The News Review:
- It’s not over at the Rainbow
- Blind blues singers no longer unsung University professor speaks out
- Reporter: Lucy Shannon
- Announcement for West Coast Blues ‘n’ Roots Festival
It’s not over at the Rainbow
The Age – Feb 15, 2008
We badeadios to Fitzroy’s Spanish Club watched the walls of St Kilda’sPalace crumble pondered whether the sale of the Tote Hotel inCollingwood would result in another boutique pizza shop and morerecently caught one last show at the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy apub with a rich music history that has hosted gigs since the1930s. But some good news for punters this month — the Rainbow hasreopened its doors to live music resurrected by new managementwhich has given it a lick of paint new carpet and the delectablepromise of live blues music seven nights a week. Management isintroducing a $10 admission fee which includes a drink card. Thehotel’s booker Claire McGarry says she hopes the entry chargewill generate funds to adequately pay the musicians. The relaunchtakes place on March 1 with Dutch Tilders the Chris Mawer Bandthe Detonators and Jordie Lane. The Tote looks safe — for now at least — as theupstairs Cobra bar hosts a new midweek blues night called theHideout with acoustic performances by overseas and local bluesroots and folk artists.
Blind blues singers no longer unsung University professor speaks out
Bowling Green News – Feb 15, 2008
” In the early ’90s he said he discovered that blues went back to the 1890s and that gospel went even further back. He also noted blues grew out of gospel and was viewed by many people in gospel as the “devil’s music. Blues music was known as the “devil’s music” because it took people away from the spiritual side of music he said. In addition to blues being the “devil’s music” not many women sang the blues and at the time black women were more church oriented than men he said. The blues has changed dramatically because of the electrification of the guitar which means using an electric guitar with an amp. Before the electrification of the guitar Havranek said people were using acoustic guitar and it was hard to project their voice over a large crowd of people. Havranek said he decided to write a book on blind blues musicians because about four years ago he was listening to music in his car and wanted to know who the person was playing… He also noted blues grew out of gospel and was viewed by many people in gospel as the “devil’s music. Blues music was known as the “devil’s music” because it took people away from the spiritual side of music he said. In addition to blues being the “devil’s music” not many women sang the blues and at the time black women were more church oriented than men he said. The blues has changed dramatically because of the electrification of the guitar which means using an electric guitar with an amp. Before the electrification of the guitar Havranek said people were using acoustic guitar and it was hard to project their voice over a large crowd of people. Havranek said he decided to write a book on blind blues musicians because about four years ago he was listening to music in his car and wanted to know who the person was playing. He found out it was Blind Willie McTell.
Reporter: Lucy Shannon
abc.net.au – Feb 15, 2008
And that studio Cambodian Living Arts is recording all this traditional music. But they’re also really interested in cultural hybrids and the idea of this Tasmanian Green Mist coming to record with their music was appealing. They introduced us to Kong Nay who is known as the Ray Charles of Phnom Penh and he plays this 8-foot long guitar thing with two bits of cat gut on it called a chapai don veng (phonetic) and his album that has also been recorded by Peter Gabriel is called ‘Mekong Delta Blues’ because this music sounds like really old blues music. But of course the old man is a survivor of the Killing Fields he is blind and touring Australia this year for WMAD. LUCY SHANNN: Finding a good working balance took time. The Green Mist don’t speak Khmer and the Cambodians speak very little English. But a musical dialogue soon began.
Announcement for West Coast Blues ‘n’ Roots Festival
NEWS.com.au – Feb 15, 2008
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