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Monday 28 March 2016

SIROCCO


Sirocco is an Australian music group that began in 1980 with three musicians: Bill O'Toole, Guy Madigan and Andrew de Teliga. In 1981 Michael Atherton joined and the group recorded their first album 'Paths of the Wind'. The concept of the band was to find inspiration from the numerous cultures in Australia. When Sirocco started, the music scene in Australia was classical, rock, jazz and a little folk. However, the numerous migrant cultures, such as Chilean, Turkish, Arabic and Irish, had a vibrant music culture. Sirocco tapped into this and brought many of these expert musicians into the band for guest performances.

The early albums and performances were known for the unusual array of instruments rarely seen outside their community, including the oud, cittern, cabrette, kaval, dumbe, tupan. Their instruments were mixed and matched in the same way as the Australian population. Their performances were wild, always getting the audience up and dancing—"the excitement of rock and roll, the improvisation of jazz and the musicianship of classical". Of interest, they performed at lots of weddings because many marriages in Australia were across cultures. The bride and groom came from very different cultures and it was only Sirocco who could perform their music in such an Australian manner.

They are well known for innovation, and it was demonstrated in their concert in the endangered Macquarie Marshes in 1993 and the concert with the Dayaks in central Borneo. They predated world music and the environmental concerts by 15 years. Sirocco now have 14 albums released and a video. They have been nominated for an ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release in 1987 (Voyage), for Best Independent Release in 1990 (Port of Call) and for Best World Music Album three times: 1995 (The Wetland Suite), 1996 (Stars and Fires) and 1999 (Falling Leaf). They have toured over 32 countries including India (four times), Laos, Nepal and Pakistan, and were the first Australian group to tour both Russia and China.

Members

Peter Jacob (percussion), Andrew de Teliga (strings), Paul Jarman (keyboard, woodwinds), 
Chai Chang Ning (dizi), Bill O'Toole (woodwinds), Michael Atherton (various instruments),
Guy Madigan (drums/percussion), Peter Carolan (keyboards)








References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirocco_(Australian_band)


4 comments:

  1. This video is not the Sirocco band described in the article.

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  2. Sirocco kept going for many year. Very rarely changing the line up. Most musicians lasted 10 years in the band - it was that enjoyable and personally rewarding. WE toured over twenty countries ranging from the Soviet Far east to China and the USA. More information siroccoz.com

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