The Scenic Rim Regional Council is presenting Arts Ablaze, a celebration of regional arts in Queensland. Some very fine musicians are involved in a cross-cultural fusion performance, and that event is happening in October 2019 at the Ramada Resort Kooralbyn Valley! As a curtain-raiser, the Arts Ablaze musicians were in residence at the resort for a week in late June.
Who was in residence? Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal, flamenco guitarist Andrew Veivers, didgeridoo player Jared Fogarty, jazz vocalist Kacey Patrick, composer and saxophonist Rafael Karlan, violinist Rebecca Karlan, and accordionist John Reeves.
I knew some of these amazing people from Fire On Top Of Mountains which happened in conjunction with the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018. Andrew Veivers was the Music Director of the People’s Orchestra where I got to play my beloved melodica!
The musicians were having an open jam session and Andrew invited me to join. There were a few of us jammers; a flautist, a guitarist, and me with my melodica. Bronwyn Davies of the Scenic Rim Regional Council very kindly sent me a few pictures taken on her phone.
I spoke with John Reeves about his beautiful accordion, and with Rebecca Karlan about her traditional Swedish Key Fiddle. What an auspicious meeting! John and Rebecca are in a fabulous folk-jazz band called Estampa, and after meeting them, I reviewed Estampa for Scenestr at a gig a few weeks later. I haven’t reviewed anything for ages but once I met these guys, I just had to see them again!
Going by these musicians, Arts Ablaze is going to be just wonderful. It’s in my calendar.
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