stringmansassy at Music By The Sea

stringmansassy will be joining a wonderful line-up at the Music By The Sea Festival in Brisbane. Please join us under the marquee at Einbunpin Lagoon Park (Sandgate) to celebrate this very special and intimate event, now in it’s ninth year.

Saturday January 8th, 2011
stringmansassy performance from 12.15-1.00pm

Tickets are available online from Music By The Sea.

 

What a week….

And what a week it was!  I think Aaron was one of the hardest working musicians at the festival with 7 stringmansassy gigs, 4 solo shows and a book launch.  He survived as did we all…the rain, the mud, the ‘duf’ and the enormous week that is Woodford.

Woodford has evolved and changed since we last ventured onto its stages but it is and will always be a festival to cherish. A festival which showcases the heart and soul of music, the rich and vibrant multiculturalism that makes up our Australian and world communities and one that still manages to nurture the ‘sacred’ and the ritual in tangible form. I hope that this essence transcends all the musical and societal trends that are to come and that the ‘heart’ of this very special place continues on for the 500 year vision of this festival.

We thank the organisers and all involved in creating the living breathing entity that is ‘Woodfordia’.  You do a magnificent job!! Thank you for once again welcoming stringmansassy to your stages.  It is always a magical experience!  And my final thought to those who – with us – braved the rain, the mud and the slush…..how fortunate and blessed were we that, for a week we chose to live in tents and could escape the sometimes difficult surroundings and immerse ourselves in music.

So for me, the highlights of my week at Woodford…. Seeing complete unadulterated joy, illuminate the face of my five-year-old and she twirled to an Irish jig with myself and her godparents. Performing at 4.30am in the clouds, the mist and the rain – with Buku (Mongolian throat singer), Tenzin (Tibetan vocalist), another female Tibetan vocalist, a Shakuhachi player and Dig player – for the dawn of the New Year. And finally, our final stringmansassy song of our final show on the Concert Stage – ‘Red On Blue’…it took my breath away!!!

Love, wishes and blessings for the New Year to you all……xox

stringmansassy at Woodford 2010-11

After 4 years, stringmansassy are returning to the Woodford Folk Festival….and it is their 25th Anniversay!!  This will be a Woodford not to be missed.

For those of you yet to experience the Woodford magic, the programme speaks for itself. One of the largest festivals in the southern hemisphere, it is a plethora of music, drama, cabaret, workshops, art, well-being, children’s festival, atmosphere, immersion and frivolity. Essentially, it is one of the greatest weeks you will ever experience!!! We are so excited and hope you can join us…xox

stringmansassy performances at Woodford Folk Festival 2010-11

Monday, December 27th at The Grand – 11.00am
Tuesday, December 28th at The Joyluck Club – 2.00pm
Wednesday, December 29th at The Folklorica – 9.30pm
in collaboration with Dva (Linsey Pollak and Tunji Beier)
Thursday, December 30th at The Concert Stage – 11.45am
Friday, December 31st at The Joyluck Club – 5.10pm
Friday, December 31st in The Amphitheatre for NYE – 11.15pm
Saturday, January 1st at The Concert Stage – 12.45pm

stringmansassy at The SoundLounge Dec. 17th

stringmansassy are returning to the stage!!
First off the rank is…The SoundLounge on the Gold Coast on Friday December 17th…

CHINA….Wow!!!

OMGoodness!!! Some three months has elapsed and no news on how China went. Please forgive my tardiness and my dramatic, all consuming return to motherhood. Suffice to say…WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!! Shanghai was incredible, a futuristic sci-fi metropolis all decked out in rainbow lighting. The EXPO was gargantuan, the Australian Pavilion monolithic but most importantly, we had a lot of fun and it was wonderful to be performing again. Aaron and I slipped back into touring mode like we had never left. Although, perhaps this time, a little wiser and a little less self conscious. We can still make great music together. So….thought I would post a few photos and leave more news for a later date…..Enjoy!! xox

Just about to board……

Just about to board the plane to China. Aaron and I met up in Sydney yesterday, ran through our set list and caught up after almost two years…. Very exciting to be playing music together again….xo

stringmansassy at World EXPO 2000 (Hanover)

So, with 5 days to go until we depart for Shanghai, perhaps a visit to our first EXPO experience is in order.  Ten years on we are a little more polished and hopefully more mature, but from one EXPO to another, I am sure the infectious excitement and energy this event brings to a city will be the same….

stringmansassy spent five months performing at the Australian Bar at the Australian Pavilion at World EXPO 2000 Hanover, Germany.  And what an experience that was!!  We arrived as fairly naive jazz musicians in our early twenties.  At the end of five months, we had braved the cold, the late nights and the huge crowds at one of the most popular bars on site.  We grew up as individuals and evolved as musicians, expanding our repertoire and performance and leaving as touring artists with a more defined idea of the musical journey we were headed on.

For those of us that were there at EXPO 2000, Hanover came alive and certainly embraced the energy of the Australian Pavilion.  Aaron and I will be forever grateful to John Morris and the crew at the Australian Bar and Peter Tesch and the Pavilion staff, for giving us the opportunity to be a part of such an extraordinary event.  We are especially grateful to the German (and international) audience who really challenged us to become performers. Thank you for your enjoyment of and passion for music and most of all, for your support and belief the we had a special musical experience to offer.

This video is ‘All I Want’, our first original song written by Aaron.  Featuring River Petein on saxophone (who joined us in Hanover for three months) and the staff and guests at the Australian Bar.  Recorded by Jens Berkmann (Thank you Jens!) on October 25th, 2000.