Andrew Clermont's Touring Details and Latest News - New CDs from TG, DYA,MOWERS,FidFeast, SupperClub & don't forget the Photo Gallery at end of page!!
A PEAK AT THE SUPPER CLUB - FRINGE FEST TO TAMWORTH CM FESTIVAL - NORTH TAM BOWLO
Left to Right - Nigel Lever, Quentin, Montz Matsumoto, (18yr old) Elsen Price, The Whitetop Mountaineers (Martha Spencer & Jackson Cunningham), and benevolent host, Andrew Clemont (guitar)
**Hey now don't forget the succinct photo galley of the last decades tour
(link at bottom of this page!!) Peculiar/ Fun/ Surprise and Funky captures.**
plus new places to see/ hear more at
http://www.myspace.com/snappadillion more on the photo side
http://www.myspace.com/andrewclermont more band crossection
http://www.myspace.com/totallygourdgeous
http://www.myspace.com/backbeatmusic
But back to the latest tale!
Ah! The Supper Club of Tamfest 2008 – Our 10th year !!
(8 years at North Tamworth Bowling Club)
If you were there, this will bring on the happy recall, but if you weren’t, this may give a little taste and incentive to the next event.
It’s only 2 days after packing the party up and I’ve already driven to Melbourne (thanks Sally & Kat, from Dev’lish Mary, for the drive/sleep/keep awake rotation team work), delivered the mighty Hammond organ, stored my van for a fortnight, flown to Adelaide, left my phone at Melb airport and wallet at the public phone at Adelaide Airport trying to get the phone back! The upside is that the phone was found and is graciously and outside of rules, on the next flight. And a security guard asked me if I was looking for anything, as I was starting to not find my wallet! All good signs of integrity in a world of bad headlines.
The meeting I was supposed to have (right now) with our US agent seems to be hanging in limbo while my phone flies to me, but nere to lose a moments possibility, I type my travellogue for the chance of a smile or knowing look from yourselves – the Chai & Banana bread is going down a treat here.
Somewhat entwined with the phone dilema however was a chance rendevous with Lisa & Brenley of “MadViolet”, my fav duo of voice, story and melody - right there as I was about to board the flight in Melbourne. They were guests at the 2006 Supper Club Girl’s Night and since then, been regular ‘ships in the night’ at a host of Festivals from Port Fairy in our south, to north of Toronto, Canada and back to Yackandandah and each time, despite the disjointed nature of the touring life, another leap in quality of friendships.
So now, as I am about to embark on an adventure across the continent with my second daughter coming of the age to explore beyond her upbringing, I must certainly consider the values and trials of a similarly disjointed family life. However, the surprises & punch-lines often come toward the end of the journey, in it’s various segments. As for whether we learn/gain from these segments of life – ah, well that is the question, eh!! Is it the path or the means?
Back to the Supper Club 2008 and it’s 10th year blessings.
Various plans had been afoot for this special year. Various re-unions and returns. As it turned out, we had an extensive International feature. Montz Matzumoto (Banjo) enroute back from Japan; our dear Wu PuYu (Flutes & Concert Piano), from Taiwan and part of the Supper Club ever since joining the fellowship in 2002; brand new and through the possibilities of the internet, The WhiteTop Mountaineers (SW Virginia, USA) were directed to me and we are sooo happy we were able to complete their 2 week/festival stopover in Oz. Also special guests who had individually made various appearances across the globe through the previous years, Dev’lish Mary, from Melbourne, presenting New /Old-time music with both a twinkle in the eye and a nudge of the Andrew Sisters vocal candy.
