Steve Gadd (Australian musician)

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.

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

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
edit