The Weekend Planet

‘There is a soul inside of them waiting to come out’ says Tim O’Brien. He’s speaking of the vintage and custom-made instruments he plays on Chameleon. This masterful instrumentalist, singer and songwriter’s umpteenth album is the first on which he is quite solo, throughout. In Tim’s hands - one at a time - are a banjo, two different acoustic guitars, two (very different) bouzoukis, a mandola, a mandolin and a fiddle. The delicious results are sometimes unpredictable - his re-assessment of Judas, for instance. Another song sees a fiddle much older than Tim - and an even older ‘feel’ - support wry observations concerning 21st century communication modes.

Discover more about Tim O’Brien here:
www.timobrien.net/index.cfm

Playlist

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Details of each track are presented in the following order:
BROADCAST TIME
TRACK NUMBER AND TITLE
COMPOSER
PUBLISHING AND COPYRIGHT DETAILS
RECORDING COMPANY AND CD NUMBER
( distributor/ source details, in brackets like this, in lower-case)
ARTIST AND CD TITLE
Duration of track
Description of track, in lower-case.
Where relevant, further info links to information, gigs/events/related programs

’THE WEEKEND PLANET’ SUN 4.5. 08

2205
THEME:
(details below, as per the original CD.. This cut is also on these compilations Ketama - ’ Nuevos Medios Coleccion’ - Nuevos Medios NM 15 820
{ in Australia via MGM www.thegroovemerchants.com
worldwide, via: www.flamenco-world.com/noticias/nuevos.htm }
and ’ Jarabi - the best of Toumani Diabate’ (Hannibal 334352 )

CD CUT 1, ’ JARABI’
TRAD, ARR TOUMANI DIABATE
HAMILCAR MUSIC LTD
HANNIBAL HNCD 1323
( in Australia, some releases through Stomp Enquiries to: ben@stomp.com.au
worldwide: www.rykodisc.com )
KETAMA, TOUMANI DIABATE, DANNY THOMPSON - ’ SONGHAI’
THIRTY SECONDS (EXCERPT)
(retains a stately-Manding air, whilst also embracing flamenco elements. Toumani Diabate’ s kora, Danny Thompson’ s beautiful double bass and Ketama’ s flamenco guitars )

2207
CD CUT 1, ’WHERE’S LOVE COME FROM’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 43
( A jaunty shade of homespun philosophising: Tim, solo singing and playing very well - in his hands is a 1943 Gibson J-45 acoustic guitar )

SEGUE

2211
CD CUT 5, ’ONE MORE YEAR’
SHANE NICHOLSON
ESSENCE MUSIC
LIBERATION MUSIC LMCD0005
( www.liberation.com.au )
KASEY CHAMBERS AND SHANE NICHOLSON - ’RATTLIN’ BONES’
3: 34
( AUSTRAL COMP AND PERF: melancholic love song with just a whiff of hope. Beautifully sung by Kasey, with spare ac guitar and vocal harmony from the song’s author - her husband, Shane.

’RATTLIN’ BONES’ ABC RADIO NATIONAL ALERT

This CD will be explored through the week beginning Monday May 12 on ’The Daily Planet’

’The Daily Planet’ - with Lucky Oceans - airs Monday to Friday at 2.20pm
Except on Fridays, it has a second airing at 11.20 pm
website {includes audio} : www.abc.net.au/rn/dailyplanet )

AND:
KASEY CHAMBERS REGIONAL TOUR ALERT { eastern states, inc Tas }
in acoustic mode with Shane Nicholson and Bill Chambers

Updates/additions at www.kaseyandshane.com
Once there, click the ’tour’ prompt.

At the moment it looks like this:

Wednesday 7 May
Warrnambool - is already sold out.

