"Jeanette Wormald is a great talent, she writes songs on different levels and with a passion, compassion and intellect that put her very clearly in the A grade." Ted Egan, AM, Australian bush balladeer and Outback icon

Cabaret Festival Coup “Jeanette Wormald - Songs of the Inland” Award-winning singer-songwriter Jeanette Wormald has been invited to the 2007 Adelaide Cabaret Festival to world-premiere her new show “Songs of the Inland”. Incorporating traditional language and stories from the Pitjantjatjara and Ngarrindjeri peoples of South Australia, coupled with Jeanette’s trademark haunting images and music inspired by her life in the Mallee region, “Songs of the Inland” is a show not to be missed. Now in its seventh successful year, a focus of this year’s Cabaret Festival is on Australian story-tellers and Jeanette’s new work certainly exemplifies this concept. According to Artistic Director Julia Holt, cabaret is tailor-made for storytellers. “"The best performers are able to communicate with everyone in the audience," she said. "Cabaret in Adelaide now means supreme musicality and sophisticated artistry from around the world." Jeanette is excited to be a part of a home-based, internationally recognised event. "Cabaret as an art form excites me. I have always preferred intimate settings where I can take listeners on a journey. That way, they can experience what inspires me, and I have never shied away from commenting on social issues in my songs." She is a true-blue farmer’s wife, living on a 3,000 hectare wheat property in the state’s Mallee region. A recipient of an SA Great Award & with recent inclusion in the inaugural SA edition of “Who’s Who”, Jeanette is certainly well known to audiences far & wide. Jeanette’s producer Michael Christian is musical director for the show and was the helmsman on her 2007 Golden Guitar nominated album “Opal Blue”. Accompanying Jeanette on this musical journey are accomplished South Australian musicians Ben Fuller, Pete Titchener and Emma Luker. Jeanette will perform a selection of her original songs including some new tunes that illustrate her genuine relationship to the land. All will explore themes of the Australian landscape and our relationships with it.

“Jeanette Wormald – Songs of the Inland” Friday 15th & Saturday 16th June Piano Bar, Adelaide Festival Centre Bookings at Bass – 131 246 www.adelaidecabaretfestival.com

Publicity / Media enquiries – T.M.B.S. Steve Murphy Mobile: 0402 326 478 Office: (08) 8337 4417 Email: murphysx3.5@hotmail.com Jane Intini Mobile: 0418 835 768 Email: jane@belltone.com.au

Previous Highlights

August 2005: DESERT OAKS CONCERT A SELL OUT The Maralinga Inma concert, featuring Jeanette Wormald and Anangu band, The Desert Oaks sold out on Saturday night, August 6th. People began queuing to get in more than an hour before the concert was due to start. Members of the community had travelled 1500km from the Great Victoria Desert region of SA to Adelaide to perform at the concert. For the first time, elders and old women decided to perform traditional chants and dances outside of the community. "It was incredibly courageous of them," Jeanette said. "They were so excited at the chance to share their culture, but it wasn't until they began, that they realised the enormity of the occasion. They are normally very shy and most do not speak English. They had originally planned to do several dances but were overwhelmed by the number of strangers and so cut the performance short." Jeanette said the concert was a chance for people to experience how an Inma or music event is run in a traditional community. "In some ways it is like a big jam session but it is much more than that," she said. "An event like this is a chance for the Oak Valley people to sing about their life and teach others about Anangu culture. It becomes a real family and community celebration rather than a choreographed concert that we are so used to seeing." Jeanette said she was very grateful to all the people who supported the event which was held in the SA Folk Centre. "The band were fantastic. Full of energy and very entertaining - especially Chris Dodd's commentary between songs. We will certainly do it again."

 

Jeanette photographed the M ildura Awards. Photo by Greg Sylvia.