Travels Down Under

[Ken_Coles]

Hi folks,

 

Perhaps you recall I'm moving about right now (and not checking in here often). So far I have dropped in on Chris Ghent in Sydney (July 7), visited Richard Evans out in the bush (yesterday, July 10). Next I'm getting together with Malcolm Clapp, as I've just come from the chilly mountains to the warm coast of northern N.S.W. More info (and eventually pictures and/or sounds) when I can get to a computer that doesn't run on coins and gives me access to the hard drive. Stay tuned!

 

Ken

[Ken_Coles]

Had another great day here, visiting with that encyclopedia of the concertina scene in Oz, Malcolm Clapp. We sure sounded like a couple of old storytellers yakking away all day. Also saw some humpback whales off the coast here this morning.

 

Next, off to Brisbane and see as many of the crowd there as I can hunt down. Keep squeezing, everyone.

 

Ken

(whose time is up on the pay-computer)

[Rod Thompson]

G'day:

 

Hope we can meet up while you are here (please e-mail through this forum if you can get to a machine).

 

We are planning to go to "Music in Bridgeman Downs" this Saturday - mainly to hear Warren Fahey and Dave de Hugard (both notable concer squeezers).

 

Perhaps we might see you there?

 

 

Rod

[Animaterra]

Your trip sounds wonderful, Ken! Keep us posted when you can!

[Ken_Coles]

Friday the 14th July in Brisbane...I had a fun time at a small session near the ocean in Manly, QLD. Then Brendan, the organizer, offered me a lift to a sendoff party. Boy, were the musos going there! One circle in the house and another in the back yard. One of the people in the latter, playing concertina, was none other than Simon Wells. We had a good chat, which leads to a separate thread I'll start here.

 

In a few minutes Scott Fineran is stopping by and we're going to an outdoor festival. Australia sure is musical!

 

Cheers,

Ken

[Ken_Coles]

After a few days in the bush, I have found a computer. I can report that the day with Scott Fineran and Rod Thompson (Saturday 15th July local time) was great fun. Scott drove me to the suburban park where a day of free performances was taking place. Our friend the Chocolate Bunny (Animaterra) would have enjoyed the kids' performance - they did some things I haven't seen youth singers do before. Then we heard Warren Fahey (collects Aussie songs, plays EC) and Dave De Hugard (plays PA; also AC we're told but not this day). Great songs, poems, and those outrageous Aussie jokes ("A kangaroo goes into a pub and asks for a beer...."). They finished with a set of drinking songs in three languages accompanied by a woodwind and piano quintet. It was in the style of some of the suites done years back in the U.K. (think "Transports")

 

We also took a break from the rain at Scott's house nearby, trading the usual stories and tries on each other's instruments. I also was invited to supper with Rod and his wife Maria back in Brisbane; many thanks to them. BTW, Rod has one of the funniest suprises-I-had-while-looking-at-an-old-box stories I've ever heard. Ask him to share it sometime.

 

I must say my impression so far is that there are lots of concertinists and concertinas in Australia. One or two people have suggested they feel too isolated from the rest of us, but I'd say "not at all." Good on ya, mates, keep doing what you're doing! The great variety of styles, repertoire, etc. matches any othe region I've visited, and most Aussies seem to think so also.

 

I'll check back in from Brisbane next week. Cheers,

 

Ken

Armidale, N.S.W.

[Animaterra]

Very cool, Ken!

the kids' performance - they did some things I haven't seen youth singers do before.

What sorts of things?

 

Keep the travelogue coming- it's fun to read!

[Ken_Coles]

That "I'll check back in" should have been from Melbourne! Anyway, I've been here all week for my professional conference. Mark McDonnell had me drop in on him Tuesday evening at his office in the Botany Dept. of the U of Melbourne. We went to a pub to eat and talk (with the usual disassembly of my Kensington - probably opened up more times by me than by Dana now!). Then a huge crowd came in for a slow Irish session run by Mark. There were at least 6 concertinas there besides Mark and I, more than I've ever seen in my (now more limited) travels in North America (NE Squeeze In excepted). A good time, though I had to beg off at 10 PM so I don't get too exhausted on this trip. Tonight (Friday) Mark has asked me to meet some locals. Thanks to him and all the great friendship and kindnesses on this trip, which ends tomorrow morning.

 

Regards,

Ken

[jlfinkels]

...

and those outrageous Aussie jokes ("A kangaroo goes into a pub and asks for a beer....").

...

 

C'mon Ken, you gotta finish the joke now. Don't leave us hanging like that.

 

-jeff

[Ken_Coles]

Didn't mean to leave you hanging, Jeff. Unfortunately, I have a poor memory for jokes. That, and my general inability as a raconteur probably accounts for my current social status. One was something like,

 

A man goes into a pub. He sees a kangaroo playing draughts (checkers) with a man and watches, astonished. The kangaroo wins several games.

 

The visitor says to the human checker player, 'That is amazing! To see such signs of intelligence!'

 

'Listen!' replies the man. 'I win some of the games, too!'

 

Speaking of Dave and Warren, on the plane back (I just got to California), I was thinking about packing and couldn't remember packing the 4 CDs I bought at the concert in Brisbane where I heard the jokes. A check here confirms that I don't have them, a great shame. In a few hours I will call the Hertz office in Melbourne, I must have left them in the car when I turned it in a week ago; senility is setting in. We'll see if I can recover them; I'd be very disappointed to lose those CDs.

 

We did have a big get together at Mark McDonnell's house. He and I tell each other we'll assemble an article in a few weeks with pictures. Time will tell how long it actually takes us! All in all a fine trip.

 

Ken