Mike Tarca’s second CD contains a delightful mix of Australian history, personal observations and intimate emotions, all with his distinctive style reminiscent of colonial times.  His melodic accordion accompanies his direct singing style.  The songs are interspersed with instrumental tunes that have a light-hearted character. 

Most of the songs have guitar, bass and fiddle as well as Mike’s accordion, many also having drums (Reuben Kooperman) and son Adrian making a guest appearance on saxophone.

World-renowned classical guitarist Alan Banks has produced a CD that explores various aspects of his musical personality, from Renaissance lute music to improvisation.  The majority of the pieces are original compositions and improvisations, some solo, others with accompanying chords and rhythm, all played on a variety of classical and steel string guitars by the artist.  Alan’s technical mastery of the instrument serves to highlight his expressive and sensitive performance across a   broad range of genres.

The third CD by Doris lives up to its name in that previous albums have focussed on the live Doris sound.  This time, however, the songs have been arranged and supported by guest appearances from a variety of musicians including Scott Wise (dobro), Simon Nield (guitar), Lyndon Blue (double bass) and Erik Kowarski (violin/ strings).  Doris is still clearly at the forefront of the mix, with their unmistakeable dual-vocal style and open guitar backing.  The songs are powerful and intense as we have come to expect from this dynamic duo.

Renowned guitarist Alan Welsh presents a CD of a variety of pieces loosely defined as World music.  Mostly original compositions, all sounds in this collection are played on the guitar, including bass lines and guitar body percussion, exploring rhythms and themes from Africa, Europe, Latin america, American blues and more.  The pieces range from solo performances, including some classical guitar repertoire, to layered textural accompaniments supporting improvised, sweeping melodies.  The emphasis is on atmosphere and tone production.

The Ballpoint Penguins are a talented trio of a cappella singers who have a great sense of humour.  Each song has an amusing tale to tell, made vibrant by a surprisingly full sound for a trio.

There is a theatrical quality in the music which is also evident in their live performances, and the arrangements, though disciplined and well-executed, are brimming over with an overwhelming sense of fun.

Carmel is well-known in the WA folk scene for her versatile repertoire and skillful guitar accompanying her sweet voice.  In Dreaming Still, she renders the poems of Gwen Atkinson to music.  Gwen’s recollections of life in the early 20th century show insights into the strength of character of the author.

The CD includes four songs composed and arranged by Carmel as well as five poems recited by Gwen.  The songs are well-produced and include keyboards as well as acoustic instruments.