SCALA Big and Strong CD Review
At last it's happened ... the release of a compilation CD of SCALA artists covering a wide variety of musical styles. This has been a dream of many SCALA members for a number of years. It has taken a great deal of work and organisation but it is now a reality. SCALA Big And Strong is out and in the shops ... a showcase for SCALA and original music.
The CD was officially launched at the Jolly Miller Tavern on Wednesday 17th May 1995 before a loyal and enthusiastic audience. Singer/songwriter/gold recording artist, former Redgum frontman and Sony (soon to be BMG) solo recording artist John Schumann broke the metaphorical bottle of champagne. His laudatory launching speech rightfully acknowledged the importance of grassroots music and the crucial role played by SCALA. John seemed genuinely impressed by the CD. He should be. Appearances, presentation and packaging are important in the ultra competitive music scene and this CD looks good. The evocative and distinctive cover painting of the Jolly Miller (on a Wednesday evening when SCALA's live original music performances get underway) by Adelaide based artist Nina Dobie is wonderful. Already a number of people have been genuinely impressed by the cover art as well as the extremely detailed and informative booklet which accompanies the CD. The glossy booklet contains all the song lyrics as well as photographs and details of each artist. Then there's the music. With 19 tracks and a running time of over 76 minutes this is an extremely generous recording. In fact, you can't cram much more onto a single CD. Six of the songs were winners of competitions conducted by SCALA in 1994. Stephen McKenzie's beautiful, poignant Carry their Light won the Open section of the 1994 Songwriters Event at the first Folk and Music Festival based at Victor Harbour. To me Carry Their Light is the highlight of SCALA Big And Strong - a superb, stark and emotive rumination of loss, legacy and hope. Kylie Cowling's exuberant and catchy I Need To Be Loved won the 1994 SCALA Festival of Original Music (FOOM) Song Competition Master Tape category. It's a typical Kylie Cowling performance, polished and well sung showing that Kylie seriously looms as one of SA's very best female songwriter performers. Ruth Goble's On Garie Beach is a beautifully evocative ballad steeped in strong imagery as a return visit (to Garie Beach) after many years brings memories and recollections. On the CD it has arranger Ian Farr on piano and vocalist Lisa Hughes who performed On Garie Beach when it was co-won the 1994 SCALA FOOM Live Performance category. The co winner with On Garie Beach was Adrian Miller 's hilarious I Got Lazy, an ode to indolence and apathy. Adrian has been known as the keyboard player in Robert Childs Elastic Band for some years but when he steps out from behind the keyboards, picks up a guitar and sings, a distinctive and wry songwriter emerges. I Got Lazy could possibly gather an enthusiastic (or lazy!!) cult following. The 1994 Songwriters Event introduced a new category for Working Life or Labour Issues songs (not surprising for a festival always held on the Labour Day long weekend in October). The inaugural winner was No Time For Change by Sam Clemente. This is a powerful and appealing storytelling song of a migrant's life, work and struggle in a new country. Richie Robinson's anthemic, brooding and dramatic Wings (Six Strings For My Father's) won the 1994 SCALA FOOM Demo Tape Category and at over 8 minutes it's the longest song on SCALA Big And Strong - an epic in all senses. One further song from the 1994 competitions was selected for recording by the judges at the Songwriters Event. Nakomanali is performed by 5 piece band Trochus which features singer and songwriter Jardine Andy Kiwat. Nakomanali is an utterly infectious and glorious celebratory reggae-tinged number which makes a great opening track. I guess if we wanted to lift a track from the CD to be released as a single Nakomanali would be a strong contender. The remaining 12 songs on SCALA Big And Strong represent a wide variety of musical styles and, regardless of personal taste, one can't doubt the performing and writing quality. Lisa Grindle's Oh Darlin is jaunty New Wave pop with irrepressible and effective deadpan vocals. SCALA stalwart Tom Trasy, backed by master guitarist Julian Barnett and the other musicians from the Julian Barnett Ensemble, gives us the energetic, powerful and emotive Atomic Son. Talented NSW SCALA member, Peter Baxter (who performed at the launch and was a real highlight) raises issues about the East Timor situation with the striking It's Different Over Here. The intriguing The Refugee comes from another SCALA stalwart Tjalkuri (formerly Rodney) Mitchell and his stark, moody and lyrically strong song is one of the CD's best cuts. Queenslander Julie Watts lovely Taken By Your Lies is a catchy, appealing song about (yep!) ... deception. Formerly a second place getter in the 1992 Songwriters Event Steve Ashley has contributed the wordy Stories Between Us, a classy, jaunty account of an overseas romantic encounter - another real highlight. Romance is also the force behind Cindy Coleman's lovely and telling keyboard based ballad What I Feel as well as Ken Grimmer's funky and catchy Barefoot Girl - an appealing account of a summer love. Techno pop appears with two tracks, Rob Royce's Danz Craze (sung by Lee McAlister) and the closing Mind Control by George Sebastianfrom NSW. The biggest production number is Chris Mills' and Ranel Juanta's Move With The Motion a catchy and danceable piece of romantic pop performed by the Idle Hands Collective (this song is also on video). The Tower by Victorian Jo Goodman is one of the most intriguing songs on SCALA Big And Strong -moody, dramatic, idiosyncratic, lyrically interesting and utterly captivating. Original music has taken a giant leap forward with the release of SCALA Big And Strong. There's enough fine songs and performances on the CD to warrant both good sales and radio exposure. Bold initiatives and a strong commitment to local music, both of which SCALA continually exhibits, should be successfully rewarded but the music scene is notoriously fickle, demanding and difficult. It's about time that grass roots music made some impact and became "big and strong". Buy it! Support it! As the campaign song ran 23 years ago "It's Time". It sure is.
Adapted and abridged from SCALA News May/June 1995
|