Australian Blues Jazz guitarist Gerry Joe Weise, on tour with Aboriginal rock band, Nabarlek.
Gerry Joe Weise and Nabarlek.
During 2000 and 2001, Gerry Joe Weise was sent by the Charles Darwin University to Manmoyi and Gunbalanya. Where he worked with Nabarlek, for songwriting and arranging their 2001 album "Bininj Manborlh / Blackfella Road". The album was nominated for "Best World Music Album" in 2002 at the ARIA Music Awards in Australia. Gerry Joe Weise performed live in concert as lead guitarist for Nabarlek at the Cite De La Musique in Paris, France, during the 2010 Terres De Resistance Festival, that was featured on Tracks Arte TV.
Nabarlek are an Indigenous rock band from Manmoyi, a tiny community in Arnhem Land, 215 kilometres from the remote community of Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) in the Northern Territory of Australia. They have received the following awards: 2007 Northern Territory Indigenous Music Awards "Album of Year" and "Song of the Year", 2005 Evening Star Award NT Music Industry Awards "Band Of The Year", 2000 Deadly Awards Nominations "Album of the Year" "Band of the Year "Best New Talent".
Nabarlek and Gerry Joe Weise performing at the Terres De Resistance Festival, Cite de la Musique, Paris 2010.
Nabarlek and Gerry Joe Weise performing at the Terres De Resistance Festival, Cite de la Musique, Paris 2010.
Nabarlek and Gerry Joe Weise, Manmoyi Aboriginal Community, Northern Territory, Australia, 2000.
Nabarlek and Gerry Joe Weise, Gunbalanya Aboriginal Community, Northern Territory, Australia, 2001.
Video 1. Down Under (Men At Work). Nabarlek and Gerry Joe Weise, Terres De Resistance Festival, Cite de la Musique, Paris 2010. Vimeo
Video 2. Jam Session, Australian Aboriginal, American Indian. Nabarlek and Gerry Joe Weise with Blackfire (Navajo USA). Terres De Resistance Festival, Cite de la Musique, Paris 2010. Vimeo
Gerry Joe Weise's vintage 1963 Fender Stratocaster guitar and Wallaby, Manmoyi Aboriginal Community, Australia, 2000.
Videos with Didgeridoo.
Uluru Didgeridoo Gerry Joe Weise 2011 (video above).
Byron Bay Bop Gerry Joe Weise, Orchestra and 2 didgeridoos. Live at the Moscow Concert Hall, Russia, 2012.
Steamroller Gerry Joe Weise, Didgeridoo and band, Belovely Day Festival, Paris, France, 2012.
INTERVIEW.
2000 2001 Northern Territory Outback Tour.
by Paula McKay in 2002
Paula McKay: Two years ago you went back to Australia after a very long stay in Europe, where you had lived in France, Switzerland and Germany?
Gerry Joe Weise: That's right, In 1999 I went on a tour of Victoria and New South Wales, but I had to go back in 2000 (ed. Europe) for the festivals.
P McK: How was it when you arrived back in Australia for the Darwin Outback Tour, a tour of Northern Territory in 2000 and 2001?
GJW: I flew into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from London (ed. Oct 18, 2000), and had to wait 9hrs for the next flight out. I arrived at Darwin Airport (ed. Oct 19) during the heatwave. It was so hot, I had trouble getting around with my luggage and guitar-case, but I was just happy to be there. You know, Chris Dreja of the Yardbirds shares the same opinion as myself, we both think that Darwin is a great rock'n'roll town. The people there are just great and very laid-back. Within the first week, everything was going along well with the Darwin Outback Tour.
P McK: It must have been real hot up there near Indonesia?
GJW: I enjoyed the refreshing swimming-pool back at the hotel, where possums would come down to drink the pool water at night, and during the day, metre long goannas (ed. monitor lizards) would walk through the gardens.
P McK: You were surrounded by wildlife?
GJW: Yeah, Darwin city is just bursting with Frilled-necked and Blue-tongue lizards in the parks, fruit-bats and parrots in palm trees, dolphins in the bay, the odd crocodile on the beach, as well as deadly jellyfish in the waters. Yeah just wild!
P McK: And the people?
GJW: Yeah they were pretty wild too ! (ed. laughter).
P McK: You started in October 2000 and went through to April 2001 for the Darwin Outback Tour. That would mean that you were in Darwin during the cyclone season?
GJW: The cyclone season is basically December till February, but I was lucky enough that the Top End was quite calm that year. As a matter of fact one of my Darwin bass players was a rescue helicopter pilot, and had to go to Western Australia for rescue-operations during the cyclone season. Otherwise we used to rehearse in his helicopter hangar at Darwin Airport!
