Dates For Your Diary Folk Federation of New South Wales Inc Folk News Issue 476 Feb-Mar 2016 $3.00 Dance News CD Reviews Colum Sands (Ireland) returns to Australia folk music dance festivals reviews profiles diary dates sessions opportunities ADVERTISING SIZES FEBRUARY - MARCH Size mm Members Not Mem Full page 210 x 297 $80 $120 2016 Folk Federation of New South Wales Inc 1/2 page 210 x 146 $40 $70 Post Office Box A182 or In this issue Sydney South NSW 1235 102 x 146 Presidents Report p3 Dates for your diary p4 ISSN 0818 7339 ABN9411575922 1/4 page 102 x 146 $25 $50 jam.org.au Festivals and Other events p8 1/8 page 102 x 70 $15 $35 Folk News p11 The Folk Federation of NSW Inc, Advertising artwork required by 5th Dale & John Dengate Parody Comp p12 formed in 1970, is a Statewide body of each month. Advertisements can Dance News p12 which aims to present, support, encour- be produced by Cornstalk if required. CD Review p13 age and collect folk music, folk dance, Please contact the editor for enquiries Folk Contacts p17 folklore and folk activities as they about advertising (02) 6493 6758 exist in Australia in all their forms. It All cheques for advertisements and provides a link for people interested If your event misses Cornstalk, Julie inserts to be made payable to the Folk Bishop 02 9524 0247, julie@folkfedn- in the folk arts through its affiliations Federation of NSW Inc with folk clubs throughout NSW and its sw.org.au can include it in Folkmail, counterparts in other States. It bridges Cornstalk Editor: - Coral Vorbach the weekly email to members. And don’t forget that as a member you can all styles & interests to present the folk PO Box 5195. Cobargo NSW 2550 arts to the widest possible audience. put information on jam.org.au, where 6493 6758 [email protected] helpful tutorials will guide you. Committee Cornstalk is the official pub. of the Folk Federation of NSW. Contributions, President: Andy Busuttil news, reviews, poems, photos welcome! APRIL-MAY 2016 deadline date: Vice President: Anthony Woolcott Photographs - high resolution JPG or 12th March, 2016. Secretary: Pam Davis 9955 3677 TIFF files. 300 dpi images cropped at [email protected] correct size. Treasurer: Bruce Cameron 6331 1129 We use Adobe InDesign, Photoshop 6, Folk Contacts [email protected] Microsoft Word. PLEASE do not send Organisers of Regular Events! photographs as part of a Word doc. General Members: Dallas & James There are many out-of-date Baxter, Terry Clinton, Sandra Nixon, No part of Cornstalk may be reproduced entries in Folk Contacts (see PDF Max Gregory, Kate Maclurcan, Chris- without permission of the publishers. version). Please look for your tine Wheeler All care but no responsibility taken for omissions or errors. event (as well as others you may Membership/Listserv/JAM: know of), & send changes, dele- Wayne Richmond 9939 8802 Wrap Co-ordinator: James Baxter tions etc to [email protected] [email protected] 9810 4131 - [email protected] The Folk Federation of NSW - Membership Application Form Name/s: Eve phone: Day phone: Address: Mobile: Email: Membership Type (Tick one) Individual - $25 Family (more than one in same household) - $30 Other name/s: _________________________________ Affiliate (organisation) - $35 Contact Name: _____________________________________ Please find enclosed $ ____ being my subscription for ___ years. I enclose my cheque/money order payable to: Folk Federation of NSW; or Please charge my credit card: (Tick one) Card number: ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ / ___ ___ ___ ___ Expiry Date: ____ / ____ Name on card: ________________________________________________________________ Signature: The membership year runs from 1st May to 30th April or from 1st November to 31st October. Allowances are made in your favour for people joining at other times. Send to: PO Box A182, Sydney South NSW 1235. 2 - The CORNSTALK Gazette Feb - March 2016 PRESIDENT'S REPORT At 9:18 a.m. on 30th November 2015 my best and oldest friend of 42 years, Damian Cobley-Finch died as I held his hand. I realise that this is a deeply personal event perhaps not having a great deal to do with folk in NSW. However, Damian’s life was an extremely ‘folkie’ event and I wanted to write a little about it here. Many of you would have ‘known’ Damian from his attendance at a multitude of folk festivals around the country. He was a regular at the National and a perennial at the Woodford Folk Festival, the festival he absolutely adored. He would always walk away from a festival with hundreds of dollars worth of CD’s in support of the artists that he loved so much. He conceptualised and created the Acoustica festival