We had the return of consumate musician, Parris Macleod who received this comment in our thankyou book – “ Parris has God in his fingers” ! No light statement indeed! And relates directly to our first Piano nights 10 years ago where another wrote, “ I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven”. And so we were honoured to have Parris back on deck after his previous ‘BlueZone’ band busy year – during which he also gained the award of ‘Peoples Choice’ on Keyboards. We celebrated with many performances based on our CDs, “Dance of the Good Life” & “Happy as Larry” - I’d made a special trip to his Wyong, Cloud Studio, on the central coast and collected his pre 1960 Hammond C3 Organ and Lesley Sound Cabinet, to extend our Supper Club keyboard facility as well. Much thanks to the ‘strong’ friends who helped both ends in loading and unloading this classic instrument and inparticular, Parris, for the loan.
Finger-picking Guitar adventurer Ross Waldron renown for his fine list of tune titles and techniques to intrigue the listener and as usual, his delivery was infallible.
Sewing our guard rails of music together were Randall Wilson, seasoned music interpreter through drums, and very young Elsen Price on mainly fretless electric bass. His willingness to leap where few dare to tread, made for tremendous adventure.
However songs are only ever half there without harmonies and vocal variation, so the joy of having Brook Schiemer’s chameleon voice throughout the week was absolute icing to the Cake – am blessing of the Fellowship of the Supper Club. She had already graced Tamworth earlier in the year as Eponeme (spl?) in ‘Le Mis’ and we look forward to her forth coming recordings.
Saturday
night, Jan 19, the opening show, saw the return of sisters Jhana & Sujata Allan (Gypsy HotClub), fresh from an India tour of Temples – they really know how to take a little tune and climb mountains with it!
Guests from Nashville, Karen Papparelli & accompanying guitarist put some extra original country flair into the evening.
We had the team of Clare O’Meara & Mark Oats fresh from their festival tour of Tamworth with seamless twin Fiddle treats. They are the consummate Fiddlers of Australia with over 2 decades in the Fiddlers Feast and The Bushwackers as just a starting point.
Meanwhile Sally-Anne Taylor & Kat Moser led the Dev’lish Mary into scores of old-time dance tunes between sublime country laments rich in vocal harmony.
Sunday
brought our best attended Harmonica Night in both players and audience. A staggering delivery of the mouth organ art through Chris Wilson (Melb), Christian Marsh with Edu(Central Coast) Juzzie Smith (Byron Bay) and the 1987 World Champion Jim Darby from England(!) plus Lawrie Minson (Tamworth), with Kirk Steel(Cairns) piano & legend James Gillard on Bass.
Many styles were embraced – Jazz, Swing, Country, Blues, and some mighty hard-driving swing-blues. Finale was all the harmonicas on stage – yes , Juzzie Smith with all the keys/ harmonicas played in one tune!
Simply stunning with rhythm section of Liz Frencham, Double Bass of Dev’lish Mary & local dream drummer Ronnie Rindo alongside Parris Macleod’s Ivory keys.
Naturally I’m never too far from the fray on one of Gilchrist & Gourd Mandolin/ 5-string Epoch Fiddle/Appalacian Dulcimer by Geoff Bridgeland (my highschool teacher!)/ 4-string White Swallow Banjo/ 6 or 12 string Terada & Maton Guitars/ Yamaha Bass/ harmonies and general mix & arrangement of the evenings!
Monday
welcomed the arrival of the Martha Spencer & Jackson Cunningham with their music off the highest mountain in Virginia, USA. Fiddle & Flat-Foot dancing plus both cut loose on claw-hammer Banjo & Guitar with Jackson adding a deft hand at the Mandolin. Musical icing with a rustic vocal blend, made this a most wholesome performance of the old-time traditions.
Add the character and twist of Japanese language into Bluegrass with Montz Matsumoto, Banjo master (who was moonlighting in the late festival hours with The Pigs), and the femme fatal of Dev’lish Mary, and your perception of New/Old-time music is forever morphed into new possibilities. Wendy M Jackson brought a delightful Banjo/everything player with from New Zealand, Bruce Right. I’d met Wendy at the World Expo in Spain in ’92 and she’s been a wonderful friend and music partner on CDs and events ever since.
