International Music Market Brisbane

It was a great week in Brisbane attending the Australian International Music Market. There were lots of showcases, lots of networking, some fantastic music and definitely some dance beats, as evidenced by Marguerite and Kate bopping away to the The Scientists of Modern Music. Seriously infectious dance music.

Other highlights were the Wantok Foundation's Sing Sing. A fabulous blend of music and dance, both contemporary and traditional . Serious yet joyous and very moving at the same time.

Of course there were jazz highlights, for me the best live performance was Alistair Spence. Though I don't think the beauty of his live set is matched on the CD.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Cross cultural work

Hi well this week it is Brisvegas for a week of showcases and networking at the Music Market.

The week started with seeing a Queensland Music Festival piece, Crossing Roper Bar. A fusion of indigenous with contemporary music. Not too sure that the work hangs together at this stage.

Just wondering with a lot of the cross cultural work, that if in the anxiety to do the right thing and be inclusive, that the natural flow of things is forced, ending up with stilted and to me meaningless and often patronising work. In our rush to be supportive of specific sectors that we accept the mediocre disguised as feel good, do the right thing stuff.

Is it fair, to other artists who are outstanding in their craft?

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Erth - Gondwana

So there were only 12 performances for the July school holidays and guess what? they sold out. Children's theatre is alive and kicking.

This show was beautifully staged and executed, featuring Australia's amazing prehistoric creatures and land brought to life with full body puppets and large-scale inflatable plants.

The journey was a bit scarey for some of the younger children, you need darkness for puppets, which can be frightening. However it was a lovely journey seeing giant dinosaurs, insects, indigenous plants, life-size rocks and mammals.

The land masses changed shape, there was a bit of death and murder with flesh-eating dinosaurs nesting, feeding and fighting for survival.

Plus for my daughter the best part was the interactive session at the end, where Basil, featured as a performing animal. He was given eye drops, and fed leaves by various audience members. Plus we now know that his wife and kids live in New Zealand.

Performed by Erth Theatre Company, it was educational and great entertainment.

If you were one of the lucky ones to have seen the show, it was also great value.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Gerard Masters Trio @ Jazzgroove

Fabulous performance by Gerard playing new material at the Excelsior last week.

Apart from that it has been more activity for school holidays. The special effects exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum was fun.

We did get a chance to do the one hit wonder video ourselves.

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Caroline Ninn and Cafe Carnivale

For the final Cafe Carnivale of the year, it was a night of dancing and celebration, which featured South American music. The dancing didn't quite compare to these natives from Argentina.

Interesting vibe in the place, along the lines of place to hang out, music was in the background and incidental. Probably just as well, the music was OK, but not great and there was the odd schmalzy classic thrown in.

Then it was off to a more European style to see the cabaret performance of Caroline Ninn at the Opera House in an hommage to Piaf. She was good, not great, with a wonderful European presence. I reckon Greg's marketing efforts were the stars!

www.ceressolutions.com.au

Divine Harmonies, gypsy and jazz

It was one of those week's where I had so many things planned, but best laid plans were knocked out by a cold and lots of rain and some bitterly cold nights.

So I didn't get started until Thursday to see Divine Harmonies, (image from the show) a triple bill program by Tasdance featuring the works of Sue Healey, Anna Smith and Sean Parker.

It was an enjoyable program, with references to Hildegard von Bingen in Sean Parker's work. The choreography was intriguing, however the dancing, particularly in the initial movements of the piece and the trio by the male dancers did not do justice the piece. Although the dancers had relaxed towards the end, for me their movements were missing the fluidity and lyricsm of von Bingen's music.

The spoken word by the two female dancers was a curiosity to me in the sheer "Australian-ness" of the accents, when set against the music - glorious harmonies of this European composer.

Sue Healey's piece was playful and fun. The work by Anna Smith more intense. Both composed to the music of Ben Walsh and I would have to agree with Jill Sykes criticism that there was a sameness to the works. Although I differed in that I enjoyed Ben Walsh's sound scapes/music.

From there it was onto music with the jazz ensemble, the catholics at the Sound Lounge. Take the best musicians and you really can't go wrong.

For Saturday it was onto the more sombre world of a Leonard Cohen tribute by Monsieur Camembert. In fact, some of the Cohen sounded rather upbeat when played with a gypsy swing feel. Sadly I had to miss the second half when it was M Camembert doing fun numbers, however I have to say I was pretty satisfied with the Cohen, particularly the pieces sung by Yaron.


Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

The Yacoubian Building

Image from the Sydney Film Festival site


What a powerful and amazing film to come out of Egypt.

172 minutes - I have to admit if I had known how long the movie was beforehand I might not have gone. Though I was really glad that I had the opportunity to see this film.

What I find most incredible was the topics covered by the film from corruption, homosexuality, misogyny, poverty, religion. The acting which was so sympathetic and genuine and the ability of the director to allow us to engage with all the lead roles.

Having been to Egypt myself, though only as a tourist, I could relate to the role of women in society there - low with no power, with men feeling they have the right to treat them as sex objects. We had also seen the poverty, though of course not to any meaningful extent, but had seen the fact that being rich and driving a mercedes trumps over some poor person being run over by same car.

The first screening was sold out, but it is on again tomorrow night. Definitely worth seeing.

Joanne Kee
www.womenandwealth.com.au
www.ceressolutions.com.au