Home Coming

Jarrah and I will head back to WA in November for some shows and I can't wait. It'll be a tour/ holiday and will be so great to catch up with friends and family in Perth and Dardanup. We'll be joined by a great percussionist/drum kit player Dave Szental. WA never ceases to show us a good time, and I'm sure this year won't disappoint.

Check out the tour dates and we hope to see you there!

November

Saturday 19th, 1pm - Moody Cow Brewery, Ferguson Rd, Dardanup. FREE
http://www.moodycow.com.au/

Sunday 20th, 12pm - Wild Bull Brewery, Pile Rd, Ferguson. FREE
http://www.wildbullbrewery.com.au/

Sunday 20th, 4pm - Hackersley Winery, Ferguson Rd, Ferguson. FREE
http://www.hackersley.com.au/

Tuesday 22nd, 7pm - Perth Blues Club supporting Toby, Charles Hotel, North Perth. Tickets on door.
http://www.perthbluesclub.com/

Friday 25th, 8pm -  Clancy's Fish Pub supporting Joe Black Trio, Fremantle. Tickets on door.
http://fremantle.clancysfishpub.com.au/

Saturday 26th - Linda Skrolys and Russell Sheridan Exhibition Opening(invite only)

Sunday 27th, 3pm - Rock and Roll High School Reunion Concert, Eliot St Bar, Bunbury. Tickets on door: $10
http://www.rocknrollhigh.com.au/main/page_gig_guide.html

Jarrah Thompson and Asha Henfry LIVE in Berlin

Jarrah Thompson, Bianca Aviaz and I travelled to Berlin recently to spend 5 weeks of music making. We busked almost every day in either Alexanderplatz or Brandenburger Tor and managed to sell 300 CD's as a bonus. Busking in Berlin was amazing; the people were open and excited to listen and people from all over Europe were exposed to our music. It was a beautiful, creative time for the 3 of us and we are already planning our next stint in Europe 2012; a busking and gigging tour for 2 months.

Check us out playing in Alexanderplatz, Berlin.

Hard Core Flute.

Gotta love a bit of flute metal !

Nestor Torres

Here's a great clip I found of Nestor Torres (flute) playing with a youth based Latin band called Soulsa Caliente. He uses J.S Bach's Partita for solo flute as an introduction to a very Latin number 'Cafe Cubano'. The build up and transition is seamless from one to the other is seamless.


 

Jarrah Thompson Band play to over 6 million viewers!

On our third day in Brazil, we were picked up in a van and taken to Sao Paulo to play live on Brazil's Letterman style TV show; Programa do Jo. We played 2 tracks to a very excited live audience; Make You Feel and I am the One and had a short interview with Jo Soares, the host of the show. It was amazing experience and gave as a huge exposure hit. Everywhere we went, people came to our gigs because they had seen us on Programa do Jo. I guess with an audience of over 6 million, you're bound to get a few people interested!

Thank you to everyone who attended our shows around Australia!

So after 3 months of travelling in and out of Melbourne our "Dream on the Way" Single Launch Tour has come to an end. Jarrah Thompson and I had a great time in SA, TAS and the East Coast playing some really great shows with some of the most appreciative audiences we've ever come across (also some of the worst!). Some of the highlights were; catching the barge over and playing on Stradbroke Island; the Pacific Hotel in Yamba (amazing spot!) and the Royal Mail in Goodna (insane!). All in all it was a totally successful tour! We're currently organising the next Australian tour to release the album we recorded in Brazil, 2010 'Rio Claro.'

Here's a video from our tour in Tassy. ABC Northern Tasmania in Launceston had us in the studio to do a live set and interview.

http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2010/09/28/3023988.htm

Dream on The Way Single Launch Tour

Jarrah Thompson and I are currently in the middle of a National Single Launch tour promoting the release of our single 'Dream on the Way.' This single is the first to be released from the album recorded in Brazil called 'Rio Claro' which will be released in March 2011. You can download the single for free at: www.jarrahthompson.bandcamp.com

In the meantime, you can check out this clip of us down at the Longley Hotel in Tassy. Had a beautiful time at the Longley, our hosts Jack and Jill were extra lovely!

