Amanda Dweck

“KEEP THE FAITH” Anon and Dutch Tilders What does it mean to “Keep The Faith”? My initial thoughts about the function of early blues music on the creator/musician through to the audience, was that it connotes a feeling of freedom Through my research that initial hypothesis was proven...

Speaking In Tongues The Australian blues music community is a family.  I have been incredibly privileged to have interviewed some of Australia’s professional musicians.   The following interviews tell another aspect to blues music.  More about instruments other than the core harmonica and guitar.  This blog...

Blues for Lost Souls* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpCoEv9X2tU Downhome Duo - "Just A Closer Walk With Thee" Instrumental Gospel music represents “hope”.   Hope for a better life to come, hope for salvation, hope for redemption.  Gospel music is evolving.  The traditions are still there, the meaning is profound, but the...

    Building a “scene” involves lots of facets.  It involves recognising that a “scene” should exist when there is no real organisation.   Australian blues music has a “scene”.  It began in the 1950s with musicians playing coffee shops, pubs and some jazz venues.   It then...

"Scars Of The Soul"  During the 1960s and 1970s, the protest song focused mostly on Vietnam.  At the time there were other little known protest songs by other little known blues singers.  There were activists motivated to bring the soldiers home. The following story journeys...

"There's no problems, only Solutions"   John Lennon "Watching The Wheels Go Round" On Saturday 3rd August, several blues bands have donated their time and will be "Playin' For A Cause" at Newport Bowling Club from 3pm. Along with the phenomenal talent of Lloyd Spiegel, Jesse Valach...

Further research is needed for this study on the roots of Australian folk music.  According to Keesing and Strathern (1998) in Cultural Anthropology: A Contemporary Perspective, England had banned the slave trade to the Caribbean in 1807.  Citing Williams’ (1944) notes “before African slaves...

The language of blues music is extemporization, a conversation between the instruments, musicians’ and audience.  Adrian Keating performs electric violin with Geoff Achison on Classically Blue DVD.  Adrian’s day job is Principal Violin at Opera Australia.   When describing the dichotomy between classical and blues,...

American blues music in the beginning represented the oppression and suffering felt by freed slaves and African-American people.   Among other things, I suggest blues music communicates feelings of rejection on a deep emotional level primarily unrequited love.  However, paradoxically, because of these very human...

CHAIN 1971 (Photo courtesy of Philip Morris) At age sixteen, Matt Taylor would frequent a fish shop near his house in Springhill, Brisbane. The fish shop was the kind of place bikers used to hang out in too.  The bikers liked Matt.  When Matt was in...