Womadelaide 2010 LIVE!

Ian Newton - Blogging for Womadelaide 2010 LIVE!

First up this afternoon I listened to the Ross Daly Ensemble comprising players from Crete, Iran and Adelaides own string savant Paddy Montgomery. Featuring rebats, lyra’s, lauto’s and great hand drumming, the Ensemble moved through an hour of music with barely a halt for intro’s except to introduce the players. This fabulous quintet romanced the crowd as the birds flocked to nearby trees adding their warbles to the humid pulsating air. Dramatic changes in tempo and time signature added to the passionate playing.

For a change in pace but not the passion up next on my afternoons feast was Frank Yamma on Stage 3, playing with Russell Smith, Helen montford and David Bridie. I have waited years to see this singer songwriter from the western desert of South Australia. There arent many singers whose delivery taps into a core that bring tears to my eyes. Frank Yamma is one of them. All the nights I have listened to his songs in the dark at home pressing repeat every time the disc finished paled into insignificance when I finally saw and felt the power and authenticity of possibly Australia’s greatest singer, up close in the flesh. Singing songs about his home, culture and the realities of contemporary life, Frank Yamma came a long to play at Womad and I would go to the end of the earth to feel that again. Accompanied by some great musicians Frank had the crowd in his warm hands from the start. ‘Hi I’m Frank’ he said and played a song about the land being here before him and all of us. People like Frank Yamma dont come along every day. Next time I see Frank at Womad it should be on the main stage, even that isnt big enough for this man of country.

Ross Daly opened the All Star Jam talking about the purpose of music in our lives. We can use it to simply entertain or for a greater purpose to take us out of ourselves to other realities and then Frank Yamma played, how apt.

-Ian