Trevor Green

"KB's Yidaki's clearly hold the spirit of the land in which they come from.  Constructed with superior craftsmanship, these are some of the most responsive sticks out there."
Trevor Green

            

Trevor Green is a Southern California native, born and raised in the Southern California Surfing
environment. His songs bring about messages of strong connections with the natural world as well as
conveying an enthusiasm for life. His soft spoken nature is one that is hardly recognized while on stage, as he
fuels an intimate connection with those present.
Truly a self taught musician, Green creates a whole separate genre of music with his intertwined jams of
Acoustic 12 and 6 string Guitars, Lap Slide, Mandolin, Banjo, Didgeridoo, Stomp Box, Percussion, Tongue
Drum,  and much, much more! Using all limbs to create this unique sound, he is an inspiring and refreshing
breath of creativity.  As Green's stage setup evolves so does his song writing, leaving fans with a curiosity of
what sounds lie on the horizon.
At an early age Green took up the guitar and was never interested in formal training. Playing in
improvisational funk and bluegrass bands is where he began to culminate the sound that he has today. Deeply
influenced by artists such as Michael Hedges, Ry Cooder, and Keller Williams, Green began to gravitate
toward the solo performance. And so the journey began, writing tunes with the intent of performing them
without a band. As time went on his setup grew, leaving his growing fan base with the funk filled tribal
rhythms that he produces today.
Green released his first studio album entitled 'Wake' in 2007 and is currently in the studio working on his
2nd album which will be ready for release in the spring of 08'.
Touring primarily throughout the Northwest, he continues to deliver high energy live performances leaving
his audiences mystified and craving more.

 Mark Atkins

I have known Kristian for a number of years. Not only has a mate and didge player but also has a didge maker. I myself being a professional player for over 20 years am proud to have some didges made from world renowned didge makers from around the world, and its nice to know here in Australia,  we have Kristian Benton. He has heart and soul that he puts into his instruments, which you understand once you see and play one...I'll be recording with one of Kristian's didges on my next album....... Mark.

                 

Mark is a descendant of the Yamijti people of Western Australia and of Irish-Australian heritage. Not only he is a master of the didjeridoo but also a storyteller, song writer, drummer and visual artist. Mark is one of the few players able to work across most styles of music as a soloist and ensemble player. He has performed around the world, working with musicians such as Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Donal Lunney in Ireland, Peter Sculthorpe, James Morrison, Phillip Glass, Sinead OConnor, Ravi Shankar and many more. Mark has featured with the London Philharmonic at a Festival Hall concert, London in 1996. He is also a prolific instrument maker, making and painting didjeridoos from the logs he collects on trips into the bush north west of his home town of Tamworth, New South Wales.


Acknowledged as one of Australia's finest didgeridoo players, Mark Atkins is also recognised internationally for his collaborative projects with some of the worlds leading composers and musicians such as Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, Peter Gabriel, Philip Glass, Ravi Shankar, Sinead O'Connor, Australian icons James Morrison, Jenny Morris, John Williamson and Gondwana and many more.

Mark is among the finest and most famous Didgeridoo players in the world. Through Marks lips the air blows as natural desert sounds, in old ethnic chants, in polyphonic melodies of astonishing rhythm.
 

Mark is the founding member of "Kooriwadjula" (literally black man/ white man) a contemporary/traditional performance group that performs widely in festivals, rock venues, universities and schools, touring nationally and internationally.

Mark has a long history of performances in Australia including the outdoor venues and major festivals. Internationally his accredited performances include the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, the Heidelberg Festival, Expo 92 Seville Spain, Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic and many show in Europe including the 98 Rudolstat Tanz and Folk Festival. In 1999 he was invited to WOMAD (Seattle USA) as visual artist and musician and in 2000 recorded and released Ankala & World Orchestra in Europe on the Network Label. Also in 2000 Mark was a featured artist at the Presentation of the Olympic Team in Belgium at the Memorial IvoVan Danne.

In 1993 Mark joined the cross-art form, cross-cultural performance ensemble REM Theatre to help creating the megamedia event ICON for the Sydney Opera House 20th Birthday Celebrations. He performed a body of original work with the SBS Youth Orchestra and The Sydney Philharmonic, as well as performing on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.