2000 2001 Outback Tour articles.
Darwin News. The Nirvana Blues & Jazz Club had Marc Smith and Gerry Joe Weise on duo guitars, performing rock-blues numbers with off-the-wall humour, a delightful soiree that you can catch this Saturday (ed. Oct 4) at Tim's Surf n' Turf.
Top End News, Darwin. Marc Smith, Gerry Joe Weise and Ash Dargan played at Lizard's in Daly St, last Saturday (ed. Nov 11), for an evening of great tap-toeing entertainement.
Blues Flyer, Darwin. The Petty Sessions on Mitchel Street presents, Gerry Joe Weise in a juke-joint guitar and drums blues duo with fellow mate Rob, for a late night session of roadhouse blues 'n' boogie. "There's going to be a bit of an explosive Jon Spencer's Blues Explosion influence in this duo" says Gerry Joe. So get ready for a rockin' dance night of fun at the Petty Sessions, starts at 9.00 p.m. Saturday November 18.
Blues Flyer, Darwin. New to the Darwin metroploitan scene, Gerry Joe Weise will be playing his world-wise (no pun intended) brand of blues. Along with local bass and drums rhythm support John & Jeff, at the rock hardy Blue Healers, downtown Darwin, for their outdoor barbecue. Get ready for the blues on Sunday November 19 at 7.00 pm sharp.
Top End News, Darwin. The Gerry Joe Weise band, gave us a fair impression of what he has been up to on the European tours over the last few years. Gerry Joe Weise's down to earth blues with funky rock rhythms, are tinged with local themes from the outback. His "Broken Hill Blues" comes straight out of New South Wales. The concert given at the Dinah Beach Yacht Club in Frances Bay, Wednesday (ed. Nov 29), on the sunny outdoor quayside, accentuates Gerry Joe's penchant for rocking the blues.
Suellen Hinde, Northern Territory News, Darwin. Darwin Blues Club kicks off at Kitty O'Sheas in Mitchel Street tonight (ed. Thursday Nov 30). The house band will be the 4 Higher Blues Band featuring Gerry Joe Weise on guitar and vocals. Gerry Joe has played with Eric Clapton, B.B.King, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, and with the musicians from Jimmy Johnson and Otis Grand. The 4 Higher Blues Band will be playing original songs and covers. The evening kicks off at 6.30.
Noonamah News. After last Sunday 3rd, the Gerry Joe Weise trio will be back again this Sunday for a concert of heavy blues rock at the Noonamah Tavern on the Stuart Highway - no need to ask where the hell that is. Be there for an afternoon of blues and boogie on Sunday December 17 at 5.00 p.m.
Darwin Newspaper. The Kitty O'Sheas Thursday Blues Club was another successful night of blues by the house band led by Gerry Joe Weise. The Englishman Victor Brox of Ansley Dunbar celebrity, and his musicians, dropped in for the ritual jamming with the house band last December 21. Apparently Gerry Joe Weise has jammed before with Victor Brox in Bordeaux on the French coastline. Another satisfying evening of rhythm and blues at the O'Sheas pub.
Humpty Doo News. It's Christmas time and Gerry Joe Weise's 4 Higher Trio, with locals Jeff & John, scheduled at the Humpty Doo Tavern, Arnhem Hwy, promised to be a merry promo last Sunday 24 on Christmas Eve. They rocked, they rolled, and played Christmas blues way into the warm summer evening.
Howard Springs News. Just after the Hotel Back Bar and the Country Club in Katherine, Gerry Joe Weise bluesman from Sydney who has lived and toured in Europe for 19 odd years, will be playing at the Howard Springs Tavern for what will be announced as a solo concert of originals and cover favourites. Gerry Joe Weise isn't new to the solo circuit scene, he has played in front of 7,000 people supporting the Scorpions in France, and has played several 1,000 seaters in Europe with his rocking blues. You can catch Gerry Joe Weise on guitar and vocals at the Tavern, Whitwood Road, on Thursday March 1st.
Renner Springs Newspaper. The Renner Springs Roadhouse, had a rocking Roadhouse time on Saturday (ed. March 10) as Gerry Joe Weise rocked the house with songs from Hound Dog Taylor and Freddie King. He sang songs off his albums "Live In Paris" and "Bushman Boogie", the place was packed, and Gerry Joe said he will definitely be back again.
Northern Territory News, Dunmarra. Gerry Joe Weise and his Bushman Boogie are on their Outback Tour. With 46 concert dates, and blues bordering on the crossroads of rock and country. Acclaimed by the press, he has released several albums of note, and will be presenting his special brand of Aussie blues at the Wayside Inn on the Stuart Highway, in Dunmarra, on Friday 30 March at 9.00.