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. Before they recorded their third album 'Voyage' Michael Atherton departed being replaced by Paul Koerbin.

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 many 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

Andrew de Teliga (fiddle, bouzouki, bodhrán, viola, drums),Chai Chang Ning (dizi), Bill O'Toole (flute, aval, melodeon, whistle, clarinet [Folk], percussion [Cabrette]), Michael Atherton (whistle, recorder, rauschpfeife, guitar [12-String], cittern, vocals, gemshorn, oud, psaltery, bass, percussion ), Guy Madigan (rattle [Seed-Pod], whistle [Bird], dhol, bells, percussion), Peter Carolan (keyboards), Paul Koerbin (bouzouki, oud [Arabic Ud, Turkish Ut], guitar, bombarde, shawm [Medieval], guitar [Guittara Saracenica], violin [Ejek], tin whistle, oboe [Baroque Hautbois], recorder [Renaissance], flute [Folk], melodeon), Dougal Kelly (synthesizer, sampler [Samples], bagpipes [French], bombarde, programmed by [Computer], percussion [Saz]

ALBUMS
'Paths Of The Wind' 1982 Arika Records
'Earth Dance' 1983 Arika Records
'Voyage' 1986 Larrikin Records 
'Port Of Call' 1989 Jarra Hill 
'The Breath Of Time - New Traditions 1' 1990 ABC 
'The Evergreen Realm' [with Chai Chang Ning] 1992 Jarra Hill Records 

'Wetland Suite' 1993 ABC 
'Stars & Fires' 1995 ABC 
'Australian Voyage - Folk-Rock Symphony' 1995 ARC Music 
'Walkabout The World' 1996 Musica Pangaea
'Falling Leaf' 1998 ABC

References

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