Subsequently he received a fellowship from the NSW Ministry for the Arts and continued to work with REM Theatre Company as a musician, composer and music director on a number of productions including Story of the Firechild, Music Tree, Buralga and Kickin Up the Dust. In 1999 Mark toured in Europe with a new music theatre creation by REM Theatre called ToteMMusic which premiered at the prestigious Lucerne International Music Festival in Switzerland and showcased in Australia at the 2000 Performing Arts Market.

In 2000 Mark has featured with Charlie McMahon and Gondwana band at the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Sydney. In 2001 Mark has toured with ConSpiritOz with Musica Viva to Malaysia and with his own band in Europe. In July he featured at an Australian Festival produced by Seoul Arts Centre in Korea and world premiered his partnership with Phillip Glass in Melbourne at the Melbourne Town Hall and in New York at the Lincoln Centre. He was invited to stay in New York and record as session musician on Godfrey Reggios next Glass collaboration Nongysqatsi.

As an artist Mark has exhibited in Japan, Europe, and USA both in contemporary and traditional styles.

Mark has numerous recordings and compositions to his credit and is a regular on the QANTAS inflight entertainment program. His awards and achievements include the Golden Didjeridoo for the Tamworth Festival. His next project will be a picture disc vinyl in which he mix all his arts: painting, music & narration, coming out at the end of 2006 in collaboration with MAGUARI PRODUCTIONS.
 

 Gumaroy

I have had the pleasure of providing Kristian Benton's reputation of his amazing Yidaki's to some of the finest players I have known. not to mention to many novices that find the learning process a lot more easier when beginning on a Benton! I have myself been given a few of Benton's sticks, being in my favourite key of E! having played the instrument for almost twenty years now, I find these instruments so effortless, therefore leaving you to concentrate on the structure of compositions rather than technique, as they are easily amongst the worlds finest when comparing responsiveness, tone quality and not to mention durability! My Benton sticks have traveled this planet many times now and continue to allow me to play with ease the different styles that I have learnt from my many masters! Both traditional and modern! I can personally guarantee that Kristian can custom make any kind of Yidaki to suit your style of playing and where you want to go with it! I am still amazed at how he was able to create my first E that I have used now for a few years with both my brothers in our traditional dance group, and yet still have jammed with many contemporary ensembles with the same stick! the man has definitely learnt his trade very well that's for sure! I have been lucky enough to have been provided with many brilliant sticks from makers all around the world... and you can be assured that when you see brothers like Mark Atkins, Xavier Rudd, to name only a few playing these instruments!  you have got something special in your Benton! need I say more? Besides, it takes a great player with a good understanding to make such instruments! and Kristian has got the whole package! Gumaroy.

         
 

Gumaroy is a descendant of both Gomilaroi and Wakka Wakka nations of South Western Queensland and North Western NSW. For many years he has been the guest of countless dance groups, schools, festivals and traditional communities in the capacity of Yidaki (didgeridoo), player, cultural educator and performance poet. Having recorded, performed and toured with acts of great renown such as Waak Waak Jungi (NT), Yalakun Dancers (NT), Wild Marmalade (NSW), Kristian Benton (NSW) and The Zinnies of Ireland to name a few. He is set to return for a second time in July for an extensive tour as song man for the amazingly popular Ganga giri whom he has recorded with on giri's past two albums. Other efforts as a recording artist include Fields of green, Yidaki Yulugi and more recently on Kristian Benton's new album Spirit Alive as song man on two of the songs. Gumaroy was chosen to sing to a huge crowd to bring in the new year of 2004 at the Woodford Folk Festival with crowd favorites Wild Marmalade, he has also closed The Peats Ridge Festival with his cousin. His ambition as a solo artist and for the future is to record and preserve the many precious songs and stories of his people and use them as an invaluable medium to get across the beautiful message of the ancient ways, the ways that still hold him steadfast in today's ever evolving world, the very same ways that have seen his people exist here for over forty thousand years.