Australia has a fraught history with the non-European peoples and countries of the world. On the negative side of the ledger, there are exhibits like the Stolen Generation (light-skinned Aboriginal children who were removed from their families), the White Australia Policy and the current, cynically cruel “off shore” processing regime for asylum seekers.
On the positive side of the account, however, is one of the most vibrant multi-cultural communities in the world, rich fusion cuisine and a tremendously dynamic and lively music scene with bands from all across the world and radio stations that regularly feature music and vernacular broadcasts from Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands and beyond.
South Asians are now the largest single immigrant community in Australia. Everywhere you turn, it seems, there is another bhangra competition, new dhaba or Bollywood street dance popping up. Next month, the Big B himself will open the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne.
To celebrate the great Aussie can-do spirit – which means “we’ll have a go at anything” – here’s a selection of Australia-South Asian music makers that are keeping the grooves going Down Under.
Kamahl
The Elephant Song
A Malaysian Tamil of Sri Lankan origin, Kandiah Kamalesvaran was an early exception to the White Australia racist policy and the average Aussie’s introduction to South Asian musicians. He came to Australia to finish his education in 1953 and his first public performance was introduced as “Camel”. A quick name change to Kamahl followed that embarrassment and launched a long career as a television performer and recording artist. The Elephant Song was a hit in 1975 and reached the charts in Europe. His sonorous voice is gorgeous to listen to even though tastes have changed over the years.
Guy Sebastian
Like it Like That
Guy shot to fame overnight when he won the inaugural season of Australian Idol in 2003. Born to Malaysian-Tamil-Sri Lankan-Burgher-Anglo-Indian parents, he earned his chops singing in his Adelaide church. A national icon, he’s the only Aussie male performer to have six No 1 singles and his records regularly hit platinum level sales.
The Bombay Royale
You Me Love Bullets
The Bombay Royale describe themselves as "an 11-piece Retro-Bollywood Juggernaut with shimmering spaghetti guitar, screaming organs, epic strings and a thundering horn section, this is their tribute to the cinematic sounds of 1970's Indian cinema". A raucous live act, much loved fully embraced by all and sundry and proud inheritors of the Aussie tradition of tribute bands.
Barney McAll
Chinese Cello
Vivid is a stupendous jazz album produced by Aussie jazz pianist Barney McAll. Born and educated in Melbourne, McAll moved to New York in the late 1990s and has become a fixture on the American jazz scene. Vivid features McAll on piano, Rufus Cappadocia on cello and Badal Roy on tabla and vocals. The music they make is neither pure jazz nor entirely “world” and comes with echoes of India, Africa and Australia.
Sam Evans
Raga Kaunsi Kanada
Sam Evans is a local Melbourne tabla player who not only accompanies local Indian musicians such as Balwinder Singh (in this clip) but such pros as Debashish Bhattacharya when he’s in town.
Nate Rabe was born and raised in India. He comments on South Asian culture and music from Kuala Lumpur. He also nurtures two blogs dedicated to music: The Harmonium Music Blog and Washerman’s Dog.
Listen to these songs as a single playlist on our YouTube channel here.
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On the positive side of the account, however, is one of the most vibrant multi-cultural communities in the world, rich fusion cuisine and a tremendously dynamic and lively music scene with bands from all across the world and radio stations that regularly feature music and vernacular broadcasts from Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands and beyond.
South Asians are now the largest single immigrant community in Australia. Everywhere you turn, it seems, there is another bhangra competition, new dhaba or Bollywood street dance popping up. Next month, the Big B himself will open the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne.
To celebrate the great Aussie can-do spirit – which means “we’ll have a go at anything” – here’s a selection of Australia-South Asian music makers that are keeping the grooves going Down Under.
Kamahl
The Elephant Song
A Malaysian Tamil of Sri Lankan origin, Kandiah Kamalesvaran was an early exception to the White Australia racist policy and the average Aussie’s introduction to South Asian musicians. He came to Australia to finish his education in 1953 and his first public performance was introduced as “Camel”. A quick name change to Kamahl followed that embarrassment and launched a long career as a television performer and recording artist. The Elephant Song was a hit in 1975 and reached the charts in Europe. His sonorous voice is gorgeous to listen to even though tastes have changed over the years.
Guy Sebastian
Like it Like That
Guy shot to fame overnight when he won the inaugural season of Australian Idol in 2003. Born to Malaysian-Tamil-Sri Lankan-Burgher-Anglo-Indian parents, he earned his chops singing in his Adelaide church. A national icon, he’s the only Aussie male performer to have six No 1 singles and his records regularly hit platinum level sales.
The Bombay Royale
You Me Love Bullets
The Bombay Royale describe themselves as "an 11-piece Retro-Bollywood Juggernaut with shimmering spaghetti guitar, screaming organs, epic strings and a thundering horn section, this is their tribute to the cinematic sounds of 1970's Indian cinema". A raucous live act, much loved fully embraced by all and sundry and proud inheritors of the Aussie tradition of tribute bands.
Barney McAll
Chinese Cello
Vivid is a stupendous jazz album produced by Aussie jazz pianist Barney McAll. Born and educated in Melbourne, McAll moved to New York in the late 1990s and has become a fixture on the American jazz scene. Vivid features McAll on piano, Rufus Cappadocia on cello and Badal Roy on tabla and vocals. The music they make is neither pure jazz nor entirely “world” and comes with echoes of India, Africa and Australia.
Sam Evans
Raga Kaunsi Kanada
Sam Evans is a local Melbourne tabla player who not only accompanies local Indian musicians such as Balwinder Singh (in this clip) but such pros as Debashish Bhattacharya when he’s in town.
Nate Rabe was born and raised in India. He comments on South Asian culture and music from Kuala Lumpur. He also nurtures two blogs dedicated to music: The Harmonium Music Blog and Washerman’s Dog.
Listen to these songs as a single playlist on our YouTube channel here.