Thursday 8 May
Geelong - Costa Hall
GPAC 03 5225 1200 www.gpac.org.au

Friday 9 May
Ballarat Woolshed
Ticketmaster 136 100 / www.ticketmaster.com
OR Discovery CDs & Records 03 5331 5153

Saturday 10 May
Horsham Town Hall
Leading Edge Music Horsham 03 5381 1782

Sunday 11 May
Swan Hill Town Hall
Swan Hill Regional Information Centre 03 5036 2444

Wednesday 14 May
Shepparton Eastbank Centre
Riverlinks Box Office 03 5832 9511

Thursday 15 May
Albury Convention centre
Albury Performing Arts Centre 02 6051 3051

Friday 16 May
Wagga : is already sold out

Saturday 17 May
Barooga Sports Club
Credit Card Sales Hotline 03 5873 4448

Sunday 18 May
Griffith: is already sold out

Wednesday 11 June
Coffs Harbour Ex Services Club
02 6652 3888

Thursday 12 June
Taree - Manning Entertainment Centre
Video Ezy Taree 02 6552 5699

Friday 13 June
Wollongong Regent Theatre
Ticketmaster 136 100 www.ticketmaster.com.au

Saturday 14 June
Penrith Panthers Evan Theatre
Panthers 1800 061 991 www.panthers.com.au

Sunday 15 June
Newcastle Civic Theatre
Ticketek 132 849 www.ticketek.com.au

Wednesday 25 June
Lismore Workers Club
02 6621 7401

Thursday 26 June
Tweed Heads Twin Towns
1800 014 014 www.twintowns.com.au

Friday 27 June
Toowoomba Empire Theatre
Bookings 1300 655 299 www.empiretheatres.com.au

Saturday 28 June
Nambour Civic Centre
Dial and Charge 07 5475 7777 www.mve.org.au

Sunday 29 June
Bundaberg Moncreiff Theatre
07 4153 1985 www.bundaberg.qld.gov.au/moncreiff

Thursday 03 July
Hobart Wrestpoint Casino
Country Club Ticketing 1300 795 257

Friday 04 July
Launceston: already sold out

Saturday 05 July (additional, newly-announced 2nd Launceston show)
Launceston Country Club
Country Club Ticketing 1300 795 257

Wednesday 23 July
Cairns Convention Centre
Ticketlink 07 4031 9555 / www.ticketlink.com.au

Thursday 24 July
Townsville Civic Theatre
TicketShop 07 4727 9797

Friday 25 July
Mackay Entertainment Centre
Box Office 07 4957 1777 www.mackayentertainment.com.au

Saturday 26 July
Rockhampton - Great Western Hotel
07 4922 3888 www.greatwesternhotel.com.au

Sunday 27 July
Gladstone Entertainment Centre
07 4972 2822

SEGUE

2215
CD CUT 4, ’RED DOG IN THE MORNING’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
2: 40
( Faux-Appalachian: Tim sings high-not-so-lonesome, deftly accompanying himself on a 5-string banjo - ’claw-hammer/old-timey/mountain’ style. In his hands is a 1998 Ome ’Minstrel’ banjo. Tim created this spontaneously one night at a friend’s house. He says ’I don’t know what it is about.’ )

2219
CD 2, CUT 1 - ’YOU ARE MY FLOWER’
A.P. CARTER ( copyright claimed, at least )
PUB NOT SPEC
ACOUSTIC DISC ACD-62
( no Australian distributor.
Worldwide: www.dawgnet.com )
VARIOUS - ’TONE POETS’
2: 36
(Tim O’Brien’s mandolin in duet with Bryan Sutton’s guitar. Instrumental treatment of country love-song. It emphasises the Tex-Mex flavour which was in ’Mother’ Maybelle Carter’s guitar part on Carter Family’s original recording )

SEGUE

2222
CD CUT 7, ’CHAMELEON’
TIM O’BRIEN, DAVID OLNEY AND JOHN HADLEY
RESP: CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP ) / RED LILY MUSIC, ADMIN BY BUG MUSIC (ASCAP) / HADLEY SIX MUSIC, ADMIN BY SONY-ATV-TREE (BMI)
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 16
( It’s not about a lizard! Acute portrayal of humans ’whose true colours never show.’ Quietly delivered by Tim, solo - accompanying himself on 1937 Martin 00-18 acoustic guitar)