that used to be held in Birch- grove Park when the ALP was in control of Leichardt council. Damian was, at the time, the deputy mayor of Leichardt. He was also a member of ‘Good Things Enterprises’ that brought Judy Small into the folk limelight in 1982 with her first album ‘A Natural Selection’. He was one of the group who contributed funds and substantial effort to bringing forth one of Australia’s finest singer-songwriters. He was also a member of Gumnut Productions, which promoted many fine concerts in Sydney in the early and mid 80’s. The one I remember with great fondness had a stack of folk headliners in it: Sirocco, Raglan Road, Eric Bogle with Jock Munro and Brent Miller, Margret RoadKnight and of course Judy Small being introduced to Australia. It was an amazing concert with unbelievable Aussie talent on show in a beautiful venue. I remember many stories being told of the bill posting that went on, illegally of course, all round the Sydney CBD in the middle of the night. Damian’s commitment to folk music continued for many years when he ran the OzFocus radio program on 2SER FM. It used to happen, if I remember correctly, at 1.00 pm on Monday afternoons and he would turn up rain or shine. I was delighted to carry the show on the odd occasion when he couldn’t make it when he had to be out of town. It had a loyal following and nothing as good, in my opinion, has ever replaced it on that station’s airwaves. What Damian did on the show was proudly broadcast the full spectrum of folk music that was born here in Australia. He was extremely eclectic in his tastes with music from Anglo, Celtic, and early white Australiana being played with pride. Where Damian also shone was in his inclusion and embracing of Indigenous and transcultural (aka multicultural or ‘World’) music. His scheduling and the music blasted out over the air- waves generated a richness of musical diversity that I, and many others like me, loved. Damian reflected the true nature of Australian Folk. He leaves us with grief from me & from those who truly new him & what he stood for. He was the true Aussie in every way; fair, equita- ble and embracing. He was the quintessential Laborist. For me, folk festivals will never be the same again. It was always a highlight of any festival to meet up with him and share a meal and a great and entertaining chin wag. I miss him terribly and will always, especially when I walk through the gates of a festival with that sense of excitement and anticipation, which will now always be shaded, by that sense of loss. I’ve included his photo since many of you will know him by face rather than by name. That is who the man was and his sense of optimism and hope is characterised by the ‘V’; a life victorious and well lived. Andy Busuttil Lime & Steel will be at Humph Hall 7pm, Saturday 27th February The Folk Federation of NSW ONLINE - jam.org.au The CORNSTALK Gazette The CORNSTALK Gazette Feb - March 2016 - 3 Dates for your diary February - March 2016 Centre, Beecroft Rd (opp. Fire Station). His contagious enthusiasm for promoting Metropolitan 7.30-11.30pm. Supper provided. $19, community singing has brought many $17, $14 BMC members. Sigrid 9980 people together. Bush Music Club, Tritton February 2016 7077, Wilma 9489 5594 Hall (Hut 44), Addison Road Centre, 142 Tuesday 2nd February Addison Rd, Marrickville. 8-10pm (doors . Sydney Playford Dance Group starts Troubadour Folk Club. Special 7.30). $10, bring songs and a contribution up again, with the Playford Players, old Event: 'Troubadour Tracks' Opening for supper. Sandra 9358 4886. bushmusic. English dances, and a lot of fun. Plenty Concert for 2016. The Troubadour’s first org.au, bushmusicclub.blogspot.com.au of parking, and the 428 bus from the CD is bursting with members' tracks Quay, Castlereagh St & Railway Square which celebrate its Central Coast home. stops at the gate. Hut 44 (Bush Music Folk, blues, country, singalongs, novelty Club), Addison Road Centre, 142 Addi- songs, a story from award-winning local son Rd, Marrickville. 7.30-9.30pm. $5, Bush Balladeer Peter Mace and a rather $3 students. Julie 9524 0247 alarming take on Waltzing Matilda from the audience, assisted by Sue Robinson. Friday 5th February We welcome quality floor spots. CWA, The Boulevarde, Woy Woy (opp. Fish- erman’s Wharf). 7pm. $10 entry will include a copy of the CD itself. Michael 4342 6716. troubadour.org.au Sunday 7th February .Petersham Bowling Club. VIN GAR- BUTT, legendary English singer song- writer and storyteller, makes a welcome return, with his only Sydney show at Pe- tersham Bowlo! Vin's trademark blend of traditional reels, passionate protest Camelot Lounge.