Baad
Stephen "Baamba" Albert's debut album Baad is ready for release on March 1, 2015. Baad is a compilation of songs that Baamba has made his own over a career of 40 years in music, theatre and the arts.
Baamba is one of the ISX's national living treasures and the first 1000 CDs are available, numbered and signed by Baamba exclusively for those people who donate to pay for the recording costs of the album ($35,000).
You can make a donation for any amount of money. If you donate $35 or more you will receive a signed and numbered copy of the CD. For pre-release donations, Baad will be posted to you direct from Broome, numbered and signed by Baamba on March 1, 2015.
Donations to the peer to peer/crowdfunding campaign to pay for the production costs of the album are 100 per cent tax deductible through the Broome Aboriginal Media Association (Deductible Gift Recipient Status DGR) under Subdivision 30-BA of the Income Tax Assessments Act 1997. To make a donation just click the green donation button below. You will need a credit card to make a donation. You can make a comment and elect to have your name posted on the honor roll. An online receipt will be issued to you after you have made your donation.
Your support will pay for the production costs of the CD and enable Baamba to launch his career in the recording industry following the footsteps of elder musical statesman like Seaman Dan from the Torres Strait and Ted Hawkins from the US West Coast.
For details, questions or suggestions about this campaign call ISX National Secretary Peter Botsman on 0414218469
This is what Baamba says about Baad
“It’s been a 40 year journey and the quality of the album really justifies the wait I reckon” Baamba says. “It’s a culmination of theatre and the performing arts and of playing music from Broome house parties to the biggest gigs in Australia’s capital cities.”
“The word Baad really sums me up. It’s the name of my Aboriginal clan and it also about the idea of the Shakespearian bard or teacher. I feel that the word Baad just fits me and the songs that are on the album.”
“All my career I have been supported by the creativity of Broome. Musicians and writers like Jimmy Chi, Stephen Pigram and Michael Manolis and musicians who never recorded like John Sahanna and Arnold "Ngoonchy" Dean. All of these performers have all left their mark on Baad and to have a producer like Kerryn Tolhurst is a real blessing.” .Baamba continued.
“There are so many great songs from Broome but I am very pleased with the selection on the album.
Fishing is a beauty. Just about everyone in Broome fishes for their family The song was written by my babbali Mick Manolis and originally recorded in 1981 with the seminal Broome band Kuckles- this is my version trying to emulate Harry B as in Harry Belafonte!
Saltwater Cowboy is a classic Broome song. It means a lot to me. My old man, my stepfather who grew me up, was the one of the last of the Japanese hard hat pearl divers. He had passed away and I had just finished cleaning his body to get him ready for the next stage. On leaving the hospital I ran into my gumbali who had a demo recording of a brand new song from the Pigram Brothers about old pearl divers, sailing and singing their last goodbyes –this was played as his ashes were scattered over the waters of Roebuck Bay….I then had the privilege of singing this song live onstage for three months in the Jimmy Chi musical play “Corrugation Road”.
Selamat Tingal/Red Sails (medley) has these words ‘In the sunset, goodbye to you my nona manis’ It’s a combination of Malay, Koepang, Anglais –much like the pidgin spoken on the luggers. I can still see them sailing out of Roebuck Bay from the highest hill in town"..
There is a very funny story about Ten Guitars … my old uncle Jubudah asked me, while performing on stage at the local pub with the Broome Beats, to “play that song wid big mob guitars”. I replied “ who sing dat song?” he looked at me blankly- so I asked him in ngan-g ( language) “Ange ba amboorinj ??”. He lit up and replied ‘ Yeah dat one now” . I said ‘you mean Englebert Humperdink” to which he acknowleged ” Ng! ng!.. dajim”."
I used to sing Spanish Eyes in younger days for my two aunties when they were first allowed to come to the pub. They always requested this one.
I heard Paul Robeson sing Lucky Ol’ Sun in my teenage days. He had a powerful voice and was a great storyteller. These days I sing this one for old racehorse trainers.
Another of the songs sung in the old pearling days was Nona Manis/Tanjung Perak (medley) usually to the handkerchief dance".
I’m not really a jazzman but Satchmo was a singer I admired for his charisma and style and Wonderful World is one of my favorites.
There was a state ship called “Koojarra” that myself and Jimmy Chi sailed on from Perth to Broome in the 60’s. They played Begin the Beguine on the radio every night after the news. It’s become one of my favorites.
Nothing I would rather be is the classic from Bran Neue Dai –Tongue in cheeky!!
In 1907 the St John of God Irish nuns arrived in our part of the country – their influence on the education ,nursing and training on our grandmothers and grandfathers is still alive today. My babbali Jimmy Chi wrote Town by the Bay to create interest in building a nursing for home for the old people in Broome and I thank him for letting me sing it".
“I sincerely hope you enjoy this album and play it to all your friends and family. Gala gorn.”
Baamba