SEGUE

2225
CD CUT 2, ’BARRYMORE REMEMBERS’
DAVID OLNEY
HAYES COURT MUSIC/ IRVING MUSIC (BMI)
PHILO CD 1204
( in Australia through Shock www.shock.com.au
worldwide through Rounder: www.rounder.com )
DAVID OLNEY - ’REAL LIES’
4: 46
(In persona of former matinee idol who is now a sad drunk
reminiscing in a bar. Two male voices w ac guitars, bass,
elec piano, drums. Bittersweet. Olney sings as John Barrymore senior { 1882 - 1942 } with John Prine as the ’sympathetic barman’

LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JOHN BARRYMORE (SENIOR) ?

Bio - and some memorable quotes from the man himself - are here:
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000858/bio

One of his more polite, self-referential remarks:
’It has been said that every man must properly pay the fiddler. Alas, in my case, it happened that an entire symphony orchestra had to be subsidized ’ )

2232
CD (DISC ONE) CUT 1, ’TANALAHY (CHAMELEON)’
JUSTIN RAKOTONDRASOA, KNOWN AS JUSTIN VALI
PUB NOT SPEC
CINQ PLANETES CP 06496
(no current Australian distributor
Email : info@cinqplanetes.com
Available via www.cdroots.com )
JUSTIN VALI - ’LES BAMBOUS’
4: 06
(Madagascan, quite solo, on a valiha with thick wire strings. Depicts a chameleon, and childhood memory of being transfixed by one, when he was meant to be watching the family’s cattle. More than half of the world’s chameleons are unique to Madagascar.

YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MADAGASCAR’S CHAMELEONS?

Go to: www.pbs.org/edens/madagascar/creature3.htm )

SEGUE

2236
CD CUT 6, ’MPIARAK’ AOMBY II’ (SONG OF THE COWHERD)
ERNEST RANDRIANASOLO (D’GARY)
PUB NOT SPEC
SHANACHIE64069
( possibly , in Australia through Fuse Music
www.fusemusic.com.au
Worldwide: www.shanachie.com )
VARIOUS - ’A WORLD OUT OF TIME, VOL. 3 - MUSIC OF MADAGASCAR’
4: 23
(Madagascan guitar hero, D’Gary, solo. His voice and intricate {valiha-esque} finger-style ac guitar. The words {in Malagasy} adopt the persona of a cowherd who has spent many days and nights with the cattle - away from his family and loved ones. The song has a happy-sad duality. It is set at nightfall, on his happy return home )

2242
CD CUT 1, ’AND HEAVEN CALLED’
SIMON KENT)
(PRESUMABLY) APRA
BIRDLAND BL014
( www.birdland.com.au
Birdland label releases also available through www.cvibes.com )
BLOW - ’BLUE SUN RED MOON’
8: 30
(AUSTRAL COMP AND PERF: gospel-chant-inflected, with the horns functioning very much as overlapping-entwining ’voices’. Each is individually heard, but only the author’s trombone takes a ’solo’ as such. Ted Vining’s drums, Peter Harper’s alto sax, Simon Kent’s trombone, Ian Dixon’s trumpet,. Mick Meagher’s bass and Bob Sedergreen’s piano/keys ).

BLOW : REGULAR GIGS ALERT (at an Ethiopian Cafe in Melbourne)

Every Thursday at Kooshi Cafe (Ethiopian meals. music from 9pm)
20 Johnston Street, Collingwood
www.thehorn.com.au tel 9417 4670 for bookings )

SEGUE

2251
CD CUT 8, ’HAPPY DAYS’
MCCOY TYNER
PUB NOT SPEC (BUT PROBABLY AISHA MUSIC)
SELF-ISSUED, NO CATALOG NUMBER
(available from Identity Promotions in Melbourne: 0403 302 324
email: raesed@ozemail.com.au )
ROSA-HORBELT-SEDERGREEN (IVAN ROSA, SONJA HORBELT, BOB SEDERGREEN) - ’THE FIRST ONE’
2: 57
(AUSTRAL PERF: up and positively-powerful jazz for Bob’s piano, Ivan’s ac bass and Sonja’s drums)

