Folk

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Kirsten MacKenzie: Saltwater

With sixteen singers credited over its nine tracks Kirsten Mackenzie's "Saltwater" is a powerful, vocal orientated album from a majestic vocalist. Take the time to have a listen to the sample track and you'll understand what I mean.

"Saltwater" was released in 2006 after a long creative process that began in Bellingen in 1997 and, despite its many paths, it attains an admirable unity of creative vision. On release the album was the feature CD on ABC Radio National's breakfast programme.

Kirsten will be best known as a member of the much-loved vocal group Arramaieda. Arramaieda was popular at Australian festivals in the early/mid 1990's and was an important early influence on the now flourishing acapella scene in Australia. They wrote & sang about their lives, about women's rights, and about the humanitarian & environmental issues that concerned them.

They released the highly acclaimed CD - More ways than One - and one of Kirsten's compositions - Hugo's Song - was included on Triple J's first Earthcore compilation. The group disbanded in 1995, their final performance being in Kirsten's hometown of Bellingen, at the first Bellingen Global Carnival.

Kirsten continues to sing, teach and direct choirs, both on the mid-north coast of NSW and nationally.

Track list: Hugo, Claypan, Divorced, Butcher Bird, Tama Oma, A Million Miles, Sehani Yangudo, Moan Brother, Freedom, Moala.

Musicians: Kirsten Mackenzie vocals and guitar, Pascale Rose vocals, Valanga Khosa vocals, Del Larkin vocals Steve Berry guitar and balon, Lamine Bangoura gongoma, Kev Carmody harmonica and digeridoo and bird calls, Rachele Hore vocals, Fiona Mackenzie vocals and boomerangs, Tricky Joe vocals, Bob Oase vocals, Greg Sheehan percussion, Cleis Pearce violin, Mereoni Togaibai wailing, Symone Ballangarry wailing.

Choir on Freedom; Michele Balharry, Danny Bailey, John Carty, Kev Carmody, Linda Cochrane, Valange Khosa, Del Larkin, Fiona Mackenzie, Kirsten Mackenzie, Pascale Rose.

Contact Kirsten Mackenzie:
kmackenziecd@yahoo.com.au

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Kym Pitman: Woman of the Moon

Kym has performed at Maleny/Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Canberra National Folk Festival, Fringe Festival Adelaide and Bellingen Global Carnival. She has been performing as a singer, songwriter, guitarist and fiddle player both solo and with various bands, including Ibis, at venues throughout Australia since 1978. "Woman of the Moon" was first released in 1997 and ten years later it’s still fresh as a daisy; a beautiful blend of spacious, shimmering vocals, mellifluous instrumentation and fine musicians at work. Add to this Kym’s inspirational lyrics and you’ve got an elegant example of modern Australian folk.

Track list: Spirit Wind, Sapphire and Gold, Bishops Creek, Life Blood, Only Way Home, We Will Remember, Carry On, Bless the Dawn, Blessing in Disguise, Black Cockatoo, Woman of the Moon.

Musicians: Kym Pitman lead and harmony vocals and violin, Susan McGowan keyboard, Greg Sheehan percussion, Steve Berry 6 string and 12 string guitar, Mark Robson keyboard and digeridoo, Jeremy Alsop bass guitar, Kirsten McKenzie and Danny Bailey and James Bresnahan harmony vocals, Mary Doumany harp, Tony Buchanan saxophone.