Frank Yamma, the 'Voice of Australia's Central Desert', Tours Canada in August

Frank Yamma, the voice of Australia's Central Desert, comes all the way from Ayers Rock to perform his fourth run of shows in Canada. 

Frank Yamma is one of Australia's most significant Indigenous songwriters.

With an ability to cross cultural and musical boundaries, when he sings, you listen and travel with him. An initiated Pitjantjatjara man, Frank sings in his Indigenous language, as well as in English, and his spirit belongs to the heart of Australia - Uluru. Docker River. Ernabella. Central Australia. As Frank says, "Wherever the Pitjantjatjara mob come from."

Over the past five years, the world has been discovering Frank and has seen him perform across Europe and the UK with shows in Latvia, Lithuania, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Poland, and Switzerland. Frank has undertaken extensive live touring with highlights including the 2012 Cultural Olympiad (UK), Womad (UK), The New Hebridean Festival (Scotland), Festival Bled (Slovenia), Colours of Ostravia (Czech Republic), and most recently setting hearts on fire in Canada at Calgary, Vancouver, and Winnipeg folk festivals. In Canada, he shared the stage with Buffy Saint Marie and The Mekons, as well as performing a coveted spot opening for Joan Baez. In 2014 Frank Yamma represented Australia at WOMEX '14.

Closer to home, Frank also performed at this year's TEDx Sydney in May and won an NIMA award for his latest album Uncle, which features songs of country, protection, heartache, and travel. And songs of love. Not of love lost, but of pure, present-day raw emotion. Uncle shows the continuity of a musician that is hitting his peak with grace and conviction.

Indigenous soulster Frank Yamma will bring his beautiful storytelling back to Canada to play the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival on August 5-7, Manitoba Aboriginal Music Week on August 10, Robson Valley Music Festival August 12-14, and he is performing a special, intimate show at Vancouver's Wise Hall on August 11 with Melbourne songstress (and recent Canadian immigrant) Larissa Tandy making a guest appearance.

Frank Yamma - 2016 Canadian Tour Dates:

• 5-7 August - Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival – Lunenberg, NS
• 10 August - Manitoba Aboriginal Music Week - Winnipeg, MB
• 11 August - The Wise Hall - Vancouver, BC
• 12-14 August - Robson Valley Music Festival - Dunster, BC

Keep up with Frank Yamma at frankyamma.com and facebook.com/frankyamma

Aboriginal Music Week 2016 Announces Full Festival Lineup and Performance Schedule

Aboriginal Music Manitoba have announced the full lineup and performance schedule for Aboriginal Music Week 2016. The eighth edition of the festival runs August 9-13 and includes performances by 27 Indigenous acts from across Turtle Island, South America, and Australia.

Aboriginal Music Manitoba continues to highlight incredible Indigenous music and performance at the 8th annual Aboriginal Music Week. This year, the festival expects more than 9,000 people to attend, which would make it AMW's biggest turnout to date.

Packed with block parties, concerts, networking events, youth workshops, picnics, and lunch hour shows, AMW continues to do what it does best: build community and support great music.

The week officially begins with a sweat lodge ceremony for visiting artists, local performers, and festival producers on August 8th, and AMW's public programming kicks off August 9th with the first of four free, lunch hour concerts at the Winnipeg Art Gallery's Rooftop Sculpture Garden.

The lunch hour concerts, presented by Digital Drum, will feature performances by Maliseet operatic singer Jeremy Dutcher, Pitjantjatjara singer/songwriter Frank Yamma, Metis neo-soul singer David Morin, and Cree hip hop emcee Eekwol.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao6_O3iX3o8

JUNO Award-winning artists Boogat and Digging Roots are on board for performances at the Ka Ni Kanichihk Block Party presented by NCI FM on August 9th.

RPM will also be partnering with Aboriginal Music Week again this year. We will be presenting the Spence Neighbourhood Block Party on August 1oth, featuring performances by Digging Roots, Frank Yamma, Jeremy Dutcher, Boogey The Beat, and Rylee Sandberg.

Tracy Bone will headline the Turtle Island Block Party presented by Teekca's Aboriginal Boutique on August 11; Jade Turner, Ila Barker, and Ashley Robertson will anchor the AMW Stage presented by NOW Country at Austin Street Festival on August 12; and, country music legend Ray St. Germain will entertain audiences at the AMW Stage presented by TD at Picnic in the Park on August 13.

