAT MUST REMAIN INDOORS. John was surprised on opening the studio, to see the cat race past him and into the building. He valiantly gave chase. Upstairs he flew in hot pursuit. And downstairs again. Distracted by the fact that he was on the phone to Nicole at the time, his judgement was not at its most acute. Hoping to beat the cat to the door (which he had thoughtfully left open), he jumped the last three steps. "Ow", he thought. As the cat disappeared into the night, John found that he had developed an uncharacteristic hobble. "Drat" he exclaimed. Nicole helpfully suggested that he call her back when he'd sorted himself out. Cunningly, John put his foot in the pool and phoned an ambulance. The nice man gave him morphine. "Huzzah! A fractured calcaneus", declared the humourless one at the hospital. Suitably crutched, John returned home where he's been laid up ever since.


2. But still we journey forth

Not to be deterred, we left Brisbane last week, flew to Sydney, and had some lovely gigs (Fairlight Folk and a house concert in the Blue Mountains). Nicole earned herself a gold ribbon for extraordinary lugging (John discovering that while crutches enable you to move about, they do no allow you to carry anything while you do).

And next we boarded the Indian Pacific and travelled to Perth. 3 nights on board the train, playing for an hour or two each day as Australia zoomed past. An amazing experience which we will repeat in reverse from Sunday.



3. Upcoming Gigs

We arrive back in Sydney on Wednesday, March 2 and perform that night at the wonderful Humph Hall:

Wednesday, 2 March, 7pm
Humph Hall
85 Allambie Road,
Allambie Heights
$25/15
Bookings: 9939 8802
wayne@humph.org
www.humphhall.org

And then we're back to Brisbane on Thursday. While our cloudstreet and friends 2011 concert has been postponed until July, we'll be taking part in a special concert at the Irish Club on Saturday, March 5. As well as a short set from cloudstreet, John will be master of ceremonies for the evening. While the concert is a birthday celebration for Emma Nixon (leader of the Brisbane Celtic Fiddle Club), all are welcome. It promises to be a fabulous night. Here are the details:


Singing Strings
A Special Concert to Celebrate Emma Nixon's Birthday
With Emma Nixon and Tony Vandermeer
cloudstreet
The String Contingent
Sunas
Innes Campbell and Present Company
The Brisbane Celtic Filddle Club
Queensland Irish Club
$20/15 (family tickets $50)



4. The Blog Goes Ever On

An Australian Folk Song a Day (ozfolksongaday.blogspot.com) is John's new blog. Like it says on the tin, each day for a year, John will be posting a recording of an Australian folk song. The collection so far includes multi-tracked vocals, unaccompanied pieces as well as some with guitar or concertina accompaniment. The first 30 songs are online now. Thanks to everyone who's been following the blog and offering their comments and support.

For the Mac fans among you, John has added a second media-player link to the entries on the blog so that iPhone and iPad users can access the audio files.

And then in Brisbane

Coming up in Sydney

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Palmer Song

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Old Palmer Song: "Trad. Non-flash audio for iPhone, iPad etc The wind is fair and free, my boys, the wind is fair and free The steamer's course is nort..."

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Stockman's Last Bed

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Stockman's Last Bed: "Trad. Be ye stockmen or no, to my story give ear. Alas! for poor Jack, no more shall we hear The crack of his stockwhip, his steed's l..."

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Catalpa

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Catalpa: "Trad. A noble whale ship and commander Called the Catalpa, they say Came out to Western Australia And took six poor Fenians away C..."

Monday, February 21, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Farewell to Greta

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Farewell to Greta: "Trad: Farewell my home in Greta now my sisters fare thee well It breaks my heart that we must part but here I dare not dwell The bra..."

Sunday, February 20, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Australia's Answer

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Australia's Answer: "Words: W.T.Sievey Music: J.B.Connolly When the call went forth from England, For men to raise the flag, Australia's sons were r..."

Friday, February 18, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Indian Pacific

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Indian Pacific: "Slim Dusty From coast to coast by night and day, hear the clickin' of the wheels The hummin' of the diesel, of her ribbons of steel ..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ballad of Eureka

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Ballad of Eureka: "Words: Helen Palmer Tune: Doreen Jacobs 1950 They're leaving ship and station, They're leaving bench and fold, And pouring out from..."

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Diamantina Drover

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Diamantina Drover: "Hugh McDonald The faces in the photograph have faded And I can't believe he looks so much like me For it's been ten years today Since ..."

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: I Can't Abide

An Australian Folk Song A Day: I Can't Abide: "Trad/John Dengate I can't abide the government's front bench, send them away to the Germans or the French I can't abide Costello's sh..."

