Collaborative efforts seem to keep the creative juices of Paul Kelly flowing.
Whether it be composing film and television scores like Lantana and Jindabyne; creating songs with Archie Roach, Nick Cave, and Missy Higgins to name but a few; or stretching himself musically with the collaboration of classical artists and the words of poets for the performances of Conversations With Ghosts.
No matter the material or the setting, Kelly is able to put his distinctive vocal and musical stamp upon it.
The world premiere of Conversations With Ghosts was an interesting musical and poetic event. Joining Kelly on stage was conductor and master of electronics James Ledger, the virtuoso of the recorder Genevieve Lacey, along with a ten piece band made up of students from the Australian National Academy Of Music.
The dozen song cycle comprised of four Paul Kelly works and the others were poems set to music by Kelly and Ledger from the pens of Lord Alfred Tennyson, Judith Wright, Norman MacCaig, W.B Yeats, Emily Dickinson, and Kenneth Slessor.
Although written by many, the thematic stream was about loss of friends and the ongoing movement of life to the inevitable close.
The classically trained ensemble of violins, cello, double bass clarinet, horns and harp joined Kelly’s voice and took the audience on a journey of the soul. Along with electronic ministrations by Ledger and the voice of Lacey on her amazing recorder, at times it was dreamlike and other moments the soundscape was dark and woeful.
Bells within the words, and bells played by Kelly during a couple of songs filled the Capitol’s chamber. Slessor’s ‘Five Bells’ was a highlight that built with the music and singing of Kelly. Darkness abounded at times and someone who may have had a few nips chimed in between songs, “How about some happy songs, Paul?” I guess they had not read the programme.
As Kelly said, this was a chance for him “to understand dissonance and for Ledger to reacquaint himself with the chords of D, A and G.”
Few artists are able to capture your attention in so many musical styles. Although Kelly’s voice is as recognizable as water, he can carry you away to where the bells are ringing, could that be Randwick?
He is a god among artists and this performance, although not everyone’s cuppa, was certainly another monument in the landscape of Paul Kelly’s career.
