Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has absorbed his Land and the world beyond through sound. Blind from birth Gurrumul, like Stevie Wonder, sees' everything around him through his ears. His experiences he then translates into music. This man of 37years does not strike one as an overly tactile person and never learned Braille, does not use a seeing-eye dog or a white cane. When Gurrumul performs he sits still as a rock, the songs radiating from every pore in his body, emanating from his soul within.
An Australian Aboriginal, Geoffrey, or as he is affectionately called Gudjuk, is a member of his father's Gumatj nation. His mother hails from the Galpu nation, both First Nations peoples from North East Arnhemland. Descendant from people who say, "We don't own the Land, the Land owns us", Gurrumul's music is a conduit for the Land's spirituality, its Law and Legends, as well as his own personal and hard-won life story. Gurrumul lives between Darwin and his homeland at Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island, off the north coast, a very isolated 560 kilometres (approx 350 miles) from Darwin. He grew up immersed in traditional Yolgnu culture which, like all Australian indigenous cultures revers music, both traditional and contemporary, through its associated songlines, as a combination of the sacred, a teaching tool, communication and an entertainment. He speaks several Yolgnu languages as well as English. As a youngster he was also engrossed in the songs of Elvis Presley, Dire Straits, Eagles and Neil Diamond, as well as the Warumpi Band and other aboriginal artists.
A former member of the seminal Yolgnu band Yothu Yindi, he started at the age of 16 on drums, and toured overseas with them for seven years, before establishing his own outfit the Saltwater Band. The band's music is a smooth blend of reggae, rock, folk and country, played by dozens of brother groups (such as Wild Water, Nabarlek, Sunrize Band and Letterstick) in all the coastal communities, and known as the saltwater style. Common traditional songlines often mean that between the bands there is co-ownership of modern compositions, often having ancient, time-honoured roots. With its members from Galiwin'ku, Saltwater Band is very popular at festivals and hugely adored particularly in indigenous communities, to a large degree, because of Gurrumul's quite presence, yet strong creative guidance.
His ethereal voice conveys the songs of his Gumatj country haunting the listener. He has the unique ability to reconnect the most dispossessed person with all around other people, the Earth, the Universe! His solo performances are a rare treat and at the last Woodford Folk Festival he pulled capacity crowds despite being relatively unknown. Many people came backstage to congratulate him, be photographed beside him and ask for an auto graph. One young fan approached him shyly in tears and said she was "so moved" and asked, "can I hug you"? In Darwin recently he was especially invited to play support for Sir Elton John, making a grand impression.
With the release of his first solo album Gurrumul', Geoffrey has the opportunity finally to show Australia and the world the fabulous talent he has to offer through his inimitable brand of Indigenous music. The album, recorded in Australia's music capital Melbourne by the respected engineer Craig Pilkington and mixed and mastered in Darwin by Yothu Yindi keyboardist Matt Cunliffe, showcases Gurrumul's unique guitar-playing style. A south-paw he plays a guitar strung right-handed upside-down (because there weren't left-handed guitars on aboriginal communities when he was growing up).
In June 2008 Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu embarked on a tour to promote his CD, which started at the Merrepen Festival in Northern Territory on 31st May, where he performed with a string quartet. The tour continued down the Australian East Coast beginning in Cairns at Tanks Arts Centre on 5th June, then onto The Dreaming Festival in Woodford from 6th to 8th.
His three concerts there were packed out and many of the crowd were in tears as he finished each show with the song Gurrumul History Or I Was Born Blind'. Most of the songs from his debut album were featured, and at the first gig in the Alternate Lounge he was cheered on loudly by several of his countrymen, who recognised the eternal ancestor spirit themes of orange-footed scrub fowl in Wiyathul' and in Djarrimirri' the rainbow serpent.
The very emotive lament Bapa' with its theme of losing both personal fathers and tribal fathers/uncles was accompanied by Hohnen, bowing a very tasteful bass line, and brilliant guitar-work from Francis Diatschenko.
Gurrumul took the audience on a mystical journey through his country; his soaring voice stirring everyone's heart, although he did lighten the mood with uptempo pieces like Marwurrumburr', known colloquially as "the pussycat song".
Another joyful scrub fowl ditty Djilawurr' followed featuring a realistic birdcall, and like Bapa' was originally featured on the Saltwater Band's second album Djarridjarri/Blue Flag'.
On the final night his countrymen and women, the Miwatj Dancers from Yirrikala joined him onstage, much to the joy of the crowd.
A couple of shows at Holland's Festival Mundial Tilburg followed, before Gurrumul returned to Australia for stellar performances in July at the Sydney Opera House, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra and the World Youth Day.
Gurrumul is definitely a man-on-a-mission, endeavouring to use his angelic voice and positive spirit to teach the world about the oldest traditional culture on the planet through his unique music!