Tuesday,
Girls Night, from Matilda Sommers to the ‘Soggy Bottom Babes’ with Connie Krisanderson Inc., gentle Karen Lynne, Tess in Microwave Jenny – studio quality performance, Gail Page - first appeared on a bonus track on my ‘The Longing’ CD in dramatic harmonies, this night displaying further, her enrapturing voice as did Wendy M Jackson this night and on the same CD. Our own Brookie Schiemer presented some Joni Mitchell with a stratospheric voice. Her harmonies and ‘Librarian’ song winning many fans. There were plenty more fine surprise guests & audience that night – smiles all round.
Wednesday:
Ah, Guitar Night with the NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Contest in the early show as well. We had Somara Redman, 16; Louise Brown, 12; Caitlin McGowan, 17 enter and as they won that night in this order – 1st to 3rd – so it went at the Finals on the Saturday to follow! Only youth entering, for the first time in the Contests history. Congratulations girls – 1st prize the EV – 4 Epoch Electric Violin of near $2000 value with the runners up receiving $100 each from a privately supporting family in Tamworth! Let this be an example of potential for all who wish to contribute to events like the NHB Fiddle Contest or even the Supper Club with it’s multi-cultural intent – presenting special players from many quarters on the globe entwined with the talented youth who avail themselves or are simply drawn to the musical adventure, that is, The Supper Club during the Tamworth Country Music Festival!
And so to the Guitarists! Lawrie Minson, (Tamworth’s highly Awarded own), on Slide, traditional to rocking out; Robbie Long (The Lawnmowers), winner of the new Bluegrass Guitar Championship (run again, finally, after 8 years!); our finger-picking man of intrigue, Ross Waldron – curiously local as well with a 2YOU FM program each Tue night (The Other Stuff) – be brave and tune in sometime if you can – far left on the dial(!); on limitless Bass Guitar was 18yr old Elsen Price, also from the Tamworth surrounds and now in Sydney to make fame and fortune! And of-course, yours truly on some flat-picking prowess recalled from 80’s Bluegrass Guitar Championships (I won 3…and now most of those tunes are on on CD – Homegrown Vol 2 plus the Music & Tablature of that ‘Flat-picking Zone’ in a Book of melodic adventure for the players seeking new and unexpected ideas and tunes – sorry it took 20 years to finally make them available!)
Thursday,
we usually host a large variety of Piano/ Keyboard devotees, however this time we were able really delve into the styles of just 3 Artists. Our age old up-right piano gave it’s all to deliver the best Rachmaninov performance I can recall, from Wu PuYu. Bach’s 32 variations also resonated through the club as did some Chopin. Local surprise was Tim Turner, also on the acoustic up-right taking all on a deep journey. Parris was able to soar from one keyboard to another with rhythm players, Ronnie Rindo & Elsen Price meeting his moods off the Hammond C3 Organ, dueting with Wu PuYu and honky-tonking with the string city of Dev’lish Mary who also presented Perch Creeks’ Camilla Hodgkins on some very tasty trills on the up-right.
The Whitetop Mountaineers were starting to really stretch out in the early shows with the crowd favourite move of the Flat-Foot dancing segment – helping make every show, as we like to assure, a one off! Another reason why a Season Ticket will ensure you the best coverage of the un-loud concerts, certainly no loud kick drums, and definite surprise of variety in performers and interaction between performers and their music. And that is 5 shows free!
