Just About Now is A collection of things happening in our spaces & places, physical & digital, intersecting culture, community & CREATIVITY
“The Yoorrook Justice Commission, represented by the design at the centre of the logo, is central to the truth telling for injustices for First Nations people and in turn is central to making recommendations for healing, system reform and practical changes to laws, policy and education.
“The circles represent meeting and community and they are connected through the songlines of culture and understanding.”
COMMUNITY. We-Akon Dilinja. St Kilda’s spectacular foreshore will be the backdrop for the dawn We-Akon Dilinja mourning reflection ceremony on Australia Day, Friday 26 January. From 5.30am at Alfred Square, Euroe Yuroke, St Kilda.
MUSIC. Frank Yamma (Pitjantjatjara/Australia) with David Bridie at George Lane, Saturday 3 Feb 2024. “Frank will be bringing his powerful storytelling to George Lane for one performance only and will be accompanied by David Bridie. Supporting Frank will be Anna Smyrk. With a voice described as ‘truly astonishing’ by Rolling Stone, Anna Smyrk is a powerful singer and song maker from Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). Her songs are anthemic indie bombshells, pairing vulnerable lyrics with explosive arrangements and undeniable hooks.”–George Lane
MUSIC. Angelique Kidjo (Benin/France) at Hamer Hall, Tuesday 5 March 2024 7:30PM. “Forever a voice for change, Angélique Kidjo’s Mother Nature confronts such pressing issues as racial inequity and the climate crisis, again proving her rare power to transform complex subject matter into music that is radiantly joyful.”–Arts Centre Melbourne
MUSIC. Angelique Kidjo at Tiny Desk Concert (12 September 2022)
MUSIC. Meshell Ndegoncello (USA) at Melbourne Recital Centre, Tuesday 26 March 2024. “With a body of work extending far beyond the early hits and virtuosic bass playing for which Ndegeocello is most renowned, her music defies categorisation. From the funk-infused rhythms of the iconic track, ‘If That’s Your Boyfriend (He Wasn’t Last Night),’ to the soulful resonance of ‘Wild Night,’ her versatility knows no bounds. Her vocals, a captivating fusion of authoritative raps, pensive spoken word, and ethereal choruses, add yet another layer to her multifaceted artistry in an unmissable performance.”–MRC
MUSIC. Meshell Ndegoncello at Tiny Desk (Home) Concert (10 February 2021)
MUSIC. Tio (Vanuatu) at George Lane, Friday 16 February 2024 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM. “Tio’s debut album Sorousian, released in 2020, received a 5-star review in Songlines magazine, as well as international acclaim and radio play. Tio is in Australia playing at Cygnet Folk Festival and WOMAD. On Fri 16th Feb he will be performing for us at George Lane.”–George Lane St Kilda
MUSIC. Gilberto Gil (Brazil) at The Palais, Tuesday 12 March 2024 7:00PM. “Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter who was one of the leading names in Brazilian music and an originator of the movement known as Tropicália (or Tropicalismo).”–Britannica
MUSIC. Nina Simone | To Love Somebody (Live in Antibes, 1969). The official home of Nina Simone ninasimone.com
MUSIC VIDEO. Strange Fruit | Nina Simone. Written by Abel Meeropol. Recording session: Interview from 1969 [Age-restricted video based on Community Guidelines]
“Considering the vivid images and sustained metaphor of the song Strange Fruit, it shouldn’t be surprising that it began as a poem. It was written by Abel Meeropol (1903-1986), a teacher, poet and songwriter, who published under the name Lewis Allan.”–Library of Congress
Originally a poem called Bitter Fruit, it was written by the Jewish school teacher Abel Meeropol under the pseudonym Lewis Allen in response to lynching in US southern states. “I wrote Strange Fruit because I hate lynching, and I hate injustice, and I hate the people who perpetuate it,” Meeropol said in 1971.–BBC
MUSIC. Nina Simone | Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free. Live at Montreux 1976.
MUSIC. Nina Simone | To Love Somebody, Live in Antibes 1969.
MUSIC. Nina Simone | Ain’t Got No, I Got Life Live in London 1968.
MUSIC. Nina Simone| Love Me Or Leave Me On The Ed Sullivan Show
DOCUMENTARY CONCERT. Nina Simone: Live at Montreux 1976. Aired on NITV on 16 Dec 2023. Available on SBS On Demand until 30 Jan 2024.
REVIEW. Nina Simone, Montreux Jazz 1976: a difficult, unsteady return to the limelight. “Simone’s prowess on the piano and her exceptional baritone were intact, but this show can be tough to watch for the uninitiated.”–The Guardian
DOCUMENTARY. Spirit To Soar directed by Michelle Derosier, Tanya Talaga (Canada, 2021). Available on SBS On Demand until 7 March 2024. “Film introduces audiences to prolific Anishinaabe storyteller and journalist, Tanya Talaga, as she recounts her journey in covering the mysterious, uninvestigated disappearances of seven Indigenous students who died or went missing in Northern Canada.”–Blue Ant Media. More on Spirit To Soar here
DOCUMENTARY. Black Arm Band directed by James Sharrock (Australia, 2019). Interviews with Shellie Morris and Fred Havea Bulanyi Leone.