Monday, February 14, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Fremantle Gaol

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Fremantle Gaol: "Trad. Now beware all you wayward young fellows, Take heed of my sorrowful tale; Transported to Western Australia For a convict in Frem..."

Sunday, February 13, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Bullockies' Ball

An Australian Folk Song A Day: The Bullockies' Ball: "Trad. The teams were camped along the gully, soon the news flew round about Plans were worked out by Pat Skulley, to give the boys a g..."

Saturday, February 12, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Weevils in the Flour

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Weevils in the Flour: "Words: Dorothy Hewett Tune: Mark Leydon (1965) On an island in a river How that bitter river ran I grew on scraps of charity In the ..."

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Click Go The Shears

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Click Go The Shears: "Trad. Click go the shears boys, click, click, click, Wide is his blow and his hands move quick, The ringer looks around and is beaten ..."

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Clancy of the Overflow

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Clancy of the Overflow: "Andrew Barton Paterson ('Banjo') I had written him a letter which I had, for want of better Knowledge, sent to where I met him down t..."

Monday, February 7, 2011

Friday, February 4, 2011

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Justice On The Mines

An Australian Folk Song A Day: Justice On The Mines: "Another anonymous gem from the Big Book Of Australian Folk Songs. The day it was wet and the court it had met And His Worship was livel..."

Thursday, January 6, 2011

A beautiful message to receive - fruitcake

This email arrived in the inbox today.


Dear John,

It was on New Year's Day and possibly after one of your last gigs for Woodford that I gave you some of our Christmas cake by way of thanks for all your's and Nicole's wonderful music throughout the Woodford Festival. We were both somewhat sleep deprived so I doubt you would remember much of the conversation but I appreciated the pause and chat. You asked if I would send you the recipe.You will find it attached below.


I thought I would also share a few of its stories....as all good recipes have stories too.

This recipe originated stuck to the bottom of the 10 inch gold-coloured aluminium cake tin my Mum bought when she was first married, not sure if it was in their first year but sometime around 1960. She has made a christmas cake using it (and the tin) almost every year since. Adding to and changing it a little here and there along the way. I know one year she thought the mixture a little dry so she added the orange juice. At some point the tablespoon of marmalade made its way in as well. Along with the dried pineapple, apricots and ginger.


I made my first christmas cake using her recipe in 1987. I remember it well as my partner and I were sharing a house with some friends in West End. It was on the night of one of the early Boundary St Festivals. I had made the cake and put it in the oven around 7pm and we all went wandering around the festival (nice safe practice leaving an oven on in an old queenslander!!) My Mum's recipe said it takes about 3 hours to cook so I was thinking yeah by 10pm it should be done. We arrived home and it was a long way from cooked. We made a pot of tea, and another, some went to bed and at midnight I decided to do the same. The cake was still not quite cooked so I turned the oven right up to get some heat into it and then turned it off.


The resulting cake was so delicious that it began my own practice of the "slow cooked Christmas cake" I now always cook my fruit cakes on a very low heat for somewhere between 10 and 12 hours the longer I can stretch it out the better. The one you had a sample of was a little quicker at around 9!..the heat in my old oven is a little harder to read these days. My partner still shakes his head if my cakes go into the oven any time after lunch, fearing another late night of cake sitting!


Along the way I haven't changed the recipe much, more the methodology. I've adjusted the quantities for a 10 inch tin and am probably a little more generous than my Mum with the rum!...I weigh my oz. and add a splash more! and I often end up soaking the fruit for a few weeks rather than overnight because I get busy or am waiting for a cooler day to bake. I always like to make it at least a month early so it has time to sit. Last year I had made one in August for my Mother-in-Law's 80th Birthday only to find her sister had made one as well. So I "cellared" mine away for Christmas..a good 4 mths! ..a fine vintage was 2009. This year the fruit soaked for about 4 weeks and the cake got to sit for about the same.


Another little tradition I enjoy is visiting a property I know in the Tallebudgera Valley in the winter where I have discovered some old, gnarled Seville Orange trees and a couple of Bush Lemon trees. We go for a picnic. Climb up the creek to the waterfall, laze around in the sun and then wander back down to collect fruit which we later use to brew up the most devine marmalade. I really love the years when I can use that marmalade in my christmas cake. Sadly this wasn't one of them, life (and Jack doing Yr 12!) just kept getting in the way of such frivolous pursuits! Hopefully in 2011 we will once again visit the trees.


So that is just a few of this recipe's stories. I have, like my Mum made a Christmas cake most years since 1987. Not quite all. I've also used the recipe for the odd wedding cake. My most ambitious was a 3 tier....6, 8 and 10 inch..much maths involved!! Many a person has enjoyed a piece at our kitchen table with a pot of tea, and we usually always take some with us to Woodford.