Friday
This year deemed The International Night, is our special feature night and growing rapidly in popularity. Last newsletter mentioned the plight of near local percussion/ cello girl, Jess Stocker – severe car accident with a semi-trailer. That was 3 months back, 10 days intensive care, a long haul rediscovering language and music, let alone recover from 7 broken bones, punctured lung….you get the idea. However music was the lynch pin of recovery! She could communicate far more completely in music than in any other way and that gave the power to see beyond the chaos. So on this night she and her band, Turkish Delight, gave their first performance since the horrifying accident and on full drum kit as well! Now just to put the situation into further perspective – this was also the first time she had tried to assemble her drum kit! And she sat there admitting “I can’t remember where they go!” With a big help from family and friends it was eventually achieved, but then she proceeded to blitz the night with the perculiar rhythms of the Macedonium realm with Jhana (Fiddle), Lauren(Clarinet & Sax) & Arlene, with her newly bought ‘first’ Double Bass – all just in their late teens. Tears flowed for so many reasons. They have been an integral part of the Supper Club for the last 2 years and prior in part as the earlier sibling group of the Gypsy Hot Club. Simply one of the extra reasons for loving where I’ve been living and being able to see & be a part of the progress of these golden ‘kids’.
To follow came the ever cheeky Ross Waldron with ‘tunes of the unexpected’ on fingerpicking Guitar into the Whitetop Mountaineers, now in full swing with me doing a favorite thang – playing Bass to fiddle & dance music.
Montz gave a full round of worldly banjo music with poetic Japanese lyric. I had loaned the Dev’lish Mary to a private BarbyQ party and now they were back to power on with a final mingle with The Lawnmowers and special guest, Tom Fitzgerald – see his website for under 25 youth www.peacesongs.info . The Mowers ricocheted from one corner of Bluegrass to another, resolving in a final all in dance-a-thon with Perch Creeks, Eileen Hodgkins joining Martha of the Whitetop – was it over 20 on stage..! I bet you can feel it even if you weren’t there!
Saturday
Always a Bluegrass smorgasbord of Champions & Award winners. Whether the
Mountaineers, with wins across the American States, or Montz with the Musicianship Award of Frances Folk Gathering, Dave Hellens of the Mowers with 3 Banjo Championships, Karen Lynne with multiple Awards for Voice & CDs, Liz Frencham of both Dev’lish & The Lawnmowers, awarded ‘The most seen on stage at a Festival’ or our newest award winner, Robbie Long, Flat-pick Guitar Champ of 2008 – it was a bold presentation at one of our biggest shows.
The Finale did just that, wrapped up a beautiful week of music and mingles for the new and growing regular crowd, who know where the music, food, prices and sound are a therapy on the soul.
Thanks for being a supporter, whenever you’ve been able to, over the years. You are treasured by all the players (and their families!).
Regards in the magic of music,
Andrew Clermont & The Fellowship of the Supper Club.
Late 2007
Just out of Disney world in California is the Cerritos Centre for Performing Arts. California Sikh Council plan to take 25 prominant representatives and activists to India to assist in promoting willingness between faiths to form lasting bonds and relationships. The ambitious event sold 8 person tables at $2000 a pop. Now that's serious intention folks - and over 20 tables were bought. Any folk interested in contributing can email Nirinjan Singh at nirinjan@sikhpointmail.com
On the night our show welcomed new players, Jo Lack (from Michael Fix, John Wibberley tours & recordings - now residing in San Francisco) and Kevin Ray Putzier on Sax/Trumpets(2 at a time! from beyond Orange County ). Jo also came to San Diego for a further show and played wonderously. We very much appreciated her willingness to fly down just days before heading off with Women in Docs around USA and finishing her Jazz Album. Love yas.
Some of the festivals coming up are
Winnipeg Folk Festival, California World Music Fest Grass Valley, Dearborn MI -Concert of Colours Festival Detroit, Hillside Festival Guelph (near Toronto),
Salmon Arm BC Roots&BluesFest in Rockies
More stories soon, Cheers in the Magic of Music, Andrew
May Weekends
The Leaping Lizards who are not only long time friends but also played with me (er.. I with them..) at Glen Innes Celtic Festival and produced the Bush Dance at Wallabadah (near Tamworth) the following weekend with me. Either side of that Sat 12th May, Randall Wilson shared with me at The Vault in down town Tamworth for a Boom Crash Opera style rhythm & Clermont shows. It's been a good 5 years since Randal & I had a good shake out of our musicality together, so here was a rare fun opportunity for all able to come. Well I made sure all were welcoming for the 18th Birthday Party that turned up from a nearby Catholic girls school - well I suppose someone had to keep an eye on things as they cut loose!
