Spring Studio

Recent CDs All these CD's were recorded, mixed and mastered by Harry Williamson

 

Sleepy Hollow Blues Club "Blues News", October 2006

SOON - Liz Stringer

 

Reviewer: Red Herring

"What is it about a CD that makes it immediately appealing to the listener? Obviously the songs, the lyrics and the performances but it's also about the sonic texture, style, instrumentation and of course personal taste.

I'm not usually a 'gusher' when it comes to CD reviews but this Debut CD 'Soon' by Liz Stringer has bountiful quality in all these areas. It also subscribes to the theory 'less is more' using a scrooge like economy of notes and sounds which is usually only evident in more established performers. Not a sound is heard that doesn't have a good reason for being there. So hats off to the producers: Harry Williamson and Liz Stringer (with help from Adam May).

The sonic texture has depth and character while at times it pinches and pulls your ears demanding your attention. From the first lonely single harmonica note on the opening track 'Like a Roll of Thunder' dances like the pied piper and the brushed snare sets the dogged rhythm moving forward at all costs. The cello (my favorite emotive instrument) supplies a dark undercurrent of foreboding and the poetic lyric makes you feel like you are witnessing Liz Stringers open heart surgery. At the same time you feel privileged and trusted to be there.

There are five other musicians who contribute to this CD and the choice of what to play and when to play (or not to play) is what makes them valuable contributors. Although their energy is strong they are never outside their abilities and realize their job is to support the song and the emotion the writer is trying to convey. They do it oh so well. Adam May plays Snare, stomp, drum kit and a range of percussion while

 

Harry Williamson not only plays 12 string guitar, charango and sings backing vocals but as the liner notes say ... "and any other percussion instrument we could find at his house", he also engineered, mixed and mastered the recording.

 

Sonically textured like a hand made tribal rug. (Sorry I'm gushing again.). The other musicians are: Nick Carver – electric and double bass, Tom Stringer – bass and Jordie Lane – electric guitar.

Liz Stringer's 'Soon' is on high rotation on my CD player and I recommend it for its immediacy and depth. Sonically it's a great reference for any producer in this genre, the performances are real and emotive, and the songs and lyrics are human and personal. It's really great stuff - check it out.

http://www.lizstringer.com/

 

 

Mihirangi- Kulcha Nation

 

Songlines UK Review of Kulcha Nation

Mihirangi

Kulcha Nation

Black Market Music BMMR06 (42mins)

Four Stars

A vibrant splash of Maori nu-folk

Mihirangi (pronounced “me-hee-rung-ee”) is a young New Zealand-born Maori singer-songwriter who has been living in Australia for many years. A former member of all-female groups Stiff Gins and Akasa, her vocal style can be favorably compared to Ani DiFranco’s – it’s a seductive combination of gutsy Maori strength and centered musical purpose. With a solid reputation on the local festival circuit and two independent EP’s already under her belt, Kulcha Nation is Mhirangi’s first proper album and a good international entry point for her creative repertoire.

The opening ‘Poi Song’ – a tradition-based, percussion-driven Pacific chant – quickly segues into her more original material. Lyrically concerned with indigenous, environmental and spiritual issues, Mihirangi also wears her political heart on her sleeve for the beat-boxed title-track, a verging-on-hip-hop version of Akasa’s ‘World Citizen’ and the sympathetic ‘Welcome to Our Country’, which features spoken commentary from Aboriginal activist Isabel Coe.

Often looping her vocals into carefully multi-layered harmonies, Mihirangi’s most moving moments surface when she sings purely in Maori (‘Tena Kautau’) or successfully alternates it with English, as on the lovely ‘Deeper’. The album has exceptionally clean production, and percussionist Greg Sheehan deserves special mention for his propulsive, non-intrusive backing.

Cooking up an imaginative blend of contemporary vocal techniques and strong melodies, Mihirangi’s innate respect for tradition continues to be her secret ingredient. Kulcha Nation offers up a rich cultural recipe that provides listeners with substantial audio nourishment. It’ll be worth keeping an eye and an ear on this young woman’s musical development.

