Steve Gadd (Australian musician)

Steve Gadd
Born1957 (age 66–67)
OriginFranklin, Tasmania, Australia
GenresFolk
Occupation(s)Musician, mentor, composer
Instrument(s)Guitar, banjo, vocals, darbuka
Years active2002–present
Websitemusictasmania.com.au

Steve Gadd (born 1957) is a Tasmanian folk musician, teacher and composer. He is also a collector, transcriber and advocate of local traditional music. At the 2012 Australian of the Year Awards Gadd was a state finalist as a Local Hero.

Biography[edit]

Steve Gadd was born in 1957 in Tasmania. His interest in local folk music has led to a career as a musician and mentor.[1] Gadd on guitar, with his wife, Marjorie Gadd, on violin, recorded traditional dance music from 1850 to 1950, which was released on CD as Real Island Roots in 2002.[2] It was mixed and mastered at Huon Delta Studios, Franklin, by Geoff Francis and self-released by the Gadds.[2] Czardas, a Romani music group, with Gadd on guitar, vocals and darbuka; Marjorie on violin; and Erin Collins on vocals; recorded an album, In a Vision, in 2003.[3] It was also mixed and mastered by Francis.[3]

Gadd and Marjorie are the co-compilers and publishers of Tasmanian Heritage Apple Shed Tune Book (January 2004), which contains 254 tunes.[1][4][5] On the Fiddle (2010), was co-authored by Gadd, Marjorie and Peter MacFie.[6] It details the life and music of colonial fiddler Alexander Laing (1792–1868).[6] Gadd has contributed to several other collections of original and tradition Tasmanian music. He was also a Contributor to Veranda Music, a seminal book on traditional Australian musicians.

Gadd has written a play, Beneath These Mountains, based on the lives of traditional rural musicians.[1] Gadd plays solo guitar; he duets with Marjorie on guitar, banjo and mandolin; he also performs with bands and ensembles: Buttongrass Serenade (traditional Tasmanian folk), Shake Sugaree, (Blues and Bluegrass), As The Crow Flies, (contemporary and tradition fiddle based group), The Tasmanian Heritage Fiddle Ensemble,[1] and occasionally with Czardas, (Gypsy and gypsy-influenced music).[3] He has toured Australia with Shake Sugaree and has performed at various festivals across the country.

Gadd has served as either a program director or festival director for The Franklin Apple Harvest Festival, The Cygnet Folk Festival,[1] and The Taste of The Huon Festival. At the 2012 Australian of the Year Awards Gadd was a state finalist as a Local Hero for Tasmania.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Steve Gadd". Australian of the Year Awards (National Australia Day Council (NADC)). 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b Gadd, Steve; Gadd, Marjorie (2002), Real island roots the traditional dance music of Tasmania c1850 to 1950, S. Gadd & M. Gadd. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 March 2014, Credits: Mixed and mastered at Huon Delta Studios, Franklin, by Geoff Francis. Performer: Steve Gadd, guitar; Marjorie Gadd, violin. Notes: Recorded at Walpole Lane Studios, Franklin and Huon Delta Studios, Franklin, Tasmania.
  3. ^ a b c Czardas; Gadd, Steve; Gadd, Marjorie; Collins, Erin (2003), In a Vision, Steve & Marjorie Gadd. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 March 2014
  4. ^ Gadd, Steve; Gadd, Marjorie; Tasmanian Heritage Music Project (2004), Tasmanian heritage apple shed tune book : over 70 new tunes; traditional schottisches, mazurkas, polkas, waltzes, reels, jigs and novelty tunes as played in rural Tasmania 1840–1960 (2nd ed.), Tasmanian Heritage Music Project. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 March 2014
  5. ^ "Tasmanian Apple Shed Tunes". Transmissions December 2003. Australian Folklore Network. Australian Folklore Research Unit. Curtin University of Technology. March 2004. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  6. ^ a b MacFie, Peter H; Gadd, Steve; Gadd, Marjorie (2010), On the Fiddle from Scotland to Tasmania, 1815–1863: the Life and Music of Alexander Laing (1792–1868), Convict, Constable, Fiddler and composer, Peter MacFie; Franklin, Tas. : Steve and Marjorie Gadd. National Library of Australia, retrieved 1 March 2014

External links[edit]