A RIVER MURRAY MYSTERY

Environment SA

The song known as ‘A Nautical Yarn’ has always been a bit of a mystery. A parody of the shipwreck songs so popular in the Victorian era, this one is set on the Murray River. It begins:

I sing of a capting who’s well known to fame;
A naval commander, Bill Jinks is his name.
Who sailed where the Murray’s clear waters do flow,
Did this freshwater shellback, with his Yeo heave a yeo…

Stephen Whiteside throws some light on the mystery here.

The song has been recorded by many performers, including Burl Ives, John Thompson and Bush Gothic and you can near Warren Hardiman and Dick Bromhead doing a nice version here.

NARIEL CREEK, 1971 – ON THE TELLY!

The ABC has unearthed from its cavernous archives some footage of Con Klippel and all at the Nariel Creek Black and White Folk Festival of 1971. This treasure, complete with interviews with Con and a gum leaf solo, has been posted here on the Facebook page of Australian Folk and Roots Community Forum.

JIVING ON JUNETEENTH

Juneteenth celebration in 1900 at Eastwoods Park. (Austin History Center via NMAAHC)

Here’s an intriguing ensemble for the Ghost Music files. Juneteenth is a folk anniversary on June 19 marking the end of US slavery. Most states have now made it an official holiday, though for much of its history it flew mostly under the radar. This group was photographed at the 1900 observation in Austin, Texas.

With that line-up you wonder what sort of music they were making. If I had to guess, I’d say some early jazz, blues and the dance hits of the time. Oh, to have been there!

Article about Juneteenth at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/juneteenth-our-other-independence-day-16340952/

ALL THE PRETTY WALTZES - NEW RELEASE

This new CD contains twenty-four tunes of beautiful traditional waltzes, mazurkas, varsoviennas and schottisches. 

Collected by Dave and Julie Gittus over thirty years, they include many traditional Australian dance tunes. Long-time friend Ian White provides backing on banjo and guitar.

The tunes include collected arrangements by Dave De Hugard, Maurie Gervesoni and the late Jacko Kevins.

The album is available at: 

https://thethreefourtimers.bandcamp.com/album/all-the-pretty-waltzes 

or by contacting the artists directly via this email address: 

davegittus@bigpond.com