OK the Fiddle workshops at the Old Bay Road Community Complex , Burpengary, north of Brisbane started well.
Bluegrass by Andrew Clermont 19th/20th May,
Irish by Fred Graham 23rd/24th June, Scottish Emma Nixon 14th/15th July
The link is http://www.fiddlesticks.co.nz/lessons.html
People can book either one or two days with the idea
in mind that students that have committments in the weekends can come
one of the days, therefore obviously each day will be taught as a
separate lesson.
Fiddlesticks will take the Beginners and
Intermediate leaving the Advanced to the real experts.
Please spread the word
Yarra Junction Fiddlers Convention. Feb 2007
Sally Taylor teamed up with Richard Klein for Fiddle & Food delights again and Annette Eldridge gave cello ambiance. The Crooked Fiddle Band knocked every one for a six and the Coolgrass were outrageously sublime as usual.
Condolances to Ian Alexander with the sad loss of his son the week prior.
I picked up Canadian Fiddle lass, Tania Elizabeth from the Melb airport, gave a bold Concert at the Guildford Hotel Music Hall and enjoyed the Zac, Tex & Fifi hospitality by the BIG TREE.
Next day had Tania & I swimming at Mackenzies Falls, The Grampians & saw dawn in from Mt Arapales Lookout - her first EVER! night out under the stars in a swag! - followed by winning overall Fiddle at the Frances Music Gathering while Lawnmower flautist, Lucy Langham took out the Intermediate Instrumental section.
HAmish Davidson took most of what was left on Banjo & Instrumentalist while the wild Mix Grill performance ( bands made from random musician combinations) parodied Another Brick in the Wall. Trouble in the Kitchen were the superb feature act while Tania was in from the Kids Yoga to Wig adornment and a wide range of fiddling & singing to haunt the streets of Frances till next year with the chance of her Grammee nominated group The Duhks, to feature.
big catch up sleep after those 2 weekends is ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
In 2006 Dya Singh Tour was cancelled (rearranged to USA in Nov) but meanwhile..
Berlin/Hamburg/Copenhagen was Hot! With wonderous Lakes, great Jazz but alas, just missed a Jeff Beck & Buddy Guy guitar Jam. Mind you I did catch Jeff & band about 5 years back while over here in Germany - I rode a push bike to it, haha, best nights music ever.
However now is time for family & friends on the German side with a big family gathering in August.
Caught up with Ex-pat Peter Caulton in Hamburg for the first showing of his Johnny Cash Tribute Show (Ring of Fire) July 28. The sparkly Blue Epoch Fiddle cut loose merrily - see www.rofmusic.com guestbook entries 14 & 15!) And Gigguide on my homepage for the big Montage Pic
In Copenhagen saw my new great niece and family while including seeing the Danish ABBA Tribute Show from a Yacht in the harbour - yep it's who you meet (Thanks Bent).
Back to Berlin helping launch a new Cafe in Berlin 'Alles Gute' SimonDach Strasse 3 near Ost Kreuz. Fine Coffee, Wine hand made Chocolates.
Occasionally some very groovy music from friends!
A serious month of mainly Uncles, Aunties, Cousins and some damn fine friends. Did I mention the lakes? Twas the first thing I did on arrival - a long lake swim. Then I had to wait for my luggage (3 days!). I detected it was way laid in Paris.
Ah, so when you think of a flight to Europe, do you think 30 hrs! Brisbane, Sydney, Ho Chi Min, Paris, Berlin. I got a lot of emails written on the faithful G4 laptop. Just keep up the stretches and foot massages & you'll be right, mate!
