WHO CALLED THE COOK A BASTARD? - PODCAST

Lunch in the bush, near Warwick, ca.1893. State Library Qld.

They were called ‘bait-layers’, ‘babbling brooks’ and much worse by the bush workers and soldiers who had to endure their offerings. The traditions of Australian cooking also include pioneering women who made do with whatever they could get from the bush and their own ingenuity. Iguana-tail curry, anyone?

Listen to the podcast here.

MORE BUSHRANGER BALLAD PUZZLES

William Strutt, 'Bushrangers, Victoria, Australia, 1852' (detail), 1887, oil on canvas, The University of Melbourne Art Collection, gift of the Russell and Mab Grimwade Bequest, 1973

Sandra Nixon continues to excavate the extensive archives of the Sydney Bush Music Club. Her latest discoveries are some intriguing versions of bushranger ballads of Ben Hall and Fred Lowry – here and here.

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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

MY FATHER, BURL IVES, PETE SEEGER AND AUSTRALIA’S FOLK MUSIC HERITAGE

Stephen Whiteside reminisces about the 1970s, his encounters with folk music and a couple of its noted singers, as well as their encounters with the notorious House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s.

On Stephen's website at:

https://stephenwhiteside.com.au/my-father-burl-ives-pete-seeger-and-australias-folk-music-heritage/

REMEMBER, REMEMBER ... WITH DANNY SPOONER

Here’s a teaser for the other Cracker Night (or one of them, at least). The late and much missed Danny Spooner sings the Guy Fawkes bonfire song and reminisces about the Fifth of November. More on this then!

CRACKER NIGHT!

Here’s a link to Rob’s Cracker Night mashup and the memories of Merle Hayward of NW Tassie.

Empire Day (May 24) was established in Australia in 1905. Officially, it marked the date of Queen Victoria’s birthday throughout the British Empire. More importantly, it was a half-day school holiday and in much of the country the evening of Empire Day became the folkloric ‘Cracker Night’, with enormous bonfires, fireworks and general celebration.

In 1958, Empire Day became 'British Commonwealth Day' and just 'Commonwealth Day' in 1966. Since then, hands-on (and off) fireworks have been progressively banned around Australia and ‘Cracker Night’ is no more. (Though the Northern Territory still allows fireworks on Territory Day celebration, July 1).

In NSW, Cracker Night was moved to June and in some parts of Australia, a ‘Cracker Night’ was observed on the evening of November 5, Guy Fawkes Day. More on this in November!

SOLDIERS SINGING – FROM THE BOER WAR TO VIETNAM

WEYMOUTH, ENGLAND. 1919-04-25. AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS SINGING SONGS AROUND THE PIANO IN A YMCA. NLA.

Here's our second podcast - the songs made by and for Australian soldiers, featuring excerpts from the collections of Rob Willis, Graham Seal and the National Library of Australia. Hear the voices of those who were there – Bill Case, Maysie Tucker, Marion Hardy, Kevin O’Connor and Brian McMaugh.