The music of Australian musician Robbie James has been described as 'a journal through time and space with deep respect for our vast and varied land'.
On the back of his June release, a jazz guitar and voice album called '24 Hours A Night', his debut classical album 'String Quintet No.4 - The Marree Sisters' was recently released.'The Marree Sisters' takes us deep into the heart of Australia, to the outback town of Marree, a tiny community of European, First Nations and Afghan cultures at the starting point of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta tracks.
The music follows five teenage sisters – the composer's own mother and aunts – as they take the culture of their little town to the big city in search of work, love and their own families.
Already, movements from 'The Marree Sisters' have been added to the celebrated 'Swoon' collection and 'The Best Of Australian Classical Music' (via ABC Classic).
Robbie is best known for his guitar playing on the albums and tours of Australian band GANGgajang. His guitar inventions on their songs, particularly the seminal 'Sounds Of Then (This Is Australia)', were part of the sound of Australian music when bands like GANGgajang and its contemporaries were defining the music revolution of the 1980s.
Here, Robbie shares five music creations his career couldn't have lived without.
1: Chopin's 'Fantaisie Impromptu'
As a seven year old growing up in Adelaide, my family were watching a movie about classical composer Chopin called 'A Song To Remember' on our recently acquired TV.Having a TV was probably more exciting than the movie itself. When actor Cornel Wilde sat down and 'played' 'Fantaisie Impromptu', I was overcome with emotion and found myself on the floor weeping.
I was amazed how someone's music from centuries ago could come through time and devastate me. At that moment I knew I'd be a musician for life.
2: Steve Winwood's 'Dear Mr. Fantasy'
This song was my awakening to the pop world, and the psychedelic undertones made me imagine anything was possible. Steve Winwood is mostly known for his incredible voice and keyboard playing, but he pays great guitar too. His guitar playing, particularly his solo, in this song was my first influence in guitar.
3: Handel's 'Largo'
This short piece has every bit of information on how to write something that has everything. It's as if he took dictation straight from the galaxy in real time. It's pure emotion and melody. This piece has influenced and empowered my pop, classical and jazz writing.
4: Gershwin's 'Rhapsody In Blue'
My jazz songwriting has been largely influenced by the great American songwriters of early last century. Gershwin stands tall amongst these writers.Although there are no lyrics in this particular piece, it provided me with everything I needed to know about this genre. This piece for me defines the rise of American cultural influence in the world.
It breathes and bleeds New York at that time, and the creation of a whole new type of music and way of life. It was a big influence on the collection of songs I wrote for '24 Hours A Night'.
5: Australia's Great Map Of Songs
For me, the ancient countrywide map of songs, or more commonly known as the Songlines, is the greatest wonder of the world; a map of songs in all First Nations languages that is understood by all; the key to national unity defining peoples' relationships with each other and how and where they began. It's the encyclopedia of the landscape.This, along with my years of touring with Yothu Yindi, has had one of the greatest influences on my purpose for writing music.