The evenings of August 10 and 11 will be dedicate to community building for the performers and MuchFACT and TD are sponsoring networking dinners to give the artists a chance to connect, build business relationships, and discuss the future of Aboriginal music. The Open Mic presented by MB Live on August 12, which is open to the public, will give the group a third opportunity to build rapport and extend their networks to include the local music community.

This year's festival looks to be another expression of #IndigenousExcellence and a highlight of an already packed summer of Indigenous music culture.

See you there!

Aboriginal Music Week 2016 - Festival Schedule

AMW at Lunch presented by Digital Drum Jeremy Dutcher Winnipeg Art Gallery, Rooftop Sculpture Garden, 300 Memorial Boulevard Tuesday, August 9, 2016 12 p.m. -1 p.m. Free | All ages

Ka Ni Kanichihk Block Party presented by NCI FM Leonard Sumner, Boogat, Nikki Komaksiutiksak, Rhonda Head, Four Sacred Winds, and special guests Harriet Street, between McDermot Avenue and Bannatyne Avenue Tuesday, August 9, 2016 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Free |  All ages Free BBQ, activity stations for kids, bring lawn chairs Community Partner: Ka Ni Kanichihk

AMW at Lunch presented by Digital Drum Frank Yamma Winnipeg Art Gallery, Rooftop Sculpture Garden, 300 Memorial Boulevard Wednesday, August 10, 2016 12 p.m. -1 p.m. Free | All ages

Spence Neighbourhood Block Party presented by RPM.FM Digging Roots, Frank Yamma, Jeremy Dutcher, Boogey The Beat, Rylee Sandberg Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre, 430 Langside Street Wednesday, August 10, 2016 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Free |  All ages Free BBQ, activity stations for kids, bring lawn chairs Community Partner: Spence Neighbourhood Association

Networking Dinner presented by TD Wednesday, August 10, 2016 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Performers and invited guests only RSVP Req'd

AMW at Lunch presented by Digital Drum David Morin Winnipeg Art Gallery, Rooftop Sculpture Garden, 300 Memorial Boulevard Thursday, August 11, 2016 12 p.m. -1 p.m. Free | All ages

Turtle Island Block Party presented by Teeka’s Aboriginal Boutique Tracy Bone, Eekwol, Double The Trouble, Mary Mahler, Loud Thunder Singers Turtle Island Community Centre, 445 King Street Thursday, August 11, 2016 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. Free |  All ages Free BBQ, activity stations for kids, bring lawn chairs Community Partner: Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre

Networking Dinner presented by MuchFACT Thursday, August 11, 2016 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Performers and invited guests only RSVP Req'd

AMW at Lunch presented by Digital Drum Eekwol Winnipeg Art Gallery, Rooftop Sculpture Garden, 300 Memorial Boulevard Friday, August 12, 2016 12 p.m. -1 p.m. Free | All ages

AMW Stage presented by NOW Country at Austin Street Festival Jade Turner, Ila Barker, Ashley Robertson, David Morin, Tara Williamson, Kristi Lane Sinclair, Billy Simard, Buffalo Gals, special guests Austin Street, between Euclid Avenue and Selkirk Avenue Friday, August 12, 2016 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Free |  All ages Free BBQ, activity stations for kids, bring lawn chairs

Community Partner: North Point Douglas Women's Centre Open Mic presented by MB Live Hosted by MJ Dandeneau and friends Le Garage Café, 166 Provencher Boulevard Friday, August 12, 2016 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. $5 tickets | 18+ I.D. Req'd Email bhuson@belowthebasement.ca to sign up in advance Bring your own instruments Drum kit, keyboard, one guitar amp, and one bass amp on site

AMW Stage presented by TD at Picnic in the Park Ray St. Germain, Renee Lamoureux, Shanley Spence, Ivan Spence & Burntwood Band, Bob Chartrand, special guests St. John's Park, Main Street and Mountain Avenue Saturday, August 13, 2016 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Free | All ages Free BBQ, activity stations for kids, bring lawn chairs Community Partner: North End Community Renewal Corporation

Visit aboriginalmusicweek.ca for more information about the festival and keep updated at RPM.fm for more AMW content in the coming weeks.