Australian Indigenous Music
This is a great portal, the home of contemporary Australian Indigenous music.
'Come and be part of the Blacklist mob, and help spread the word on Australian Indigenous music throughout the world. For the musicians among you, we want your tunes. For those of you with an ear for music, tune in. And talk. All of you. This music needs a voice...'
http://www.blacklist.org.au/index.cfm
DustEchoes
on ABC.net is a brilliant online series of twelve beautifully animated dreamtime stories from Central Arnhem Land, telling stories of love, loyalty, duty to country and Aboriginal custom and law. The quality of the animations and accompanying mix of Indigenous contemporary music with 'traditional music' elements is outstanding and you can download each composition as an MP3 file. There are also extensive study guides to download for each of the twelve stories. This is a site which will greatly interest primary children of all ages. Outstanding!
About The Black Arm Band - The Black Arm Band
The mission of The Black Arm Band is to perform, promote and celebrate contemporary Australian Indigenous music to the highest possible professional standard as a symbol of resilience and hope in the spirit and action of reconciliation...
The Black Arm Band are amongst the most respected names in Australian indigenous music and have included Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Bart Willoughby, Stephen Pigram, Dan Sultan, Peter Rotumah, Kutcha Edwards, Kev Carmody, Mark Atkins, Lou Bennett and Dave Arden. These artists have been joined by musicians that have added their own unique artistic voices to Indigenous musical history, including Paul Kelly, Shane Howard, Jimmy Barnes and John Butler. A blistering backup band features some of Melbourne's finest jazz instrumentalists.
http://www.arts.vic.gov.au/Arts_in_Victoria/Indigenous_Art_in_Victoria/Black_Arm_Band
The Black Arm Band is a 32-piece ensemble featuring a line up of exceptional soloists performing works from the inspirational songbook of contemporary Indigenous life. The Black Arm Band was created to perform MURUNDAK (meaning 'alive' in woirrwurung) for the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival. MURUNDAK is an extraordinary musical event that celebrates music as an instrument of identity, resistance, resilience and a call to freedom. HIDDEN REPUBLIC (2008) continues where MURUNDAK left off, collaborating with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the pride and respect woven throughout Australian indigenous music. DIRTSONG (2009), performed predominantly in Aboriginal languages, is presented in five episodes with songs and music inspired by the words of Alexis Wright. Many of the pieces are structured as musical “conversations” between the collaborating artists reflecting on country, conjuring not only a sense of geographical place but encounters, memories, obligations, community and nature.
Yothu Yindi - A Band with a Vision Yothu Yindi is Australia's ground breaking band combining traditional Aboriginal music with modern Western instrumentation.
Aboriginal Australia resources - 'Black Australian music is by no means restricted to playing the didgeridoo, but is just as diverse as white Australian music. Would you have thought that some Indigenous artists play Reggae, Hip Hop or Country?'
Vibe Alive is about celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures a home of 'the Deadly's' and the radio programme 'Deadly Sounds'.
Aboriginal art online Country and the Dreaming
Contemporary Aboriginal music is a rich and varied activity in Australia. Aboriginal artists - whether in music or in the visual arts - are often seen to be engaging in political actions through their work. Singer Jimmy Little has asserted "the very fact that an Aboriginal performer gets on stage and sings is a political act" while Galarrwuy Yunupingu, chairman of the Northern Land Council and brother of Mandawuy Yunupingu, lead singer of the band Yothu Yindi, commented that "our painting is a political act". Archie Roach has written and performed songs of great beauty and power that are overtly political in their message and intent.
Kutcha Edwards Home Page Kutcha Edwards is an Australian aboriginal singer and songwriter. He received the NAIDOC Indigenous Person of the Year Award in 2001 - 2002 in honour of his contributions to his community and music.
Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association
http://caama.com.au/category/music/artists/
Music Council of Australia A very informative introduction to traditional Indigenous musics by Dr. Jill Stbbington. Includes links to 'Geoffrey Gurumul Yunupingu, Warumpi Band, Christine Anu. 'Traditional Aboriginal music, like the 250 or more languages of Aboriginal Australia, differs in different parts of the continent...