Australia: Musical Traditions Inspiring the "Australian HUG Lullaby"

As you may know, Jim and I are striving to combine HUG Your Baby ideas and resources with the musical traditions we encounter as we travel. CLICK HERE to see and hear the newly completed "Australian HUG Lullaby." After seeing this, you may wonder about the musical ideas behind this song.

Jim was impressed with the "Vandemonium Lags" (photo) project we learned about when we visited Hobart, Tasmania. This musical collaboration sought to preserve and develop the musical themes and traditions that convicts sentenced to deportation used to sustain their lives "down under." 

Australian music is a blend of cultural influences, like the modern country itself. Indigenous sounds of the didgeridoo, bull roarer, and traditional percussion were incorporated into our lullaby, to draw together both the European and aboriginal experiences, joining them in the shared pursuits of family life and the spirit of the wild. All the animal sounds in the "Australian HUG Lullaby" were made by real Aussie animals, and the sounds you hear before each verse were made by the animal that verse is about.

Thanks to Tony Bowman, and the other excellent North Carolina-based instrumentalists who played their parts beautifully for this song: Brian Dennis (guitars and mandolin), Jonathan Henderson (acoustic bass and percussion), Chris Johnson (didgeridoo), and Gabriel Pelli (violin). 

Our friend and musical collaborator, Tony Bowman, did a great job (Don't you agree?) in arranging and producing music that captures the spirit of both the nature and the cultures of the amazing Australian continent. CLICK HERE to see what he has to say about producing the "Australian HUG Lullaby".

Jane Duffy, the Australian vocalist on this lullaby, is both a gifted singer and a dedicated lactation professional. CLICK HERE to read more about Jane and the HUG Your Baby ideas behind this lullaby.