BOB SEDERGREEN GIG/ MAJOR FESTIVAL ALERT (Bunbury, WA )

Bunbury International Jazz Festival, Sat May 10 and Sunday May 11
Details are here: www.bunbury.wa.gov.au/index.php?pageId=484

Its many performers include Bob Sedergreen - with Sonja Horbelt on drums )

2255
CD CUT 4, ’FLAMINGO’
TED GROUYA (THE ORIGINAL CAME WITH A LYRIC BY EDMUND ANDERSON)
PUB NOT SPEC
BIRDLAND RECORDS BL017
( www.birdland.com.au
Birdland label releases also available through www.cvibes.com )
JUDY BAILEY TRIO - ’PENDULUM’
3: 20 ( excerpt )
(AUSTRAL PERF: tender, spacious ballad. Judy’s piano, Craig Scott’s double bass and drummer Tim Firth. The Romanian-raised composer of this melody had a remarkably diverse musical life..see the link below.

JUDY BAILY (BIG-BAND) GIG ALERT ( Sydney )

Friday May 9 @ 8.30 pm

YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT TED GROUYA (1910-2000) ?

There’s a good obituary, here:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000613/ai_n14302923

----
11 PM NEWS
----

2305
CD CUT 12, ’ARMCHAIR BLUES’
PAUL GIOIA
(PRESUMABLY) APRA
GREEN MEDIA DISTRIBUTION PG003
( available direct, via www.paulgioia .com )
PAUL GIOIA - ’RISING SEA’
3: 47
(AUSTRAL COMP AND PERF: Piano blues, solo - ’big’, yet very relaxed about it. Has real authority.

’RISING SEA’ CD LAUNCH CONCERT ALERT ( Fremantle )

Saturday May 10 @ 8pm
Fly By Night Club, Parry St Fremantle.
If you wish to book ahead, follow the prompts at www.paulgioia.com

AND
FURTHER GIG ALERT.

Paul is part of the Perth Blues Club gig on the night of Tuesday May 13
Charles Hotel 509 Charles St, North Perth Ph 9444 1051

Paul Gioia 9.45pm
TH & The Esquires 11pm
Andrew Winton 8.30pm

full detals, here: www.perthbluesclub.com )

2310
CD CUT 2, ’HOSS RACE’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 22
(Tim in persona of a mug-punter on his ’lucky day’. His voice and syncopated-rhythmic bouzouki. His 2004 Davidson bouzouki has a lot of ’grunt’ )

SEGUE

2313
CD CUT 3, ’THE GARDEN’
TIM O’BRIEN, DAVID OLNEY AND JOHN HADLEY
RESP: CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP ) / RED LILY MUSIC, ADMIN BY BUG MUSIC (ASCAP) / HADLEY SIX MUSIC, ADMIN BY SONY-ATV-TREE (BMI)
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 19
( Tim in persona of one trying to console a broken-hearted friend, whose lover has forsaken her. The ’twist’ is that the one who cannot quite find the right words had never plucked up the courage to tell her that HE loved her, long ago. He still does. This wistfully-waltzing song sees Tim alone with his { softer-toned } 1989 Nugget bouzouki )

2319
CD CUT 8, ’FATHER FORGIVE ME’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 57
(Sly-wry song on the subject of failing to see ’the bigger picture’. Among other things, it reconsiders Judas. Tim, solo - as he always is on this disc. He plays very deft syncopated finger-style Piedmont-blues-ish acoustic guitar - on a 1937 Martin 00-18 )

SEGUE

2323
CD CUT 13, ’WORLD OF TROUBLE’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
4: 01
(Faux-Appalachian, faux-plaint. Sly song in which Tim addresses various contemporary American political realities, perspectives, naiveties and prejudices. He accompanies himself - ’claw-hammer/old-timey/mountain’ style - on a 5-string banjo. It is a 1998 Ome ’Minstrel’ banjo )

