His Life and Music

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His Life and Music
His Life and Music Gurrumul.jpg
Live album by
Released6 December 2013
Recorded28/29 May 2013
Genre World Music, Aboriginal
Label Skinnyfish Music
ABC Music
Gurrumul albums chronology
Rrakala
(2011)
His Life and Music
(2013)
The Gospel Album
(2015)

His Life and Music is a live album by Gurrumul and The Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The album was recorded live at the Sydney Opera House for Vivid Festival in May 2013, [1] and released through ABC Music.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu Australian singer

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, also referred to since his death as Dr G Yunupingu, was an Indigenous Australian musician. A multi-instrumentalist, he played drums, keyboards, guitar and didgeridoo, but it was the clarity of his singing voice that attracted rave reviews. He sang stories of his land both in Yolŋu languages such as Gaalpu, Gumatj or Djambarrpuynu, a dialect related to Gumatj, and in English. Although his solo career brought him wider acclaim, he was also formerly a member of Yothu Yindi, and later Saltwater Band. He was the most commercially successful Aboriginal Australian musician at the time of his death.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra orchestra

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra that was initially formed in 1908. Since its opening in 1973, the Sydney Opera House has been its home concert hall. The orchestra's current chief conductor is David Robertson.

Sydney Opera House multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre at Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the 20th century's most famous and distinctive buildings.

Contents

The recording features Gurrumul, in a world-first collaboration with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, performing a collection of songs from his award winning albums. Also included on the album are introductions from Gurrumul's family that provide a rare insight into the people, the country and the stories behind some of his most popular songs. [2]

The album was released on 6 December 2013 [3] and peaked at #48 on the ARIA album's chart. [4]

Reviews

Tyler McLoughlan from The Music gave the album 4 1/2 stars out of 5, saying; "Gurrumul has a habit of evoking an array of overwhelming emotions in a live setting that don't even exist in the toolbox of most performers" and "[it] is a thrilling piece of the live Gurrumul experience to take home". [5]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Performer/sLength
1."Wiyathul"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul6:35
2."Welcome and Introduction" Michael Hohnen1:21
3."Bapa"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra2:48
4."Introduction to Djarimirri" Susan Dhangal Gurruwiwi0:44
5."Djarimirri"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra3:45
6."Introduction to Djilawurr" Johnny Gurrumgurrum Burrawanga1:30
7."Djilawurr"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra4:11
8."Introduction to Marwurrumburr" Susan Dhangal Gurruwiwi1:15
9."Marwurrumburr"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra3:13
10."Introduction to Baru" Michael Hohnen2:02
11."Baru"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra4:40
12."Introduction to Wukan" Susan Dhangal Gurruwiwi1:55
13."Wukan"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra4:34
14."Gurrumul History (I Was Born Blind)"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra6:35
15."Gathu Mawula"Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra4:47

Awards

Australian Independent Record Labels Association Awards [6]

The Australian Independent Record Labels Association, formerly Association of Independent Record Labels, is a non-profit trade association which supports the growth and development of Australia's independent recording industry independent recording industry. It represents Australian-owned record labels and independent artists based in Australia who function without the backing of major record labels.

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2014 "His Life and Music"Best Independent Classical AlbumWon

Australian Recording Industry Association Awards [7]

YearNominee / workAwardResult
2014 "His Life and Music" Best Male Artist Nominated
Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show AlbumWon

Charts

Weekly Chart Performance

Chart (2013)Peak
position
ARIA Albums Chart48 [8]
AIR Independent Albums Chart3 [9]

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References

  1. "gurrumul-his-life-and-music-cd". ABC.net.au. December 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  2. "NEW RELEASE - Gurrumul and The Sydney Symphony". gurrumul.com. December 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  3. "His Life and Music". iTunes Australia. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  4. "GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU & THE SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - HIS LIFE AND MUSIC (ALBUM)". australian charts. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  5. Tyler McLoughlan (4 December 2013). "Gurrumul & The Sydney Symphony Orchestra - His Life And Music". themusic.com.au. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  6. "2014 Independent Music Awards". AUSTRALIAN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABELS ASSOCIATION. Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  7. "2014 ARIA AWARDS CONNECTED BY TELSTRA NOMINATED ARTISTS REVEALED". ARIA. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  8. "GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU & THE SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - HIS LIFE AND MUSIC (ALBUM)". australian charts. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  9. "Independent Label Albums Charts 16/12/13". australian charts. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2014.