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Tom E Lewis
Sunshine After Rain
Skinnyfish Music SFTL051201
Although this is his debut album Tom E Lewis is no stranger to the Australian public. A seasoned actor, he burst onto the scene in 1978 while still a teenager, starring as the alienated, mixed-race murderer in the chilling film classic The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith. He’s since appeared numerous productions, written for theatre, and was the subject of the 2005 documentary Yellow Fella.
Raised in Arnhemland, Lewis’ musical career date back to the early 90’s, when he played didgeridoo in the cross-cultural jazz ensemble, Lewis and Young. However this most recent foray into narrative songwriting heralds a new direction for his talents and it’s an impressive introduction. At times reminiscent of Australia’s two most prominent Aboriginal songwriters Archie Roach and Kev Carmody – Sunshine After Rain is a deeply emotional album, full of lonely characters, history, family ties and a strong sense of place. While not possessing the most tuneful voice, Lewis is nevertheless more than capable of giving his lyrics an impassioned reading, and with his thespian background it’s no surprise that several songs utilise lengthy spoken-word passages. Assuming a storyteller’s persona he employs minimalist folk/blues backing and occasional Pidgin English lyrics to tell his tales. Standouts include the acidic title track, a reflective “Riverdown” and the poignant “Boomerang’. Only on ‘White Dress” and the spirited ‘Red Dust” does Lewis allow himself the luxury of kicking up his country heels. An album that requires a bit of studied listening, there’s a defiant optimism in Lewis’ socially ingrained sadness that makes it time well spent.
Seth Jordan.
Songlines UK
- Songlines UK
Tom E Lewis is perhaps best known as an actor - he performed the title role in Fred Schepisi's classic Australian movie, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith - but he's also a musician of considerable merit. A decade or so ago, this reviewer caught him in a concert as one half of a Melbourne duo, playing didgeridoo behind flautist Chris Young. Given his mastery of the instrument it's surprising that Lewis does not play didge on his first solo CD. Several tracks might have benefited from the drone of the ancient instrument. Instead , Sunshine After Rain, stands as a testimony to the artist's ability as a singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player.Lewis scores well on all counts.
The soulful nature and intensity of his singing brings to mind another deadly Aboriginal singer-songwriter, Kev Carmody. Several tracks betray Bob Dylan as a major influence; indeed the opening number, "Two Dollar", has echoes of His Royal Bobness's 'Hurricane'. "White Dress", one of the album's most upbeat offerings, also has a hint of Zimmerman.
Lewi's songs, in the main, are a construct on riff-driven grooves. This approach works particularly well in the outstanding title track, "Sunshine After Rain", "Weronica" and "Boomerang". The artist's background as an actor is used to effect when the standard verses veer off into recitative reflection or morph into traditional chanting (in his mother's tongue).
Tom E Lewis is at his poetic heart-felt best reminiscing about home territory, southern Arnhemland - on "Riverdown" andf the cruisy, jazz inflected "Cafe del Wugularr" - but he mixes his subject matter well, hailing WW2 heroes in one track, "Rats of Tobruk".
Sunshine After Rain stands up well to repeat listens, the sign of a quality album. - Rhythms Magazine (Aust)
Discography
Sunshine After Rain award winning album released February 2006.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Tom was born at the Roper River Mission in 1958 (south-east Arnhemland) to a Mara woman (Gulf of Carpentaria) and a stockman of Welsh descent. He was raised traditionally at Roper (Ngukurr) by his mother’s family.
At the age of 15 he was working as an apprentice mechanic at a community near Darwin, sent to Melbourne to gain formal certificates, he was spotted at Melbourne airport by Fred and Rhonda Schepisi who asked him to screen test for the now famous Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith (1978).
Since then Tom has lived a life in performance. His film and TV credits include roles in We of the Never Never, A Town Like Alice, Robbery Under Arms, Naked Country, as well as theatre roles for Nimrod, Playbox, Melbourne Theatre Company, Melbourne Workers Theatre, Arena, and Handspan.
After shooting The Naked Country in 1984, Tom moved to Melbourne where he stayed for 16 years. There he co-wrote and performed two semi-autobiographical theatre works: Thumbul in 1995 and the internationally successful Lift Em Up Socks with Handspan Theatre (Montreal 2000 and Vienna 2001).
Throughout the nineties, Tom was the didjeridu half of Lewis & Young, the internationally acclaimed jazz duo, touring Europe, Asia and Australia for major arts and music festivals. Tom also played didjeridu for Uli Klein, Jane Rutter, Eve Duncan and composer George Dreyfus, playing and recording in Australia, Germany and Israel. Tom first picked up a guitar in the mid nineties in Melbourne and started writing songs. His $2 Song won the Lawson Paterson songwriter’s award at the Port Fairy Festival in 2001. Sunshine After Rain is his first album.
Since 2001, Tom has lived in Wugularr- Beswick, southern Arnhemland, directing, devising and performing works in Aboriginal communities throughout the Top End. He recently established Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation to help maintain cultural practice; he directs the corroboree season in Katherine, performing with traditional songmen and dancers. He is also the Artistic Director of the annual performance event Walking With Spirits.
2005 saw Tom return to the big screen as “Two Bob” in the new Australian feature The Proposition written by Nick Cave; and SBS TV will broadcast his new documentary Munan (Director Ivan Sen) as part of the Loved Up Series, Tom was also heavily involved in the animated series Dust Echo’s.
Tom belongs to the Murrungun clan (Numbulwar); he is Balang and speaks Mara, Rittharrngu, Nunggubuyu and Kriol.
Tom is about to embark on the next stage of his music career with the release of his debut album, Sunshine after Rain. This album reflects Tom’s thoughts on his culture, his people and his personal journey. Tom speaks to all of us through songs like Two Dollar, Sunshine after Rain, Weronica and Rats of Tobruk.
“The Beautiful thing about music is people coming together and listening to one another”
Tom E Lewis.
Tom’s contribution to Australian life is significant, he is a strong voice for all of us to come together and work on the common issues that affect us all. He is a significant role model for both black and white Australia. Sunshine after Rain is a means of promoting Tom’s view that music is an important vehicle for bringing people together.
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