'Lost Control' - Stargazer (2008)

Jarrah Thompson (guitar, vox, stombox) Asha Henfry (flute)

Photo by Tony Gough

Kensington flautist flouts the norm

-By Mark Smith

KENSINGTON flautist Asha Henfry has never been one for convention when it comes to music.

Where others follow traditional classical and orchestral paths while learning the instrument, Henfry has always preferred to take an individual view.

Therefore agreeing to a random request to join Melbourne 1970s style psychedelic-rock band Jarrah Thompson while living in Perth last year was to be expected. The move has paid dividends, leading to a six-week Brazilian tour earlier this year, an appearance on Programa do Jo - Brazil’s equivalent of David Letterman - and a spot on the band’s second album Rio Claro.

This month Henfry will join guitarist Thompson on a three-month national tour in support of the album’s first single Dream on the Way.

The duo will be joined by the full band for the single’s launch at Northcote Social Club on October 28. Henfry described the band’s live show as a blend of experimental world music with a blues/rock vibe.

Tracks on the band’s Myspace page reveal a sound that throws back to Jethro Tull, Ted Nugent and Led Zeppelin.

“It’s an exciting time,” Henfry said of the band.

“Jarrah has been working hard on this for a long time and we are getting to the stage where we are starting to get some interest from festivals.”

Jarrah Thompson Band will perform at Northcote Social Club on October 28.

To book a flute lesson with Henfry, email ashahenfry@gmail.com

Flute Teaching in Melbourne

For the last 10 years I have taught flute in my home studio in Perth and now in Kensington, VIC as well as in Primary and Secondary schools. I have always loved teaching as I find watching the students grow as musicians to be an exciting and fulfilling experience. In my one-on-one teaching I find using a variety of teaching methods to be benefitial to the learning process. In lessons I often draw from my knowledge of Classical music, Jazz, Contemporary, World Music and Improvisation.

During my time as a teacher, I have also been fortunate enough to have been given the opportunity to work for the Starlight Children's Foundation creating and conducting music workshops for hospitalised adolescents. My experience with the Foundation was extremely fulfilling and allowed me to exercise my passion for teaching in a very different way.



I am currently teaching in my home studio in Kensington, VIC. Please contact me via email to secure a place.

ashahenfry@gmail.com

FEES:
Half hour lesson (recommended for beginners) = $30
One hour lesson = $50

I'm going to be a button accordionist extraordinaire!!

The other day I was given the most beautiful instrument by my parents, a gorgeous little button accordion ( or melodeon). It was bought off Ebay from a man in New Zealand and is in great condition. Made in Germany by Hohner, it would be very interesting to find out where it's come from and how old it is.

While at high school I did actually have some piano accordion lessons on my Opi's (Grandfather) old Hohner but I just found it too big and heavy for my poor little hands and arms. So this one is perfect! Tiny in size but not in sound!

Here's a video of an amazing button accordionist playing a Hohner which is almost identical to mine. His name is Bobby Gardiner. He's apparently legendary, but me being new to this scene have never heard of him. He is pretty incredible with those buttons!!

EPK for Brazil

Have a look at our EPK for Brazil. Some great pics, footage and music.

Jarrah Thompson Band in Brazil!!

It's still hard to believe it's happening, but in a couple of weeks time on the 2nd of July the Jarrah Thompson Band will depart Melbourne in a jet plane bound for Brazil. We will be in Brazil for 6 weeks playing 22 live performances at significant venues and festivals and recording an album. The album will have a different vibe to the 2008 release of Stargazer, with a more raw and live sound.

It's going to be an amazing journey for us all, sharing our music with the people of Brazil!

