A new book offers a round of applause to a range of like-minded folk, Shane Gilchrist reports.
The Other Dunedin Sound: the acoustic community of southern New Zealand is a testament to the many characters who have contributed to a strong, vibrant and supportive music scene, loosely framed within the parameters of folk music (including, but not limited to, Celtic, country, roots and blues) but also encompassing storytellers, dancers, poets, drum-makers and luthiers.
Within its 230 pages are myriad colour photographs, accompanied by what Saunders labels "community interviews". In short, she arranged for her subjects to sit in front of a video camera for up to an hour, then used selected quotes (in no particular order) to illuminate personal backgrounds, cultural leanings and/or musical ruminations.
Contributions come from artists possibly best described as quiet achievers: Members of longstanding Dunedin quartet The Chaps, whose recent third album, Don't Worry 'Bout Your Age, is one of three nominations for New Zealand folk album of the year, are included alongside talented multi-instrumentalist John Egenes, Matt Langley (whose track 7.13 won the 2010 APRA Best Country Song Award) and Delgirl (who pocketed a Tui for best folk album of 2008).
Phil Garland, a three-time Tui award winner from Culverden, North Canterbury, is in there, too. An organiser of the Bards, Ballads and Bulldust festival, Naseby's Easter weekend celebration of high-country life, he and brother Mike spin a few tales about the development of folk music in Christchurch and beyond.
At the heart of the book lurks the influence of the Dunedin-based New Edinburgh Folk Club, organiser of the annual Whare Flat Folk Festival since the inaugural event in 1975. A subcommittee of the organisation has also been responsible for the Dunedin Celtic Arts Festival, a biennial event which this year marked its fifth iteration with more than 30 Celtic-themed concerts, workshops, exhibitions, public lectures and ecumenical services.
In short, The Other Dunedin Sound offers a round of applause to the folk club and others.
"At first I thought perhaps I'd get the top 20 musicians or something like that, but the minute I thought about that I realised how wrong that was. It grew from there; it was obvious I needed to include the community - the non-musicians as well as the musicians," Saunders explains.
"Interestingly, the feedback I'm getting is, 'Oh, there are so many people in there', or 'Oh, there are some people not in there'.
"I think the book does capture something. There are people who have known each other for years but there are others who have only recently come into the area. There is a diverse range of people, who have come together because of the music. But I also think there are cultural values as well: it is a very supportive environment; there is a lot of trust and also a lot of humour.
"I think there is a cliché about folk music - and we actually look like the cliché in some of the photos. However, it appears to me you can have all sorts of people and all sorts of music. The level of talent is high, as is the encouragement.
"I think what is misunderstood is the wide range of music within what is termed folk. I think John Mayden [a former Dunedin musician, now based in North Island] put it pretty well; he said all music can be folk music," Saunders says.
"I really like the lack of pretension. I can't imagine having stars who'd sit away from the rest. Whenever guests come from overseas, they are expected to be part of the group at festivals. I think that leaves people free to perform what they want to do without compromise.
"No-one is rich. The joke is, 'There are hundreds of dollars to be made in folk music'."
The Dunedin-based photographer and author, who recently set up a website to profile her images as well as provide a forum for her thoughts via blogs, arrived at the idea of a book in late 2008. She then set about organising photo shoots (as well as video interviews), which took her a good two years to complete.
Saunders' photos range from up-front and open, personal profiles of people to fly-on-the-wall snapshots of performers in full flight or in a slightly pensive mood.
"I did try to capture what I saw in people," Saunders says.
As for all those interviews (there are more than 100), Saunders describes them as reminiscences.
"It's not an oral history. I took it entirely on trust. Largely, I really wanted people just to talk. With the book, I chose the bits that went in."
"Given the editing process that occurred, Saunders has been left with a vast store of video footage of those interviews, which she plans to put on her website once she has obtained permission from all her subjects.
"Hopefully they will get online early next year."
As to more immediate plans, Saunders says she'll be heading to Waiora Valley for the Whare Flat Folk Festival, to be held over New Year.
"The first time I went was at the end of 2004. I'm from Canada but I grew up in Auckland. I'd returned to Dunedin that year and went along with my son. I just loved it. I loved watching people get up on stage and having fun. The talent stunned me.
"And what a lovely environment. I lay out on the grass outside my tent and listened to music."
SEE IT, HEAR IT
• The Other Dunedin Sound: the acoustic community of southern New Zealand will be on sale at the Whare Flat Folk Festival. It is also available on Trish Saunders' website (www.trishsaunders.co.nz), and at Marbecks and University Book Shop.
• The Whare Flat Folk Festival, at Waiora Scout Camp, begins on Friday, December 30 and runs until Tuesday, January 3. For more information, including a list of guest artists, visit: www.whareflat.co.nz.