“A while back I spent some time with my friend Shellie Morris filming a personal project on the Black Arm Band. They played two nights at The Barbican and toured the world to universal acclaim. The Black Arm Band represented to me what reconciliation should be: A mutual respect of cultures to create a new culture of recognition and acceptance of wrongs done in the past.
Australia still has a long way to go in terms of equality. The Black Arm Band gives a vision of an Australia I hope for.”–James Sharock (edits G Villarete)
MUSIC. Black Arm Band at the 2013 Art Music Awards.
MUSIC. Black Arm Band at TEDxSydney 2014.
DOCUMENTARY. Murundak: Songs Of Freedom directed by Natasha Gadd, Rhys Graham (Australia, 2011). Available on SBS On Demand until 9 Feb 2024. “The Black Arm Band harness the power of song to rally support to their call for freedom. This landmark in Australian Indigenous history is seen, as the country seeks reconciliation for a difficult past.”–SBS On Demand
Australian story strikes chord in UK. “The Black Arm Band’s Murundak, a musical journey through the Indigenous Australian experience, was first performed at the Melbourne International Arts Festival in 2006.”–The Age
MUSIC. Baker Boy ft Yirrmal | Marryuna. “Danzal James Baker (born 10 October 1996) is a Yolngu rapper, dancer, artist, and actor. Baker Boy is known for performing original hip-hop songs incorporating both English and Yolŋu Matha and is one of the most prominent Aboriginal Australian rappers. He was made Young Australian of the Year in 2019 (OAM).”
DOCUMENTARY FILM. I Am Not Your Negro, directed by Raoul Peck. “Raoul Peck’s Oscar-nominated documentary is a journey into black history that connects the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter. It is a film that questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond. And, ultimately, by confronting the deeper connections between the lives and assassination of these three leaders, Baldwin and Peck have produced a work that challenges the very definition of what America stands for.”–PBS | Independent Lens
IDEAS. I Am Not Your Negro — Future of America [clip]. James Baldwin (2 Aug 1924–1 Dec 1987).
DOCUMENTARY INTERVIEW. James Baldwin Interview (1979). Buried by ABC at the time, the segment has resurfaced over four decades later, revealing a unique glimpse into Baldwin’s private life—as well as his resounding criticism about white fragility, as blisteringly relevant today as it was in 1979.
ART | NOVEL. Go Tell It on the Mountain is a 1953 semi-autobiographical novel byJames Baldwin
“It tells the story of John Grimes, an intelligent teenager in 1930s Harlem, and his relationship with his family and his church. The novel also reveals the back stories of John’s mother, his biological father, and his violent, fanatically religious stepfather, Gabriel Grimes. The novel focuses on the role of the Pentecostal Church in the lives of African Americans, both as a negative source of repression and moral hypocrisy and a positive source of inspiration and community. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Go Tell It on the Mountain 39th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. Time magazine included the novel on its list of the 100 best English-language novels released from 1923 to 2005.”–Wikipedia
FILM. 12 Years A Slave directed by SteveMcQueen (2013). Available on SBS On Demand World Movies from 4 Jan 2024.
“Twelve Years a Slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by Solomon Northup as told to and written by David Wilson. Northup, a black man who was born free in New York state, details himself being tricked to go to Washington, D.C., where he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South. He was in bondage for 12 years in Louisiana before he was able to secretly get information to friends and family in New York, who in turn secured his release with the aid of the state. Northup’s account provides extensive details on the slave markets in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, and describes at length cotton and sugar cultivation and slave treatment on major plantations in Louisiana.
IDEAS. Malcolm X | Interview At Berkeley (1963). “Malcolm X, being interviewed by Professor John Leggett and graduate student Herman Blake, Dept. of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley in October 1963, discusses being a Black Muslim, the conditions of Blacks in this country, their relation with white people, and states the case for Black separatism. Originally recorded October 11, 1963, Presented for Historical reference.”–Reelblack One
The Autobiography Of Malcolm X | Written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley | Read by Joe Morton, Narration by Roscoe Lee Browne | OOP Audiobook.
“When the Autobiography was published, The New York Times reviewer Eliot Fremont-Smith described it as a “brilliant, painful, important book”. In 1967, historian John William Ward wrote that it would become a classic American autobiography. In 1998, Time named The Autobiography of Malcolm X as one of ten “required reading” nonfiction books. James Baldwin and Arnold Perl adapted the book as a film; their screenplay provided the source material for Spike Lee’s 1992 film Malcolm X.”–Wikipedia
DOCUMENTARY SPEECH. Malcolm X | The Ballot Or The Bullet (April 12, 1964). Malcolm X’s legendary speech, with annotations and subtitles.
