Huia Vortex

Animated visuals, with electric guitar loops, one-stringed bass, and drums – the opening track from the ‘Ngumbang‘ album (get the free download) – w/ Emit Snake-beings & Nat da Hatt

The title ‘Huia Vortex’ refers to the location where the track was recorded, in Huia, a small village on the outskirts of west Auckland.

It’s not necessarily related to ‘Swansong (for the Huia)‘ (2004), the second album by The Winter, an electro-acoustic trio improvisation in tribute to the extinct New Zealand bird the huia by Dave Edwards, Mike Kingston, and Simon Sweetman. Its 19-minute final track remains an underrated fiffdimension epic. [send us your review]

Here’s a Health to my Cronies (by John Collie, 1856)

19th century Scottish drinking song, by John Collie (1834-1893), from his book ‘Poems and Lyrics‘

Played by his great-great-grandson Dave Edwards -at Wairarapa TV May Music Marathon on 4th of May 2019. It features on the Live 2019 album.

Continue reading “Here’s a Health to my Cronies (by John Collie, 1856)” →

The Land of My Youth (by John Collie, 1856)

Poem by John Collie (1834-1893),

from his book Poems and Lyrics in the English and Scotch Dialects, published in Banffshire, Scotland in 1856

Performed by his great-great-grandson Dave Edwards on banjo at Wairarapa TV in Masterton, New Zealand, 4 May 2019.

John Collie emigrated to New Zealand in 1858. This poem seems to anticipate his leaving Scotland forever, to start a new life in a new country on the opposite side of the world.

Continue reading “The Land of My Youth (by John Collie, 1856)” →

logistical torrents

31 July 2019

electric guitar and video by Dave Black,

Featherston, NZ.

One in a series of quickfire improvisations with video effects. Rather than finish an album before releasing anything in 2019, I’m opening a curtain on some of my demo ideas in progress.

11 through the viewer 7

11th July 2019

Improvised acoustic guitar and video effects by Dave Black,

Featherston, NZ.

Continue reading “11 through the viewer 7” →

Solstice Shards 19

I spent the longest night of the year at home and improvised this:

As I’d been doing mainly solo acoustic songs recently this was a palette cleansing electric improvisation from the other side of my coin.

I think of acoustic as yin and electric as yang forces.

Continue reading “Solstice Shards 19” →

Cafes in Conversation

4th May 2019 at Wairarapa TV May Music Marathon

I wrote this in 1999, after moving to Wellington. I was at an open mic night, at an upstairs bar in Cuba Mall that no longer exists, waiting for my turn to play. I had to wait a while – hence a lot of lyrics.

It was my attempt at a beat poet vibe, reflecting my move to the capital city and discovery of a local jazz scene. Continue reading “Cafes in Conversation” →

아리랑

Live 4th May 2019 at Wairarapa TV May Music Marathon –

Banjo rendition of a Korean folk tune 아리랑 (“Arirang”). The banjo is not typically found in Korean music – this would normally be played on a gayageum.

Busan, South Korea

Korean gayageum, 2007

Continue reading “아리랑” →

Eastern

4th May 2019 at Wairarapa TV May Music Marathon

Solo guitar version of a tune by the Electricka Zoo, from our 2017 debut album:

It’s based on the hijaz scale and a 7/8 rhythm.

Continue reading “Eastern” →

Summer Skin

Live 4th May 2019, at Wairarapa TV May Music Marathon, in Masterton NZ.

Solo guitar & harmonica version of track http://www.fiffdimension.bandcamp.com/track/summer-skin

Originally recorded in Wellington NZ, September 2003, for the album ‘Loose Autumn Moans‘, with a mini string section of Mike Kingston on cello and Sam Prebble (RIP) on violin. It also appears on the Gleefully Unknown: 1997-2005 compilation.

Continue reading “Summer Skin” →