Photo Credit: Moorilla Gallery, Ibukun Oloruntoba.

Wuigada – Gagada (To Sing – Loud)
Kutcha Edwards and the Australian Art Orchestra

‘Wuigada – Gagada (To Sing – Loud)’ features the music of iconic Australian and First Nations singer-songwriter, Kutcha Edwards.

Reimagined for the AAO, this work celebrates the songs of country, history, pain and joy expressed in Kutcha Edward’s repertoire, and creates space for experimentation by some of Australia’s most creative voices of jazz and improvisation.

“The pairing was extraordinary.” - Fiona Murphy, Arts Hub

Performances

February 23, 2024: nipaluna/Hobart, Australia. Premiere of Wuigada - Gagada (To Sing — Loud) at Mona Foma.

Ensemble

Kutcha Edwards – Original Songs, Vocals

Aaron Choulai – Musical Director, Fender Rhodes

Eugene Ball – Trumpet, Arrangements

Lawrence Folvig – Guitar

Ryan Williams – Recorders

Sofia Carbonara – Vibraphone

Helen Svoboda – Double Bass

Kyrie Anderson – Drums

A commissioned work by The Australian Art Orchestra

Presented at Mona Foma 2024

Biographies

Kutcha Edwards

Songman Kutcha Edwards is a proud Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Nari Nari man, is a strong advocate for Aboriginal people, and is dedicated to the continuum of his traditional Songline.

Kutcha has been prolifically combining song writing and activism since 1991, when he joined Koori group Watbalimba and began the remarkable journey that has taken him from the tiny Riverina town of Balranald to tours of Australia and the world. It is his experiences as a survivor of the Stolen Generations and his proud Mutti Mutti heritage that has shaped his diverse creative output in groups like Blackfire and The Black Arm Band. At the same time, he's been able to forge a successful solo career combining his ‘Bidgee’ blues with traditional songs of people and country.

Kutcha is now a multi award winning singer/songwriter and his most recent album ‘Circling Time’ has garnered critical acclaim. He tells us that music chose him. He uses music to create connections across cultures, generations, and spaces. He draws on a profound sense of all those who have gone before him on this land, along with his own life experiences, to help his audiences understand themselves, reconnect with their culture and promote cultural understanding. His music touches the soul and through his humour and insights we realise that with recognition of the true Aboriginal history, there can be hope of reconciliation.

He started 2022 playing both WOMAD and Port Fairy Festival and was named Artist of the Festival and showcased at BIGSOUND in QLD including a standing ovation for his performance to open the festival. He toured with his band in Victoria, NSW, and WA presenting ‘Songs and Stories’ from his defining album. Along those grids ABC Radio across the country welcomed Kutcha into their studios.

Kutcha been invited to be a Keynote Speaker at a plethora of Aboriginal events including Aboriginal Health Conferences and for Educational Institutions. He has also been invited to speak at Parliament. He's spoken at various AGMs and delivered cultural immersion panels, and campaigns against the incarceration of Aboriginal Youth.

Around his advocacy roles Kutcha’s heart lies with performance and music often meshing the two to deliver messages. He's played at events as varied as The Melbourne Fringe, for Triple R, NAIDOC Balls, Awards Shows, and for St Kilda Football Club alongside being nominated for a Music Victoria Award for his album 'Circling Time' and the Australian Music Prize in 2022. His series Kutcha's Koorioke was televised on NITV and SBS on Demand over the summer of 2023.

In 2023 he continued to perform at many festivals including MONA FOMA in Tasmania where NME reviewed Kutcha’s set as the highlight of the festival. He presented shows at VIVID in Sydney, a concert with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, a concept ceremony - WARIPA for the Rising Festival in Melbourne and a sold-out show at the Sydney Opera House. All the while he released the spellbinding single ‘Mother Tongue’ featuring Emily Wurramara with outstanding reviews, receiving love on mainstream media, national and community radio right around the country.

‘Arguably the set of the festival. The towering performer is a heartfelt, gregarious presence who uses humour as a sleight of hand to allow the seriousness of his life story to be absorbed. He described being taken from his parents by police and transported to Melbourne, where he lived in a children’s home for 11 years: “I’m still trying to understand why.” His commanding performance was proof that while festivals may have to market themselves with international headliners, it’s when they platform artists like Edwards that they feel most vital.’ NME Review by Nick Buckley.