Check out the Jarrah Thompson Band tour website (in Portugese, but still worth a look): http://jarrahinbrazil.wordpress.com/

Here's the tour outline:

8 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Armazén Bar,Bauru,SP,BRAZIL
9 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: St. Patrick's Pub,Sao Carlos,SP,BRAZIL
10 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Bar da Montanha,Limeira,SP,BRAZIL
15 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Rio Rock & Blues Club,Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BRAZIL
16 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: New York Pub,Poços de Caldas, MG, BRAZIL
17 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Vitrola Bar, Londrina, PR, BRAZIL
18 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Vila Dionísio, S.J. do Rio Preto, SP, BRAZIL
22 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Casa do Rock, Araraquara, SP, BRAZIL
23 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Clube do Vinil,Americana, SP, BRAZIL
24 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Cia Paulista Música & Bar Rio Claro, SP, BRAZIL
25 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Vila Dionísio, Ribeirão Preto, SP, BRAZIL
29 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: John Bull PUB, Curitiba, PR, BRAZIL
30 Jul 2010,11:00 PM: Ahoy Tavern Club, Blumenau, SC, BRAZIL
3 Aug 2010,11:00 PM: Casa Meva, Criciúma, SC, BRAZIL
4 Aug 2010,11:00 PM: Mississippi Delta Blues Bar, Caxias do Sul, RS, BRAZIL
5 Aug 2010,11:00 PM: John Bull PUB, Porto Alegre, RS, BRAZIL
7 Aug 2010,11:00 PM: Delta Blues, Campinas, SP, BRAZIL
8 Aug 2010,11:00 PM: Floresta Estadual Edmundo Navarro(STATE FOREST,Rio Claro,SP,BRAZIL)
12 Aug 2010,11:00 PM: Estação Cultural,Piracicaba, SP, BRAZIL

The BIGGEST flute in the world!!

Was doing some research on amplifying flutes actually, but stumbled across this great video and had to share it with you! I'll let you know when I've figured out the best solution for amplifying a flute, it's a tricky one!

This is possibly the silliest and most amazing instrument ever invented, the subcontrabass flute! ENJOY!

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

Melbourne...what a great place to be living! It's a never ending festival! There's never a shortage for something to see and do, to get inspired and to see some good live music. From May 1st the Melbourne International Jazz Festival starts, going for a full week. Being a flute player myself, I'm always on the look out for jazz saxophonists who also play flute. They are always an inspiration to see, with their amazing improvisatory skills and awesome technique. One concert I was particularly interested in seeing was 'Sangam' with Eric Harland, Charles Lloyd and Zakir Hussain. As you may have already read, I have a particular fascination with Indian music and Zakir Hussain is someone I have been wanting to see in concert for a long time. He is one of the most famous tabla players in the world, playing with a whole variety of musicians. Charles Lloyd is a multi-instrumentalist, and a great flute player.

Here is the Charles Lloyd Quartet with Charles on flute in 1972, unfortunately there is no video footage for this one but the music is great.




If your interested in the Sangam trio check this out. It's a bit of a doco on how the trio came about and includes some beautiful performances.

Jarrah Thompson Band at Sunbury.

Last weekend Jarrah Thompson Band was invited to perform at the Sunbury Backroad Music Festival, just on the outskirts of Melbourne. Back in the day this was an iconic festival attracting an average of 45,000 people each year. Sunbury was Australia's Woodstock. Bands included Chain, Madder lake, Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Max Merritt, Skyhooks, Spectrum, Deep Purple and Sherbet. This year the festival had tried to be re-created with the return of legendary Australian bands Madder Lake, Spectrum and Chain plus some newer acts. Unfortunately the scene this year was not anywhere near the 45,000 mark, nevertheless we had a great time on stage. This was our first live performance of a whole pile of new songs and after being in a rehearsal room for months it was a welcome change. We finally had a chance to let all that energy out, it felt great.

