Fiji
Top 10 albums*
by Dave Edwards (aka Dave Black) and collaborators,
2021 – 2020 – 2010s – 2000s – 1990s – 1850s
#1 Other Islands: 2012-2018
Compilation made in New Zealand, Okinawa, Western Australia, Indonesia and Fiji,,
by Dave Black with The Winter, The Electricka Zoo, Dr Emit Snake-Beings, Nat da Hatt, Campbell Kneale, Gamelan Sekar Puri, Gamelan Padhang Moncar, and Gamelan Taniwha Jaya
“The 20 song album covers traditional Javanese and Balinese gamelan, Asia–Pacific folk music, free jazz, and free noise…. If you have an open inquiring mind and love hearing a variety of sound, this is excellent. – Darryl Baser, muzic.net.nz“
#2: Fame & Oblivion: 2005-2012
vol2 – made in New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Mongolia, and Japan,
by Dave Black with Ascension Band, The Winter, Nat da Hatt, Wellington’s Most Famous Orchestra, and Cylvi M
“Experimental and avant-garde…. There is a clear passion, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries… This will challenge your perceptions of what constitutes music and open the mind to new possibilities of sounds that surround us – muzic.net.nz“
#3 The Electricka Zoo (2017)
The duo of live electronica by the Digitator, and Dave Black on bass and electric guitar (2017)
“A totally original, mind warping album that smacks you across the face with big sound…. I salute anyone that makes a whole album out of EDM post-punk avant-garde rock / jazz, reggae, Balkan, [and] Portuguese music” – Corrinne Rutherford, www.muzic.net.nz
# 4 Ngumbang (2015)
Our first collaboration with the even more legendary & underground artist Dr Emit Snake Beings (2015)
# 5 After the Filmshoot (2002)
Dave Edwards solo postpunk spoken word free improv guitar spasms (2002)
#6 Live 1999
Read the rest of this entry »Ruasagavulu
‘Ruasagavulu‘ (made in Fiji
by Dave Black & Dr Emit Snake-Beings)
is now a free/name-your-price download – enjoy!
Thanks for your interest, and happy Matariki if you’re in NZ…
“So easy to get totally lost in this music, recommend for helping with your inner peace” – Andi Verse
Indo-Fijian inspired tropical devotional avant-garde instrumentals for keyboards, ukulele, dholak, duduk, harmonicas, DIY kitchen gamelan, and video.
|
Snake Beings & Dave Black in Fiji |
This was one of the last in-person international collaborations from before the world ended… it’s got nothing to do with the pandemic.
It was recorded in Suva, Fiji, 2nd and 4th of November 2019.
The title ‘ruasagavulu’ means ‘twenty’ in Fijian, to kick off the new decade optimistically.
Further listening
Our first duo recording was ‘Ngumbang‘ (2015) –
a fusion of several genres and a DIY manifesto – “Pick up the pieces and make them into something new, it’s what we do…”
Ruasagavulu
Out now – the new album
by Dave Black & Dr Emit Snake-Beings
Made in Fiji
“So easy to get totally lost in this music, recommend for helping with your inner peace” – Andi Verse
Indo-Fijian inspired tropical devotional avant-garde instrumentals for keyboards, ukulele, dholak, duduk, harmonicas, DIY kitchen gamelan, and video.
|
Snake Beings & Dave Black in Fiji |
This was one of the last in-person international collaborations from before the world ended… it’s got nothing to do with the pandemic.
It was recorded in Suva, Fiji, 2nd and 4th of November 2019.
The title ‘ruasagavulu’ means ‘twenty’ in Fijian, to kick off the new decade optimistically.
Further listening
Our first duo recording was ‘Ngumbang‘ (2015) –
a fusion of several genres and a DIY manifesto – “Pick up the pieces and make them into something new, it’s what we do…”
Gar mar par da nee sa
the opening track from Ruasagavulu
by Dave Black & Snake-Beings
recorded in Suva, Fiji, 2nd November 2019
This short warmup improv is based on an Indian scale, inspired by Dr Emit Snake-Beings‘ travels to Kerala in India, and harmonium lessons in Suva.
There’s an Indian influence throughout the album, as several sections are based on drones and modal improv (rather than the chord changes)… though this is not a traditional Indian album, we’ve borrowed ideas to inform our own experiments.
The temple in the photo is Sri Siva Subramaniya in Nadi. It’s built in the Dravidian style from southern India, which is also found in Singapore and Malaysia.
In contrast to other Pacific Island countries, Fiji has a large – almost half – population of Indian descent. Indians came to Fiji in the 19th century, as indentured labourers to work the sugar cane plantations.
The following videos are made in India, courtesy of www.snakebeings.co.nz
Fiji 1976, by Alastair Edwards
Film footage by my father, Alastair Edwards, in Nadi and around Viti Levu in 1976.
It’s from a couple of years before I was born.
There was no sound, so I’ve added a soundtrack from Ruasagavulu, which Dr Emit Snake-Beings and I recorded in Suva decades later.
My Dad’s interest in film (then video) and photography was one of the key influences on my own travel and videomaking. He was doing this long before youtube or instagram!
I miss you Dad…
Ruasagavulu – with Snake Beings in Fiji
Made in Suva, Fiji – the new album by Dave Black & Dr Emit Snake-Beings
“So easy to get totally lost in this music, recommend for helping with your inner peace” – Andi Verse
Indo-Fijian inspired tropical devotional avant-garde instrumentals for keyboards, ukulele, dholak, duduk, harmonicas, DIY kitchen gamelan, and video.
This was one of the last in-person international collaborations from before the world ended.
The title ‘ruasagavulu’ means ‘twenty’ in Fijian, to kick off the new decade.
recorded in Suva, Fiji, 2nd November 2019
Further listening
Ruasagavulu – with Snake Beings in Fiji
Made in Suva, Fiji – the new album by Dave Black & Dr Emit Snake-Beings
“So easy to get totally lost in this music, recommend for helping with your inner peace” – Andi Verse
Meditative tropical avant-garde instrumentals for keyboards, ukulele, dholak, duduk, harmonicas, DIY kitchen gamelan, and video. This was one of the last in-person international collaborations from before the world ended.
This is currently a pre-order work in progress, as some of the mixes will be refined over the next few weeks.
The title ‘ruasagavulu’ means ‘twenty’ in Fijian, to kick off the new decade.
A new sound for 2020 perhaps?
In the meantime have a listen to the ‘Ngumbang‘ album we made together in 2015 – Read the rest of this entry »
2018
The main project for 2018 was Other Islands: 2012-2018;
The last five (of the 20) tracks were recorded in 2018 – each in a different genre:
Isa Lei, and the Yasawa islands, Fiji
This rearrangement of a traditional Fijian folk song was inspired by hearing the song sung there.
In May I visited the Yasawa Islands, to the northwest of Nadi and the main Fijian island Viti Levu.
The boat ride took 3 hours, and enjoyably scenic. Each of the many small islands we passed was different in some way but all stunning
The marine life included
-
- NOVATEK CAMERA
-
- NOVATEK CAMERA
-
- NOVATEK CAMERA