I guess you could say that if it all began in 1960 this was the recipe's Golden Jubilee Year!

Thanks again for all your wonderful music and in particular for a song I never grew tired of. (The Wooden Spoon of course) ..being the cook in this generation of the family.


We are hoping to make it to The Upfront Club this Saturday, a small celebration for my other son's 21st. I have booked, just depends if this persistent rain does anything crazy with the roads between Brisbane and there!


All the best for 2011.


Cheers

Lyn





Lyn’s Mum’s Christmas/Celebration Cake Recipe (for a 9 inch Square cake tin)


Ingredients:

1400g Mixed Fruit (I get all the dried fruits from Mick’s Nuts in West End!)

4 oz Cherries (Red and Green)

3 oz Dried Apricots (chopped)

3 oz Dried Pineapple (chopped)

3 oz Glazed Ginger (chopped)

6 oz chopped Nuts (I use a mixture of slivered almonds and walnuts)

Generous 3 oz Rum or Brandy (I’ve always used rum)

12 oz Butter (no margarine here!!)

12 oz Brown Sugar

6 Eggs (I use organic)

1 lge tablespoon good marmalade

1 lge tablespoon treacle

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

14 oz Plain Flour (organic unbleached plain white flour, also from Mick’s !)

4 oz S.R. Flour (I use above flour with baking powder added)

½ teaspoon Salt

Juice and grated rind of 1 small orange

Method:

*Put all the dried fruits and nuts in a bowl and mix well with the rum. Cover with cling wrap and soak overnight or longer.

*Prepare tin (see after recipe for details)

*Sift together flours, spices and salt and set aside

*Using a mix-master cream butter and sugar well

* Add eggs, one at a time. You may need to add a little of the flour to the mixture as you get towards the last couple of eggs as the mixture may start to look a little “curdled”.

* Add treacle and marmalade.

* At this point it’s usually good to transfer from mixing bowl to a larger container (I usually use my big boiler saucepan….the one I make marmalade in)

* Gradually fold in Fruit and Flour/Spice mixture alternately. I add about ¼ of the fruit and sprinkle enough flour over it so that the fruit is well coated with the flour and then fold this into the wet mixture. This helps the fruit to stay well distributed in the cake rather than sinking to the bottom as it cooks.

* Continue adding fruit and flour in this way until all combined. (it’s a good workout by the end!)

* Finally add the orange juice and rind

* Spread mixture into tin taking care it is spread well into all the corners.

* cover with brown paper and the “foil lid”

* bake at 300 deg (F) for 3 hours, testing ½ hourly after 2 hours (Mum’s directions) .

* Or ....Slow Bake at ?? 80 deg (F), my oven dial no longer has readable temperature markings!! I call it “10 o’clock” on the dial! basically very cool or should that be slightly warm? for 8 or more hours. Start testing after about 6….just to keep an eye on things.

* Towards the end of cooking (last ½ to 1 hour in slow baked) it’s sometimes good to remove the top layers of brown paper and just have the foil lid. This lets it brown nicely on top.

*Once cooked turn the oven off and allow cake to cool in the oven. Once cooled remove from tin but leave all the foil and paper on. In our family the tradition is to wrap it in a towel and store in an airtight container. I’m sure you could just wrap another layer of foil and do the same!


Lining the Tin:

My Mum taught me to line the tin as follows. I’ve always done it this way to prevent burning but there are probably other ways as well!

*First line the tin with a layer of foil making the edges of the foil come an inch or 2 above the side of the tin.( I usually grease the tin lightly so the foil sticks to it and stays in place)

* Line the bottom of the tin with 4 layers of brown paper (again lightly greased so they stick together) Grease the last layer a little more.

* Line the sides of the tin with 2 layers of brown paper (also greased)

* Once mixture is in tin cover the top with 2 layers of greased brown paper and then make a foil “lid” to sit over the top of the tin. The extra height of the foil lining will help the lid to sit high off the cake.

…….My handwritten recipe from Mum has diagrams of all this! Hopefully the written instructions make sense!

……Please forgive all my little extra bits, but there is a recipe and then there are all its nuances!



The view from cloudstreet

A t-shirt idea from George Jackson. The facebook post has prompted a lot of discussion.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Jolly Solstice & Beyond

Happy New Year This update finds us back in Australia after a busy tour in the UK, a hectic house-finding mission, a squishy Woodford, and a busy time preparing for that which lies ahead...



