Additional information
WHITE COCKATOO includes booklet with text in English, German, French, and Spanish. Liner Note Authors: Geoffrey Toll; David Yirindilli; Diz Heller; David Blanasi; David Blanasi. Recording information: Adelaide Festival Centre Amphitheatre, Austrailia (11/1998-08/2001); Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA (11/1998-08/2001); San Diego, Unites States (11/1998-08/2001); Tampere, Finland (11/1998-08/2001); Western Arnhem Land, Australia (11/1998-08/2001). One of the better-known touring cultural troupes of Arnhem Land performers is the White Cockatoo ensemble. While most of their performances have been within Australia, they have garnered a fair amount of work abroad. On this recording, the dual songmen take the forefront for much of the album, as is the customary way. However, the accompanying didgeridoo does take the lead for a number of pieces, if for no other reason than that it's the best-known piece of the Aboriginal music puzzle to the Western market at large. At the helm of the didgeridoo is master David Blanasi for much of the album, recorded before his disappearance in 2001. The playing is noteworthy, with a good deal of power in the performance, including growling and shouting techniques aplenty. The songmen and their clapsticks are key to holding it all together, though. This is a more classical style of Aboriginal music, with less embellishment and fantasy and more of the older songs and motives. Worth a listen, though other albums in the same vein are plentiful and of similar caliber. ~ Adam Greenberg
