BROOKTON

MUSIC MIX

West Australian Folk Federation Inc

 

SMOKE FREE WA

BROOKTON MUSIC MIX 2006

WEST AUSTRALIAN FOLK FEDERATION SONGWRITING CONTEST AWARDS

The West Australian Folk Federation Songwriting winners were announced at the SmokeFree WA Brookton Music Mix on 4th November.

In the Folk Category the winning song was ‘Winnipeg in Winter’ by Alan Mann. Equal runners-up were Jane Cornes for ‘Take me to my Country’ and Geoff and Margaret Morgan for ‘Shearwater’.

Craig Sinclair took off first prize in the Blues category for ‘Downstream Blues’. Andy McManus and Greg Cunningham received runner-up award for ‘Brother Alcohol’.

Special thanks to our sponsors – Zenith Music, Claremont, WA for winning prize of a guitar and amplifier. Trad & Now for runner-up prizes of a years subscription of Trad & Now magazine.

Thank you to all the songwriters who sent in entries. There were many outstanding songs and the judges had a difficult time in both the folk and blues categories to select the final awards.

SMOKE FREE WA BROOKTON MUSIC MIX 2006

Review by Carmel Charlton

On 3rd, 4th & 5th November 110 performers descended on the picturesque town of Brookton. There was a great mix of music, dance and verse in this ‘City meets Country’ weekend. The weekend was run by the West Australian Folk Federation with the assistance of sponsors Healthway promoting healthy activities. Events included concerts in the town hall and old railway station, bush poetry in a shearing shed, a gospel concert in St. Mark’s heritage church and music at the two traditional country hotels.

The streetscape came to life at the local fete with Souleiado French Dance Group encouraging the audience to join in. Further along the street ‘Pat Softly’ with ‘loud’ friends took a look at the golden age of WA railways in song, story and verse.

There were many memorable performances. Among them were the highly original a cappella vocal and percussion ensemble ‘Summerhouse’. Their repertoire took the audience from the spirit of Africa to the heart of the Blues Mountains. They had the audience spellbound with their amazing sound and harmonies.

Both locals and visitors packed St. Mark’s heritage Church for the Gospel concert. It is always a highlight and this year was no exception. Jenny Donovan and ‘HarmonyUs’ gave the audience free reign to lift the rafters with their voices and ‘feel the spirit’.

D’Jangle (Andy McManus and Greg Cunningham) with their original blues/roots on banjo, slide guitar, harmonia and stomp box played to a relaxed crowd each day at the Bedford Arms Hotel. The ‘Big Mix Concert’ included performances from Salvation Jane (Margaret Shiers and Peter Blankendaal from Bunbury). Peter’s honest and eloquent songs and Margaret’s soulful vocals and passionate delivery had the audience thirsting to hear more from this duo.

‘Working Voices’ choir under the direction of Bernard Carney wowed the audience with their fine vocal harmonies and songs of social justice. After many long distance rehearsals ‘Sound Travels’ - nine women from city and great southern shook the boards in the Brookton Town Hall with their high energy African drumming percussion and vocals.

Craig Sinclair with his soulful brand of contemporary folk blues, crisp fingerstyle playing, smooth voice and finely crafted songs left everyone in no doubt that this talented artist has a bright future.

At Brookton Sally Gaunt organised ‘Bush Poetry’ in a farm shearing shed. With inspiring views, authentic farm smells, swallows in the rafters there couldn’t have been a more appropriate location to listen to the delightful poems from Sally, Pat O’Leary, Trish Kotai- Ewers and Jacqui O’Leary.

Rob Oats on sound got the thumbs up from all the artists and compere’s - Megan Brennan, Jane Laws and Jenny Donovan kept the concerts moving with their considerable verbal skills.

Feedback from our survey was very positive. “Best thing that ever happens in our town” was a local response and from a visitor “What a great mix of wonderful music, so much talent, I am in awe”. There were lots of favourite acts with specific mention. Every performance was of a high standard and the WA Folk Federation thanks each performer for their contribution. The assistance of volunteers over the weekend was vital to this success and is greatly appreciated.

We received numerous requests for an annual event in Brookton. This is financially feasible as the event ran almost exactly at break-even and some fine tuning will make it even more successful. An essential requirement is for at least three volunteers to join our Music Mix committee to assist with organising, promotion and running the event. We MUST have committed people almost immediately to have funding submissions in by the mid January deadline; otherwise there will be NO Brookton Music Mix 2007. Performers have the most to gain by promotion through festivals and will benefit even more by experience in event management. Please contact carmel@carmelcharlton.com

The WA Folk Federation thanks Healthway for their sponsorship of Smoke Free WA Brookton Music Mix 2006. A survey question achieved 100% response for our sponsor’s health message along with a number of positive comments supporting this theme.

Congratulations to everyone involved.

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www.healthway.wa.gov.au

WEST AUSTRALIAN FOLK FEDERATION INC.