2328
CD CUT 2, ’THE SECOND TUNE’
THOMAS TALLIS, ARR ANDREW ROBSON
THE ORIGINAL (16TH CENTURY, ENGLISH ) MUSIC IS PUBLIC DOMAIN
ARR PUB IS NOT SPEC (PRESUMABLY, APRA )
ABC CLASSICS ABC 476 6484
( in Australia through Universal. Available at ABC shops
& online: www.abcshop.com.au )
ANDREW ROBSON - ’BEARING THE BELL: THE HYMNS OF THOMAS TALLIS’
7: 11
(AUSTRAL PERF AND ARR: four jazz instrumentalists tackle the hymns of the Tudor composer, Thomas Tallis. No ’swinging dude’ inanities. The nature of the music is definitely respected, but creatively treated. The leader’s alto sax, Sandy Evans’ tenor sax, James Greening’s trombone and Steve Elphick’s double bass.

ABC RADIO NATIONAL ALERT

We explore this album next Sunday, May 11
More details here: www.abc.net.au/rn/weekendplanet/comingup )

SEGUE

2335
CD CUT 5, ’MENISCUS’
LLOYD SWANTON
CONTROL
RUFUS RECORDS RF072
( in Australia through Universal
Rufus website: www.rufusrecords.com.au )
THE CATHOLICS - ’GONDOLA’
10: 28
(AUSTRAL COMP AND PERF: begins with a loooooooooong, mysterious note on Sandy Evans soprano sax. Retains a ’mysterious’, spacious quality, even as it progressively heats up. The composer is the ac bassist and leader, with Bruce Reid’s lap steel and Jonathan Pease’s elec guitars, drummer Hamish Stuart, percussionist Fabian Hevia, trombonist James Greening )

CATHOLICS GIG ALERT ( Sydney, in June )

Saturday June 21, 8.30 pm @ ’The Sound Lounge’ (doors open 8.00pm)
Seymour Theatre Centre, corner City Rd and Cleveland St, Chippendale
Box office tel: 02 9351 7940

Presented by SIMA; full program details www.sima.org.au )

2347
CD CUT 5, ’PHANTOM PHONE CALL’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
2: 34
( ’old-timey American fiddle tune’ in feel, but the song is fact a humorous denunciation of the mobile phone. Tim, solo - as he always is on this disc. Here, he accompanies himself on a fiddle much older than he is - a 1922 Carlo Micelli )

SEGUE (same-disc, consecutive)

2350
CD CUT 6, ’MEGNA’S’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 50
(Tim speaks, then sing-song-chants as he remembers and evokes the vocal spruikings of a market gardener/produce merchant Tim remembers from his childhood. He accompanies himself on 1924 Gibson Lloyd Loar mandola )

SEGUE

2354
CD CUT 15, ’CROOKED ROAD’
TIM O’ BRIEN
CORNBREAD NATION, ADMIN BY BLUEWATER MUSIC ( ASCAP )
HOWDY SKIES RECORDS/ PROPER AMERICAN PRPACD007
( In Australia, through The Planet Company/ MGM
email: info@theplanetcompany.com
website: www.theplanetcompany.com
Worldwide: proper-records.co.uk )
TIM O’ BRIEN - ’CHAMELEON’
3: 23
( Homespun-philosophising song - likely the most genuinely-autobiographical one on the disc. About what matters and doesn’t, accepting mortality, valuing life and love: ’.use my heart to guide me, as I walk this crooked road. Tim plays nicely-syncopated bouzouki - his 2004 Davidson )

2358
CD CUT 9, ’IRELAND’S GREEN SHORE’
TRAD, ARR TIM O’BRIEN
HOWDY SKIES MUSIC/ FORERUNNER MUSIC INC (ASCAP)
ALULA ALU-1014
(to best of my knowledge, no current Australian distributor
available, worldwide, direct from www.timobrien.net/store.cfm
TIM O’BRIEN - ’THE CROSSING’
1: 05 (excerpt)
(duet for Dirk Powell’s clawhammer banjo and Tim’s mandolin. Instrumental version of Irish song of emigration {which is sung, elsewhere on this disc} )

Presenter

Doug Spencer

Producer

Doug Spencer