Here's some videos from the night:

Johnny Heartsman

Not many people seem to know of Johnny. I was introduced to him by one of my teachers that had an awesome recording of him playing the flute in a Roland Kirk/Ian Anderson kind of style. I was totally inspired! The sounds he created were like nothing I've heard the flute do before. I wasn't interested in the rest of the CD, but Johnny was also a very talented vocalist, bassist, organist and guitarist.

Here's Johnny busting out some awesome blues flute.

Music in Melbourne

Since moving to Melbourne, VIC I have been doing a lot of internet research for music society's, community orchestra's etc. I'd like to share some of these with you. Perhaps it will save you a bit of time!

Lyrebird Music Society> Includes links for events, Orchestra's, Chamber group's, Competitions and Festival's all in Melbourne.
http://www.lyrebirdmusicsociety.org.au/links.html

Victorian Flute Guild. A great resource for flute players in Melbourne.
http://www.victorianfluteguild.org/home.html

Flute Society of NSW. Although the site is currently under construction, it provides some useful information and links.
http://www.flutesocietynsw.org.au/links.html

The Virtual Flute. Not a Melbourne specific website but a great resource for flute players, especially those interested in extended flute technique: multiphonics, alternate fingerings etc.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/flute/virtual/main.html

Enjoy!

Looking forward

In a weeks time I will be driving in our Toyota Camry across the Nullarbor on the way to my new home....in Melbourne. Moving can be a really scary thing for a musician. Any artist understands the number of years and hard work it takes to gather enough contacts to sustain a career in the arts. Perth has served me well. I have made some great contacts and feel as though I will always be welcomed back into the scene when I return (one day). Although I was completely content and secure with the work I gained in Perth, there never did seem to be quite enough excitement. Whether or not this will change in Melbourne I don't know but as everyone says, it is the musical capital of Australia. I'm excited to discover what Melbourne can offer me. Long awaited bansuri lessons for one! I have always wanted to learn the bansuri properly but could not find anyone in Perth to teach me, but Melbourne is home to a few! It's fantastic! I'm very excited at the prospect of learning new things I would never have the opportunity the learn in Perth.

I am working hard already at trying to secure some work before I arrive in Melbourne and already I have landed a position with Jarrah Thompson's blues/rock/fusion band. I played with the band when they came to W.A for a tour through the South West and have since played a show with them on The Blues Train in Melbourne. There's exciting things happening for the band this year with another South West tour in April, 2010 and a tour/recording in Brazil in July/August 2010. It's set to be a great year already! Check out the tour website....

http://jarrahinbrazil.wordpress.com/

Expanding Horizons

During my years as a flautist I have realised that being put into the Classical flute player box was definitely not where I wanted to be. I want to be versatile and creative with my playing, try new techniques and learn new instruments. So this is what I now set out to be. I still love playing Classical music but I have interests in so many other style of music I don't want to stifle.

I'm currently striving towards this goal by playing with a blues rock band, Jarrah Thompson and band. It's the most fun I've had on stage in ages and I get to express myself in a way I thought I might never get the chance! I will post some videos with Jarrah soon but in the mean time check out my performance of Ravi Shankar's L'aube Enchantee. In my Honours year at WAAPA I studied Indian and Japanese inspired flute music for the Western flautist. This piece by Shankar is a great way to introduce yourself with Indian melody, form and rhythm. This was played at my 2007 Graduation Recital with Tony Maydwell on harp.

The Tapestry Record at Frankensound.

Roly Skender at Frankensound Audio Lab did a great job of recording The Tapestry's arrangement of Spanish Dance by Kai Stensgaard. Percussionist Callum Moncrieff also helped us out playing magically on the cajon. It was a really fun night and we were really happy with what we managed to capture. As Roly is so multi-talented he also managed to record it all on video! Check it out!

If you like what you see you can come and see us live at The Blue Room in Northbridge, Perth on Saturday the 14th of November at 7:30pm. The concert will feature with Indian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish flavours by composers Kai Stensgaard, Gareth Farr, Ravi Shankar and Piazzolla. It will be a relaxed evening of interesting music for flute and marimba.