Ian Blake enjoys folk music, early music and electronica, and his own music often shows traces of all three: he has worked as a composer for theatre, film, chamber music, dance and public art projects, while his production and sound engineering skills have earned him a Gold Disc and an ARIA nomination. He has produced award-winning records for children, many for the ABC: his multi-instrumental abilities and arranging skills have contributed to some classics, notably with Mike Jackson.
Originally from London, Blake has worked mainly in the folk and world music scene: with June Tabor, Michelle Shocked, The Mellstock Band and his own group, Pyewackett; in venues from Alaska to Zanzibar. Since moving to Australia, he has toured extensively with Eric Bogle and produced two of Eric's albums at his Canberra studio.
Blake works regularly in Europe, mostly with long-time collaborator Andrew Cronshaw: the latest project includes Serbian singer Svetlana Spajic and duduk player Tigran Aleksanyan, and draws on the various traditions of the four musicians. The combo was well-received at its live BBC Radio 3 WOMAD debut: a European tour and CD release are planned for 2009.
In 2005 he received an ACT Creative Arts Fellowship, and was awarded the 2006 National Folk Fellowship, which led to an electroacoustic piece based on material from the children's folklore collections at the National Library, performed at the 2007 National Folk Festival.
Recent and forthcoming work in concert music and multimedia includes Eidola, for chamber choir and digital organ; The River Daughter, for solo voice, bassoon and electronics; One of Us, for the Quantum Leap production My Sister, My Brother; The Gathering, a sound installation at the M16 artspace; and soundscapes/musical direction for the show Fundamental Sound at the Griffith Conservatorium.
ACT Creative Arts Fellowship 2005
National Folk Fellowship 2006
TDK Talking Book Award 1999
ARIA Gold Disc 1995
Reviews:
'Spirit of Place' , reviewed by Malcolm Fielding of indie-cds.com
Following our policy of bringing you interesting, diverse and unusual music from around the world and in many musical spheres, this album fits neatly into our "no convenient genre or category" pigeon-hole. For it's a highly eclectic melange of various styles, from the solo whistle tune that opens, through drifting soundscapes and samples, passing jazz moods, a little bit of funk even, a touch of the mediaeval about it, a touch of the symphonic (in feel at least, there is no orchestra.) That said, Blake plays so many instruments himself, it could as well be a small orchestra. Clarinet, saxes, whistles, melodica, fujara, flute, tenor guitar, dulcimer, lyre and keyboards, bass and percussion are all used by Ian on the album. As Nick Beale said in a review of this album in fRoots this is 'multi-faceted and highly inventive music...' . It's hard to pin down with labels, but the consistent threads that run through it are the variety of musical ideas on offer, and the creativity with which those are manipulated. It's also a tribute to this CD that it's not really like anyone else that I can think of musically. The moment you think "ah that's a bit like Terry Riley ...." it's off into new territory again. The title is descriptive of the inspiration behind the tracks, each being given their musical identity by Ian's interpretation of the genius loci. The places visited are many and different, and their musics follow suit. If your tastes run to musical journeys through a variety of different spaces, (mostly of the melodic and instrumental type, in moderately laid back mood), I recommend you try this CD: I doubt if you'll be disappointed.
"Luminous" by Helen Rivero and Ian Blake, reviewed by Mark Moss in SingOut!
Helen Rivero is a singer and composer born in Sydney, Australia, to Spanish immigrants who has focused her work on jazz, cabaret and folk songs from around the world. Ian Blake is a British transplant multi-instrumentalist who has worked with English country dance group Pyewackett, Eric Bogle, and British world music chameleon Andrew Cronshaw. For this stunningly recorded collection, these two artists bring <i>all</i> those influences and styles to a mix of lullabies from around the world, including pieces in Zulu, Yiddish, French, Russian, Creole, Italian, Micmac and many more (17 pieces in all).
Rivero is a singer who is nothing if not unique. She uses her voice as a supple musical instrument, effortlessly darting from the lyric to vocalese and sound effects, painting a striking, often haunting, series of minipaintings from each of the cultures represented here. Blake is an instrumental master, providing a broad range of sensitively played arrangements for these pieces with an arsenal of woodwinds, keyboards and strings. Peter Kennard (percussion) and Julian Thompson (cello) fill out the ensemble.
The excellent production is pure and clean, very reminiscent of Blake's production work on Andrew Cronshaw's award winning release Ochre from last year. It is a joy just to listen to the sound of this recording, with each vocal and instrument cleanly presented with a "whole" sound ... open and clear.
The material seems to be a mixture of traditional and composed music from, literally, all over the world. It's both a tribute to the artistry of the duo that the material works together and that each piece stands up independently of the whole. I wish there was more background about the material provided. In the end, though, this is music that stands on its own. I don't want to mistakenly make it seem like this is any kind of folkloric work, but if you're open to a cool, jazzy take on tradition from true musical masters, this is a beautiful recording well worth the effort to find.
Education
Degree Courses:
PhD candidate at the Australian National University
Discography
Title:
Luminous
Year of Release:
2005
Label:
Notes:
A collaboration with voiceplay diva Helen Rivero exploring the liminal* world of dreams, charms and lullabies.
* Is 'liminal' still a cool buzzword?
more at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/riveroblake
Title:
Spirit of Place
Year of Release:
Label:
ABC Music
Notes:
Following our policy of bringing you interesting, diverse and unusual music from around the world and in many musical spheres, this album fits neatly into our "no convenient genre or category" pigeon-hole. For it's a highly eclectic melange of various styles, from the solo whistle tune that opens, through drifting soundscapes and samples, passing jazz moods, a little bit of funk even, a touch of the mediaeval about it, a touch of the symphonic (in feel at least, there is no orchestra.) That said, Blake plays so many instruments himself, it could as well be a small orchestra. Clarinet, saxes, whistles, melodica, fujara, flute, tenor guitar, dulcimer, lyre and keyboards, bass and percussion are all used by Ian on the album. As Nick Beale said in a 1996 review of this album in fRoots this is 'multi-faceted and highly inventive music...' . It's hard to pin down with labels, but the consistent threads that run through it are the variety of musical ideas on offer, and the creativity with which those are manipulated. It's also a tribute to this CD that it's not really like anyone else that I can think of musically. The moment you think "ah that's a bit like Terry Riley ...." it's off into new territory again. The title is descriptive of the inspiration behind the tracks, each being given their musical identity by Ian's interpretation of the genius loci. The places visited are many and different, and their musics follow suit. If your tastes run to musical journeys through a variety of different spaces, (mostly of the melodic and instrumental type, in moderately laid back mood), I recommend you try this CD: I doubt if you'll be disappointed.
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Robert Davidson