1. The Past 3 Months


After making it back to a soggy Australia, John was straight back into Spooky Men's business while we both started looking for a new home. We decided that our beautiful home in the mountains was just too small for all that we had in store and so before heading off on our last UK trip, we packed up and put our lives in Australia into storage. On our return, we regrouped and began the hunt, scouring the Sunshine Coast and surrounds for our new home. The going was tough, and eventually we concluded that it might be time to move back to Brisbane. After our first day of searching, we stayed with friends in Brisbane and soon realized that theirs was the house we had been looking for. What luck that they are planning to move to Morocco for a couple of years, in March. And so we have moved to The Gap -a delightful development.


We're settling into life in the big smoke once again, marvelling at such urban accoutrements as public transport, traffic lights and loads of good friends.




2. We Rocked Woodford!


This year's Woodford Folk Festival was an amazing experience for cloudstreet, with Erin Sulman from The Barleyshakes joining us on drums and the wonderful Rebecca Wright returning on cello and voice. We had a complete blast, especially on the final night when we joined Sunas and a couple of other special friends on stage for a concertina/fiddle/flute/cello/bouzouki/mandolin/percussion extravaganza.


And as always, we lashed out in other directions too, with John again joining the crew on his comedy panel show, Game On (click here to see the opening credits of this year's show), and Nicole joining The Brisbane Celtic Fiddle Club as well as the newly-formed Maleny Ceili Band!




3. CD prices cut


The Aussie dollar is booming and so, due to the crazy financial climate, we've decided to drop our CD prices. All of our CDs are now available from our website (www.cloudstreet.org/shop.html) for only A$25. We'll include postage to anywhere in the world in this price. Or if downloads are your thing, you can find us on iTunes by following this link.




4. Cloudstreet & Friends 2011


Come and see us in Brisbane in February when we have some wonderful friends joining us for a great night's entertainment. Our third cloudstreet and friends concert will feature Sunas and the wonderful Cider House and will be held at the Tribal Theatre in George Street, Brisbane on Saturday, 5 February from 7 pm. Tickets are on sale at a family-friendly $25 ($20 concession) and will be available at the door or by pre-booking through Oztix (booking fee applies).



5. More Upcoming Gigs


At the end of the week, we're off to Central Victoria for the Music Under the Southern Cross Summer School where we'll be working with the Traditional Singing class. We're looking forward to what is always an amazing week of music and fun.

Full details of our other gigs are on our gigs page, but here's a teaser of what we have planned:


Saturday 8 January, The Upfront Club - Maleny,Qld. www.upfrontclub.org

Sunday 16 January, Melbourne House Concert - West Preston, Vic. ph.9478 0130 for details and bookings


Saturday 12 February, Fairlight Folk - 3 William Street, Fairlight, NSW. http://www.fairlightfolk.com/index.htm

Sunday 13 February, Blue Mountains House Concert - Lawson, NSW. Ph. (02) 4759 1916 for details and bookings

Saturday 26 February, Wanneroo House Concert - Western Australia, email Rob at r.phillips@murdoch.edu.au for details


Wednesday, 2 March, Humph Hall - 85 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights NSW 2100, www.humphhall.org



6. There's Another Train - cloudstreet and the Indian Pacific


Inspired by a similar Canadian scheme, Great Southern Rail have introduced their Travelling Performers' Program. We'll be travelling from Perth to Sydney on the Indian Pacific in February, paying our way by playing along the way.

We're thrilled at the opportunity (especially because it means that we'll be able to play Down in the Goldmine at Kalgoorlie). If you fancy coming along, check out the Indian Pacific website. Or if you're a performer reading this and think such a gig might suit you, email Michael McGuire at mmaguire@gsr.com.au.





7. Across the Pond


Some more good news has come our way from the USA. Rich Warren of the nationally syndicated Midnight Special show out of Chicago (www.midnightspecial.org) has named The Circus of Desires as one of his top CDs of 2010. He picked 8 favourites this year out of 900 submissions. Here's what he had to say -


Cloudstreet: The Circus of Desires (self 06) (cloudstreet.org)

This Australian duet of Nicole Murray and John Thompson combines the

best of traditional and contemporary with a highly varied repertoire

from old English ballads to Australian folk songs and compositions to

new English ballads. The originals on this CD sparkle with true

originality. Their voices work splendidly together for a lively and

engrossing performance.


We also made the FolkDJ lists of Top Artists of 2010 (just behind Luka Bloom) and Top Albums of 2010 (based on 161 868 airplays from 195 different DJs compiled by Richard Gillman). Yay!





8. An audio snippet


At a recent Sauna Club gathering, Rastas recorded our post-dinner musickings and posted the results on his audio blog. To have a listen, follow this link (http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/13333).


Love from home,


John and Nic