MUMBAI: Blind Australian artist Gurrumul, a member of the Gumatj clan on Elcho Island, Australia, will perform solo shows in the US for the very first time. Called “Australia’s Most Important Voice” by Rolling Stone, Gurrumul’s music draws on the stories of the more than 40,000 year old Aboriginal culture, which is older than any other known. Gurrumul’s album was released in the U.S. in 2014, and now American audiences will finally hear the live sounds of one of the world’s greatest musical treasures. A list of tour dates are below. For tickets, go to Gurrumul USA or Facebook.
Quincy Jones and SubCulture present Gurrumul’s first US date on April 29th in New York City. Jones claims, “Gurrumul is an incredible musician. Through his voice he paints you the complexity and beauty of his Aboriginal roots, and it reminds me of how we’re all so similar. Just beautiful.” SubCulture co-founder Marc Kaplan notes, “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Quincy Jones Productions in bringing Gurrumul to our stage. His unique talents are representative of QJP’s diverse roster of artists.”
In addition to being a hugely respected celebrity in his native Australia, Gurrumul is also adored and revered by musical legends such as Quincy Jones, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and will.i.am. He has performed for luminaries such as The Queen of England, President Barack Obama, The Prince of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and others. Sting has called Gurrumul “the voice of a higher being.”
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Gurrumul sings almost exclusively in his tribal Gumatj dialect, spoken by no more than 3000 people, yet he conveys to a wide audience of all cultures an intensity of feeling that breaks hearts while at the same time, floods his listeners with joy. He sings songs about identity, spirit and connection with the land, its elements and the ancestral beings to which he is related. It doesn’t matter if the words are not understood; it is an innate language that transcends language barriers, changing the way people listen to and experience music.
Gurrumul Tour Dates:
April 29th- SubCulture- New York, NY
May 1st- New Orleans Jazz Fest- New Orleans, LA
May 3rd- Old Town School of Folk Music- Chicago, IL
May 6th- El Rey Theater- Los Angeles, CA
May 9th- TBD- San Francisco, CA
