MEDIA RELEASE
26 February 2008
For immediate release
Hugely successful PNG/Australian music show to perform in PNG
A sensational musical collaboration between PNG and Australia called We Don’t Dance For No Reason is coming to Port Moresby as part of Australia Week 2008.
Following sell-out seasons at the Queensland Music Festival and Melbourne International Arts Festival in 2007, this unique cultural fusion will now play in PNG.
We Don’t Dance For No Reason, or Ai Na Asi A Mavaru Kavamu in Motuan, combines the tradition of Peroveta Anedia, or Prophet Songs, and modern jazz. The group features six of Australia’s finest jazz musicians and the magnificent 16-voice Tatana Village Choir from Port Moresby.
Central to the collaboration is the extraordinary jazz talent, Aaron Choulai, who was raised in Papua New Guinea, completed his jazz training in Melbourne and New York and was named Australia’s Young Jazz Artist of the Year in 2006.
The Age newspaper recently described Aaron as a “brilliant creative thinker” and called We Don’t Dance For No Reason one of “the year’s most memorable shows”.
This hugely successful musical collaboration will perform at the Moresby Arts Theatre in Waigani on 14 and 15 March, during Australia Week 2008.
Australia Week, which runs from 10-16 March, involves numerous events designed to highlight the strength of the relationship between Australia and PNG.
“After performing so successfully in Brisbane and Melbourne we are all very excited about playing in PNG. This is like a homecoming for the show,” Aaron said.
“I see this as a major step forwards which opens up the possibilities for both countries to collaborate on more cultural and musical projects in the future.”
Australia’s High Commissioner to PNG, His Excellency Mr Chris Moraitis, said: “We are extremely lucky that such a fabulous musical collaboration will be performing to the public right here in Port Moresby. I would encourage everyone to go and see it.
“As well as being a great show it represents what Australia Week is all about: PNG and Australia being together, as friends and neighbours, and in this case, as artists.”
The show is set against a backdrop of evocative images, projected onto a large screen, that explore Papua New Guinea’s history, culture and contemporary life.
The presentation of these concerts is proudly supported by the Australian Government, the Australian High Commission Port Moresby, Airlines PNG, Arts Victoria, the City of Melbourne, Casella Wines and Total Event Company (PNG).
Notes to editor
Aaron Choulai was born to a Motuan mother and an Australian father. The 25-year-old Albino/Papuan/Chinese/Polish/Jewish/ Australian lived in PNG until the age of 14. He trained in Melbourne and New York and was signed by prestigious New York record label Sunnyside Records at the age of just 21.
Aaron was named 2006 Young Jazz Artist of the Year at the Australian Jazz Awards and has performed at major jazz festivals worldwide.
He divides his time between Melbourne, New York, Tokyo and his home, Port Moresby.
Aaron and his Melbourne-based jazz band, VADA, have been developing this project since 2006, visiting PNG to spend time with the Tatana Village and explore the musical collaboration. The Tatana Village Choir has also spent time in Melbourne.
We Don’t Dance For No Reason has been performed to over 5000 people in Brisbane and Melbourne as part of two major Australian arts festivals.
The Tatana Village Choir, from Tatana Village, Central Province, was created for this project. The members of choir are from the Tatana Church and wider Tatana village community. They are proud representatives of Motuan culture and the traditions of Peroveta Anedia.
A CD of We Don’t Dance For No Reason will be released in 2008 by Sunnyside Records, New York.
The two public shows we happen at the Moresby Arts Theatre (MAT) in Port Moresby on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 March this year. The shows start at 7:30pm and last for one hour and 15 minutes with no interval. For information on ticket prices and bookings, call the MAT on Tel: 325 3503 or Email: [email protected]
Media enquiries: Kate Ben-Tovim, Producer We Don’t Dance For No Reason, Tel: +613 9322 3715, Mob: +61 413 684 228, Email: [email protected]
Or Leigh Arnold, Public Diplomacy Manager, Australian High Commission, Port Moresby, Tel: (675) 325 9333 ext. 275, Mob: (675) 683 9811, Email: [email protected]