Dya Singh tour has been cancelled and a tour to Florida & California has appeared late Nov! As they do! Fiddlers Feast (was Fiddlers Festival) was in north France same time (curiously minus me) - and now Mark Oats from FF joins me in Berlin from 24 Aug! Then Bulgaria in Sept.
Meanwhile may peace gather in your path, we seem daily to need more, Hugs in the Magic of Music, Andrew
April saw a Supper Club fiddle feature at the National Fiddle Festival to the west of Sydney at Richmond. Willow Stalhut-Kemp (Gypsy Hotclub) and Stephanie Eldridge - 2003 & 2002 NoHoldsBarred Fiddle Champs on stage at Tamworths Fiddle Jam of 2004. Together with Stephs sister Annette on Cello and guest Ian Cooper with the essential Parris & PuYu MacLeod on piano & flute, we grooved a feast of Fiddlism at the Hawksbury National Fiddle Festival this last April. 3 part harmonies of Bluegrass tunes like 'Big Mon' to the Bulgarian Hanky Dance (thanks to Kate Burke & Ruth Hazeltons tune gathering CDs for that classic number) and enthusiastically rocking out Mick Liber's Rocket Pilot in a rockabilly rage.
Much thanks to our accomodation and apologies to the neighbours 21st party - but you really missed out by refusing our gate crash!
The National Folk Festival at Easter was a joyful gathering of music & creativity.
The Lawnmowers snuck in a blitzer show at the Troubadour Wine Bar late on Friday with Liz Frencham on Bass - she'll be recording on the next Mowers CD shortly.
Most classic at the Festival was the 'Queen Inspired' competion where Mal Webb on Mbira(thumb piano) and Oboe accompaniment brought the house down - let alone Jigzag's mega medley and the Spooky Men's Flash Gordon re-enactment and the extreme presentation by 'Fellowship of the Strings'
An unforgettable weekend of music, wine and friends
A coincidental gap in the proceedings allowed me to join old friend Phil Levy and his 'Romaniacs' for a handful of weddings & shows to lead me north. I had played on their album track which I believe recently won a Dolphin Award for 'Best Song'.
While playing one of the weddings we got a cancellation to the next day's wedding (irreconcilable differences!) and immediately got booked for an unrelated divorce party and I was able to attend the Byron Vista Social Club in the gap!
Don't argue - just follow the bouncing ball! It's been that kind of month
The Supper Club played the Winter Moon Festival at Mackay, QLD and a wide sharing of music prevailled. Mark Atkins presenting Didgeridoo (Yirdaki) beyond comprehension while Wo Pu-Yu delivered surprise classical Piano and a soaring Flute trio including Nicole of CloudStreet.
A treasure of a festival which group 'Jigzag' and others had been raving about. Now we know why. Great water hole in the creek too. Even caught up with bassman to former rockin' Bluegrass group, BackBeat. Good to see you 'Radical Ric' !
On the way homeward I was able to tutor and perform at the Maleny Ananda Marga School - thanks all there - followed closely by a session for Jay Bishoff springboarding from the Wintermoon gathering and by evening was already on the equal opposite side of Brisbane down on the GoldCoast contemplating the Golden Fiddle Awards with fellow Director, Mark Mitchell. All in a days work!
Going home via Sydney I was able to join The Pigs for a mad night.
The Lawnmowers completed that tour lap with some Bluegrass 'sanity' in Newcastle at The Lass O'Gowrie - pre Gleny Ray Virus and the Tamworth Playboys but after Rob Lucky & the Lucky Bastards - a fine evening/day of entertainment!
Icing on the cake was the Country evening at Harrigans in the Vines, out of Cessnock. Thanks Bruce McCumstie & team. A special thanks to Bassman Michael Vidale who played like he was born to the Mowers. A very happy finish to the tour.
