Saltwater Freshwater Festival’s main stage is being transformed into a unique musical showcase for local outstanding Aboriginal talent from across the Mid North Coast.
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And Bowraville’s Richie Jarrett is among the lineup.
In the Unearthed write-up, Richie was described as “a vibrant artist with swagger, whose strong cultural message and charisma steals the show on stage”.
Bowraville is getting a reputation for a bit of a musical movement for Aboriginal musos, who all know each other’s songs and support each other.
As well as Richie, the other finalists are guitarist Michael Saunders, Taree, rapper Nigel Kennedy, Kempsey and singer-songwriter Kauri Munro-Greentree from Coffs Harbour.
The event will feature the four finalists plus four “wild cards” from the Made Deadly open-mic sessions, which unearthed local Aboriginal musical acts from five communities in the region.
Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance ran the initiative jointly with cultural organisation Grow the Music. It comprised of open-mic sessions in Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Taree, Port Macquarie and Bowraville, and encouraged Aboriginal performers of all ages and types to apply. NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) sponsored the whole program and are the main Festival sponsor.
Finalists now have the opportunity to have their music recorded professionally, perform at the festival and kickstart their musical career via a mentoring and masterclass program.
The undoubted highlight for the finalists is sharing the stage with the main Saltwater Freshwater line-up, and performing in front of the event’s hundreds-strong audience next weekend.
The event runs 10am to 5.30pm, January 26 at Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshores.
