Farewell To Old England Forever. CD release 2006 Music Forum – Nov 2006
Imagine the most hackneyed old songs of colonial Australia re-imagined as works of exquisite beauty – that is what Jenny M. Thomas has achieved in this album. In her hands, songs such as Walzing Matilda, Bound For South Australia and Botany Bay have become quiet, introspective, melancholy yet contented – perhaps a female perspective on early colonial life rarely voiced. Where it is used, the accompianment is a perfect fit: the rolling feel of Codfish with banjo-mandolin and accordion is pure bliss! You will find this album suprising, but you may find yourself at the end reaching for the play button to hear it all again – a wonderful listen!
Trad and Now June-July 2006
“On the surface, this appears to be a fairly conventional collection of eleven Australian folk songs, with lyrics by Paterson, O'Hagan, Burns and of course Trad. That's as far as appearances go.
The arrangements on this recording are anything but traditional, with a very free improvisational feel and strong jazz overtones. Performed and recorded immaculately, with a very clean and open style as the often sparse accompaniment winds and wraps itself around Jenny's voice.
While it is always clearly based on the customary melodies, these are only a basis for these interesting arrangements.
This is trad with a difference.
A little suprising at first, but a well crafted production with a very gentle and relaxed manner.
And don't miss the end of the last track…
The Canberra Times
“Extraordinary, even revolutionary traditional Australian Folk songs”
Andrew Ford -The Music Show, ABC Radio National
‘A delightful album.' ‘Your arrangements of these songs breathes new life into them. Waltzing Matilda will never be the same again Jenny!'
Doug Spencer - The Planet, ABC Radio National. “This CD that will have you thinking differently about songs you've heard hundreds of times”
Into The Ether CD release 2002. Jazzwise UK
“Thomas' bow weeps emotion, but as this phenomenal musical excursion shows over and over again, her violin and viola weep in ways that transcend the violin's ‘ordinary' ability to tug at the heartstrings: There is not a single ordinary thing about this album… Without question, she is the finest non-Indian that I have heard play Indian-accented violin… If I get three musical discoveries of this calibre out of the hundreds of new musical experiences that come my way annually, I count myself blessed”
Herald Sun ‘A vivid and intriguing mix. She crisscrosses styles, heading where her nimble fingers lead. You will love the voices she produces.'
Music Forum Magazine ‘An interesting album of considerable sonic beauty. The fragmentary, emotionally nuanced work ultimately and appealingly takes shape as a sort of representation of musical memory and dreaming.'
Readings Magazine ‘melancholic but beautiful musicianship.'
Folk Alliance Australia Magazine ‘ Her ability to follow an idea in an instant and create wonderful sequences and trails of melodic and rhythmic sounds are given the chance here to be fully explored, and she takes us on mystical rides, extending the definition of a folk-violinist into ethereal spheres. A beautiful recording, worthy paying attention to.'
Paul Petran, ABC Radio National Australia
‘Fascinating and interesting original music.'
Jenny M Thomas Trio Live Review for ‘The Age', August 2006 Boite World Music Cafe
Saturday 19 August
Review by: JESSICA NICHOLAS
Perhaps it was her early training with Circus Oz – playing violin while roller skating – that taught Jenny M. Thomas to tread courageously where common sense told her not to go.
After establishing a successful career as a sophisticated ‘world' fiddler, where she roamed freely between Irish, Indian and classical music influences, Thomas set her sights on the traditional Australian folk songs that have been damaged by years of neglect. Determined to revive these bruised mementos of our musical past, she enlisted the help of two brave colleagues (Chris Hale and Anthony Schulz) and set about restoring the dignity of this once-loved repertoire.
As it turns out, the result of Thomas' bold exploration is a series of exquisitely understated arrangements. On Saturday night, the violinist presented two sets of these songs in a purely acoustic (and unamplified) setting, underlining the simplicity of the trio's interpretations. Many of the tunes were so radically pared-back as to be almost unrecognisable – until Thomas began to sing.
Singing is a newly-discovered gift for Thomas, who had to re-examine her approach to the violin so she could sing and play at the same time. Listening to her beautiful voice floating across each song on Saturday night, it was hard to believe she has had no vocal training.
The warmth and clarity of her voice turned Little Fish (a traditional sailors' song) into a wistful lullaby, accompanied by Thomas's lilting fiddle riff and Schulz' gently contrapuntal accordion. A melancholy, legato violin solo morphed unexpectedly into The Road to Gundagai , while an equally quiet Botany Bay was propelled into a sprightlier mode by Hale's effervescent banjo-mandolin.
–a mesmerising rendition of Waltzing Matilda – began with Thomas alone on her violin, deftly exploring the vocal-like slides associated with South Indian Carnatic music. When her voice finally introduced the familiar melody, Hale and Schulz swelled behind her to push the tune to a series of rousing climaxes, without ever losing the delicate beauty that underpins these enchanting arrangements.