News & pics of the fun had on the Turkish Supper Club tour of June coming soon
Last year we covered every Australian State, New
Zealand, Taiwan, California, British Columbia, Ontario, Michigan, New
York, UK, Kenya, Tanzania, Singapore and coming up will include
Germany, further into Europe, Africa and Japan let alone our southern
states festival tour (VIC/SA/WA plus NSW & QLD!).
Just see the Gig Guide at -
http://members.aol.com/clrmnta/myhomepage/profile.html
Latest News- (updated in next days)
http://members.optusnet.com.au/andrewclermont/
and the Bands & everything Link Site
http://hometown.aol.com/clrmnta/TheAndrewClermontexternalSiteMap.html
Perhaps you've got friends you'd like us to take our
music to, or simply someone keen to run a House Party? We love fitting
them in between the Festivals and they're a great boost to your
community of friends.
Totally Gourdgeous (TG) just finished their initiation
into the Tamworth Country Music Festival via 'Andrew Clermont's'
Supper Club (Fringe Festival!). They arrived with their CD launch The
Stroke of Midnight uniting with Shot by Jake's book launch Hat's
Life together with Poet champ Murray Harten's DVD launch !!! 15
Supper Club Shows later - sharing with 'Oscar winning' Sophie Raymond;
Japanese Banjo Champ, Montz Matsumoto (who scooped the front page pic
of the Festival Pics Issue of the Northern Daily Leader), they
contributed to winning the Cavalcade Float Award for 2006 with The
Lions Club singing fearful versions of the 'Pub with No Beer'! A well
presented Pub had been erected on the semi trailer and all were in
costume – let alone the ever colourful TG
The Classic Waltz version/ then flat out Bluegrass/
Disco/ Reggae…. I think you get the idea!! We not only won the
Non-corporate but the Overall Award as well!
Now the Tolkien entranced New Zealand is ringing to
the lilts of TG from the mountain tops to the Ferries as week make a
short tour. You can hear the 'Making of 'The Stroke of Midnight at
http://www.abc.net.au/centralcoast/stories/s1547096.htm
Courtesy of Scott Levi at ABC Radio Erina
Many Hugs to all who have helped the touring
musicians bring their news and fun from afar.
Yours ever thankful, Andrew Clermont
Bonus story – so inspiring
A Whale of a Story
If you read the front page story of the SF Chronicle on Thursday,
December 15, 2005, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had
become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighed down
by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat.
She also had hundreds of yards of line (rope) wrapped around her body
her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.
A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farralone Islands (outside the
Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few
hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off,
the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her, a very dangerous
proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer. They worked for
hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.
When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous
circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and
nudged them, pushed them gently around -- she thanked them. Some said
it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy
who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole
time, and he will never be the same.
May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and as fortunate in the
New Year ---- to be untangled from the things that we think are binding
us.
Thanks to Maxine (New Paradigm Media Brilliance in Service to Life)
for relaying that story
Now just while you are here - way down the bottom here is a Photo Gallery & Links button. Please visit for some seriously good views! Read on or Jump ahead !
Now if you have any interest in Fiddle Music -
Announcing the Golden Fiddle Awards and....
THAT'S RIGHT! An acknowledgement of Australian & New Zealand Fiddledom
You can nominate your favourite teacher, enter your own fiddle composition (any style) or nominate a Best Fiddler etc
see http://www.goldenfiddleawards
Seven categories:
Best fiddler (as a soloist)
Best band, group, ensemble or orchestra featuring a fiddler
Best CD by a fiddler as soloist
Best CD by a band, group, ensemble or orchestra featuring a fiddler
Lifetime achievement award
Best fiddle teacher
Best fiddle composition
Entries close Late Oct
And you can become a member supporting promoting fiddle music Australia wide.
Tell us your news and views in the forum:
Fiddlers can also enter the NoHoldsBarred Australasian Fiddle Contest
http://www.goldenfiddleawards.org.au/noholdsbarred.php
SEE http://www.andrewclermont.com.au/e-movies.htm#noholds
For Emovie of the 2004 Comps!!