“On April 12, 1964, one month after splitting with the NOI, Malcolm X gave his “Ballot or the Bullet” speech at King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit. In the speech Malcolm X described how Blacks should fight for civil-rights in America. Malcolm X emphasizes the worth of voting as a solution to ending discrimination against Blacks. He addresses both the poor voting decisions and also the denial of legitimate voting rights to Blacks.
IDEAS. Muhammad Ali speaks his mind (and heart) at the Mike Douglas Show 1974
“Mike’s co-host is Family man Sly Stone, who talks about his music, his incredible costumes and his 138 Mercedes, a gift from Doris Day. His friend, Muhammad Ali joins them, but he’s in a fighting mood. And he says exactly what he thinks: Talk shows are phony, karate boxers are better than prizefighters, and, in his upcoming match with George Forman in South Africa, he’ll take the title back–no problem. Ali also talks about his children; three daughters and a son, who he hopes will never get into the ring. Actor/singer Theodore Bikel performs music from his hit Fiddler On The Roof. Congressman Wayne Hays makes an appearance to discuss the evils of campaign spending. Ali then gets into a heated discussion with him about racial politics that Sly tries in vain to break up. Then Sly lightens things up with a song that gets the audience on their feet.” –video box description
ART | PHOTOGRAPHY. Queer PHOTO – 27 January – 24 March 2024. “Featuring 17 artists, 14 exhibitions, 30 free interactive events and 7 locations, Queer PHOTO is a multi-pronged program transforming iconic venues and the streets of the West into a gallery of accessible and highly visible visual artworks from LGBTQIA+ artists.”–Midsumma
ART | FILM. Uýra: The Rising Forest | MQFF Rooftop Cinema | Victorian Pride Centre. “Uýra shares ancestral knowledge with Indigenous youth in the Amazon to promote the significance of identity and place, threatened by Brazil’s oppressive political regime. Through dance, poetry, and stunning characterization, Uýra confronts historical racism, transphobia, and environmental destruction, while emphasizing the interdependence of humans and the environment.–PBS
ART | THEATRE. The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez, directed by Kitan Petkovski, produced by Cameron Lukey and Coady Green | 45 Downstairs. 17 Jan to 14 Feb 2024.
“Performed in two parts and inspired by E. M. Forster’s beloved novel Howards End, Matthew López’s landmark play The Inheritance spans generations in its exploration of love, legacy, and what we owe to those who came before us. Kitan Petkovski directs this bold, sexy, and deeply moving production, featuring a stellar ensemble cast. Petkovski will again collaborate with the creative team behind his Green Room Award winning production of The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven.”–45 Downstairs webpages
“Decades after the height of the AIDS epidemic, The Inheritance tells the story of three generations of gay men in New York City attempting to forge a future for themselves amid a turbulent and changing America. Eric Glass is a political activist engaged to his writer boyfriend, Toby Darling. When two strangers enter their lives—an older man and a younger one—their futures suddenly become uncertain as they begin to chart divergent paths. Inspired by E.M. Forster’s masterpiece Howards End, The Inheritance is an epic examination of survival, healing, class divide, and what it means to call a place home.”–DPS
SPORT. Australian Open at Melbourne Park, 14-28 Jan 2024.
MUSIC FESTIVAL. AO Finals 2024. AO Pride, Thursday, 25 Jan: Tash Sultana+Peach PRC+Yaeji. AO Women’s Finals, Saturday, 27 Jan: DMA’s+Ruel+The Jungle Giants. AO Men’s Finals, Sunday, 28 Jan: Groove Armada DJ Set+Rudimental Live.
DOCUMENTARY SERIES. The Gods Of Tennis: Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe (S1Ep1) | SBS On Demand. “In 1975, two tennis greats, Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe, are aiming to win Wimbledon titles. Off the court, they are both leaders of global social change.”
REVIEW. Gods of Tennis review – a hefty tale of the epic battles that rocked tennis | The Guardian.
MUSIC COMMUNITY CHAMPAGNE ETC. So Frenchy So Chic at Werribee Mansion, Sunday, 14 Jan 2024, 11:15 AM — 8:30 PM. “So Frenchy So Chic returns in 2024 with our biggest program to date! For 10+ years, we’ve connected France to Australia through a day-long summer festival celebrating the Art of Living: French contemporary music, gastronomy, fashion, conviviality and lots of Champagne.”
POST-SCRIPTUM:
DOCUMENTARY TALK SHOW. David Frost 1969-72
ART. Ignorance = Fear x Silence = Death (detail) by Keith Haring (4 May 1958 – 16 February 1990). HIV Still Matters by Thorne-Harbour Health.
DOCUMENTARY. Queen–The Final Act (2021) on ABC iView until 3 Jan 2024
DOCUMENTARY SERIES. A Life In Ten Pictures | Freddie Mercury (2021) on ABC iView since July 2023
MUSIC. Somebody To Love | Queen
Live at Hammersmith Odeon London 1979
Live at the Forum Montreal 1981
Live at Wembley 1992 (with George Michael)