Seth Jordan.

http://www.mihirangi.com/

 

 

The Boite - Rongo

Rongo - Voices of Australasia & Oceania

Voices of Australasia & Oceania. Melbourne Millennium Chorus #7

Released: 2004

Price: $28

 

 

Rongo is the name of a Polynesian god - the god of song and music and the god that brings the rain and makes things grow. RONGO manifests as a rainbow. It was a wonderful name for this, the seventh Melbourne Millennium Chorus concert, a celebration of the power and joy of the music of our region.

 

This year Stephen Taberner agreed moved to Melbourne from NSW to lead the choir. As always, many choirs from across Victoria contributed singers to the 300 voice MMC, a choir which exists for less than three months each year. Despite its fractured existence, the choir has a strong spirit of its own. RONGO was an exhilarating experience.

 

 

 

The Boite - Mare Profondo

Mare Profondo - Songs, journeys and moods of the Sea

Melbourne Millennium Chorus #9

Released: 2006

Price: $28

 

 

Featuring the Melbourne Millennium Chorus - 350 voice choir led by Stephen Taberner, Kavisha Mazzella, Bagryana Popov, Kate O'Sullivan and Vicki King. With special guests Arte Kanela and others.

 

title=The Boite - Azadi

Azadi: Songs of Liberation

Melbourne Millennium Chorus #8

Released: 2005

Price: $28

 

Concert after parties aren't just for fun. It was at the 2004 MMC concert wind down that Stephen Taberner and Therese Virtue mooted a concert of songs of liberation

 

How can we make the concert resonate with contemporary issues? What graphic image can we to use to ignite peoples interest? What should we call it? Arnold Zable, the celebrated Melbourne writer and story teller, and collaborator with the Boite on the production of the Fig Tree CD and concert, and FLIGHT a Concert for Refugees, solved all three.

 

Arnold was a key member of an international team which gained the release of Iranian Ardeshir Gholipour from detention in Australia, detention which nearly cost Ardeshir his life. Ardeshir had painted a striking picture of magpies and had given copies to those who had helped secure his release. Azadi means freedom in Iran. What a wonderful word. Ardeshir and Arnold had given us the issue, the image and the name central to this powerful sell out concert.

 

The 350 voice choir rehearsed in Mallacoota, Warrnambool, Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maldon and Frankston, joining the Melbourne contingent for the final rehearsal and concert. The choir has never sounded better. The concert also celebrated Australia's amazing cultural diversity through dazzling performances by supporting artists.

 

The Boite - Retrospective

The Melbourne Millennium Chorus - Retrospective

 

This was the first of the MMC concerts performed at the BMW Edge at Federation Square and also the first one to be offered on DVD as well as CD. It featured a great band, and the choir singing favorites from the past few years’ concerts, as well as several familiar faces doing solo spots.

Doug de Vries played immaculate guitar, Liz Frencham - bass and Simon Lewis played drums and percussion. Soloists included Akasa, Kavisha Mazzella and Valunga Khosa, with Andy Watson Diana Clarke and Viki King all taking solos. One of the highlights form me was Doug’s solo which can be seen on his website.

http://dougdevries.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=31

There has been quite a lot of interest in this DVD from a number of sources, with reports of multiple viewings and so on.

 

 

Kavisha Mazzella - Silver Hook Tango

 

What Paul Barr of Readings Books and Music Monthly (Feb. 2003) says about "Silver Hook Tango"

 

“Kavisha Mazzella, one of the brightest stars on the Australian folk scene, has produced a beauty with her fourth and latest installment Silver Hook Tango. Taking the masterstroke perfect musical settings to accompany her dreamy poetic word pictures. Mazzella's beautiful singing works so well with Gerry O'Beirne 's ravishing impressionistic array of guitar sounds (6 &12 string, nylon and slide and ukulele). Kavisha's passionate musings on love, loss, travel, refugees and spirituality have never sounded this good and some of the more freeform tracks like "Rose in the Bones" and "Eagle Flying "show her heading in an exciting new direction. And Gerry's "Half Moon Bay" cd is an essential listen." Paul Bar

 

Other recent productions

Carl Pannuzzo - The Passing eye of the Sun

Wendy Ealey - 'Out of the Shower'

Mother Gong - 'Live at the Uncon'

Andy Rigby - 'Music of the Andys'

Resonance

Shaking the tree - 'Ripe'

Blackwood - 'Home Soon'

New Dogs Old Tricks- 'New Dogs Old Tricks'