Join in the fun of these new awards designed especially for fiddlers and violinists from all walks of life!
Don’t forget the Gig Guide at http://members.aol.com/clrmnta/myhomepage/profile.html
May you all have the best cheer for the approaching years finale.
Love & Light and a whole bunch of fine music, Andrew Clermont
meanwhile....
CONTACT & CD DETAILS
c/- The Post Office , Moonbi (near Tamworth) , NSW 2353 Australia Ph. (61) 0407 753 809
Email. Andrewclermont@optusnet.com.au Web:www.andrewclermont.com.au
has a 20 CD package to offer (more coming) - a feast of Clermonts recorded musicology - most are $25 inc pp
1. The Longing - presenting a 10 year crossection - the definitive
2. BackBeat Éthe sessions - rockinŐ Bluegrass - a Classic Đ REUNION IN 2007 - Dorrigo Festival, NSW!! Woohoo!
3. Fiddlers Festival Live - 10 great Oz fiddlers from 3 shows‘n more
4. Fiddlers Festival Strung Out”: Favourites & More
5. Fid Fest Get Reel - More amazing tracks from the fun team New Release - Friendzy
6. Didgeridoo Interludes - landscape sounds from cello(Stephan Richter),Percuss(Craig Lauritson),Violin/Mando(Clermont) to Didg(Alistar Black)
7. Terra Australis - originally FowlHouse Jack Won the Battle of the BushBands 99, 00,02 - Top 5 Radio airplay and Heritage Award
8. BLUEGRASS - Made In Taiwan : LIVE & STORMY - featuring Jenny Lester (Canada), Daryl (Jack ) Melbourne & Clermont
9. Instrumental movie style adventure - Dance of the Good Life - Dueling with the amazing Parris MacLeod (piano/drums/bass)
10. Happy As Larry - Clermont & Parris Macleod. Violin & Piano duets. Instrumentals of Celtic to New Age flavour
11. Dya Singh - Bandagi - Active Meditation Songs & Music! From Nth India styles .
12. Dya Singh 300 - celebratiing the Sikh phenomenon with musical fusion plus English inclusions. Now 13 CDs from the groups 10 years
13. Dya Singh 'Live at the Lion' (At Last!) 9 piece Band. Adventures in Indian/Sikh Fusion Music - Nov 2005
14. TOTALLY GOURDGEOUS DEBUT CD - reggaed folk ! Penelope Swales, Mal Webb, Carl Panuzzo, Andrew
15. TOTALLY GOURDGEOUS D’vine - Joni Mitchell meets James Brown in Bob Marley’s pumpkin patch - via the Muppets! AND NOW Stroke of Midnight as of 2006
16. The Lawnmowers (At the Cutting Hedge of Bluegrass!) - The Good Road (Trad) plus Second Cut (Beyond Trad!) just released. Extraordinary Bluegrass!
17. Live at The Supper Club - Oct 2003 Mark Atkins/Dheeraj Shrestra/Parris&PuYu Macleod/The Mowers/Randal Wilson 78min!
18. Healing & meditation, from partner Pauline - Songs for the Soul and now on Video as well, featuring Pauline’s Art designs
19. Let the Sun in You Shine Through - Pauline . A Healing CD with meditation for recovering from Abuse
20. Child of Light - Pauline . A Red Indian (First Nation) style meditation journey with cedar flute, healing drum & chanting.
* VIDEOS & SOON DVDS! A Crash Course to Fiddling Freedom (or Mandolin/Didgeridoo/Guitar) / Totally Gourdgeous - Live Cuts from the Vine /The Supper Club and..
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CREDIT CARDS CAN BE USED OR DIRECT DEPOSIT Đ SEE SALES AT
http://www.andrewclermont.com.au
