Tabua-Harrison
Album Launch ‘Scout’
August 11th
Joseph Tabua: Electric Guitar
Holly Harrison: Drums
Ryzard Dabek: Projections
Location: Junction 142 Katoomba NSW
Filmed by Go Pro attached to guitar stand
Second Half of this concert coming soon
On the 18th of August my duo Tabua-Harrison that features Holly Harrison on Drums and myself on Electric Guitar performed at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music. It was our final destination of the tour to support our brand new improvised music album titled ‘Scout’. Joining Tabua-Harrison throughout the CD launches were fellow Pyschopyjama label mates Espadrille. A week before this both bands appeared at Johnston Street Jazz in Annandale and Junction 142 in Katoomba. Overall it was a delightful experience and there were many highs and some lows. Sydney Morning Herald’s John Shand gave Tabua-Harrison and Espadrille three and a half stars for their Annandale show.
“My personal preference was to listen to the music with closed eyes. The more brutal the music the better it was”. John Shand
It can be hard sometimes to find your place. My musical voice has jazz sensitivity, funk, metal, gospel, classical and world music influences. Especially when I think about harmony. Still, there’s another side of me that wants to be loud and ferocious. In fact, I want to be all of these things. So, outsiders might perceive this cultural omnivourous concept as a problem. I use this omnivourous preference as a way to assert identity. Some people may be confused, if not confronted by improvised and experimental music. However, it is my truth and if I do what is expected and take the easy road, well, then, I have failed. There’s a common expression I continuously keep hearing. That being, ‘You’re too loud for this jazz club’. ‘I’m sorry you’re a bit too jazzy (experimental) for us mainstream folk’. Nevertheless, I am motivated by the American composer and jazz pianist Theolonius Monk who once said: “I say, play your own way. Don’t play what the public wants. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what you’re doing? Even, if it takes them fifteen to twenty years”.
Enter the world of composer, guitarist, improviser Joseph Tabua
Title: Half Ocean Half Sky
Released: 2018
Genre: Rock, Experimental, Avant-Garde, Solo Instrumental
Available on all digital platforms:
Spotify
iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/half-ocean-half-sky/1353600041?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Apple Music
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/half-ocean-half-sky/1353600041?app=itunes%2Cmusic&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Half-Ocean-Half-Sky/dp/B07B5HHYZX
CD BABY
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/josephtabua?SourceCode=HEARNOW
Here is a brand new piece titled ‘The Robot’. It’s inspired by one of my favourite English writers and philosophers Colin Wilson. Interestingly, Colin Wilson’s body of work deals with themes relating to the heights and depths of consciousness. So, I put forward, have you ever driven home from work and upon arrival, you come to the realisation and ask yourself, how did I get here? Again, how did I manage to drive home after such an exhausting day? Honestly, I can’t remember! Did I actually drive through a red light? Well, there’s no need to panic because the robot has taken over for that mundane task. However, it’s crucial that the robot doesn’t take over the things we enjoy doing. That is, swimming in the ocean, going to the art gallery, spending time with your partner, and attending concerts. I wrestle with the robot most days, surprisingly, the robot is most welcome when I have to do the dishes right after dinner most nights.
Nevertheless, hopefully, this will tide you over until I finish my solo LP ‘Half Ocean Half Sky’.
On the 27th of January 2018 I performed a solo show on Guzheng and Electronics at 107 Projects Redfern as part of the Now now series. The NOW now is Australia’s longest running festival of spontaneous music, experimental sound and outlier performance. Now, here is a short clip from the concert.
I will be performing American minimalist composer Rhys Chatham’s ‘A Crimson Grail’ with the 100 Guitar Orchestra at Carriageworks (Sydney Festival) on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th January.
I will be performing solo Guzheng and electronics here at 107 Project (107 Redfern St, Redfern) at 3PM on Sunday 27th January.
Title: Class War
Composers: Joseph Tabua and Ian Stevenson
Performers and instrumentation: Joseph Tabua: Guitar and live processing Ian Stevenson: Computer
In Noam Chomsky’s 1995 speech entitled “Class War: The Attack On Working People” he quotes John Dewey in suggesting that “the government is the shadow cast by business over society”. In this semi-improvised performance, Tabua and Stevenson invoke the aural shadow of oppression cast over our everyday lives by conventional structures.
Biogs: Joseph Tabua is a composer and multi-instrumentalist currently enrolled in a doctorate of creative arts at Western Sydney University. Ian Stevenson is an academic and researcher in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at Western Sydney University.
Last night I had the pleasure of playing with Mo Pleasure (Bass/Keys) and Donell Spencer Jr (Drums) at Venue 505 in Surry Hills. This rhythm section were part of Michael Jackson’s 2009 ‘This is it’ tour. 
On July 20th ‘The Time’ an electro acoustic influenced piece first premiered at the Poetic Energies Across Sonic Space Concert at Western Sydney University. ‘The Time’ was written to accompany a film by David Cubby. Here’s a sound file. Enjoy!
Joseph Tabua 