Music MATTador Weekly Music Piece

Each week our friend "The Music MATTador" shares a music report this us... please enjoy....

Well.... with the words Australia, The ANZAC's and childhood memories you can almost bring a tear to the eye of most 'true blue' blooded people in our beautiful country. We start this week with the memories of times gone by and the immediate thoughts of our good people serving overseas, all they have done and all they are still doing to enable us to call Australia home. Lest we forget.

In honour of these great people I thought I would introduce you to an artist that always brings a smile to my face because he reminds me just how good it is to be Australian. He reminds me a little of Paul Kelly in the way that he can tell you a story in a song, he makes you feel like you have just watched a movie because of the detail delivered in his lyrics.

Josh Pyke was born in Sydney NSW in 1977, he made his debut performance in front of 650 parents and students at his primary school graduation aged just 12 and in my humble opinion is one of the most under rated performers in this country. Josh combines his poetic and delightfully descriptive lyrics with amazing acoustic guitar hooks, the simplicity of him music is somewhat energising and addictive.

I have chosen the song 'The Summer' from his 2008 release 'Chimney's Afire' to share with you this week and just the thought of it makes me smile on the inside.

This week my Wife and 2 boys spent the week at the coast, we were lucky enough to spend the time with close family and meet some great people. The daughter of the family we met was the sweetest little girl you will ever meet, 'Zara', with her quaint english accent and tomboy style she stole the heart of my little boy Cooper (and mine along with it). They were best friends straight up and soon enough they were each other's shadow's.

This songs sums up my week perfectly - It started in the summer beach setting, so typically Australian, watching my 7 year old boy so innocently fall (as we described it) for his first summer love. While it ended with hand on heart and head bowed in remembrance. So light in one eye and so heavy in the other but a vision of Australia shone thought perfectly.

Please enjoy.................... The Music MATTador http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1ABbLlKTlw

Adit - please listen with eyes closed - i'm not a fan of the film clip and cant find a live recording

Chris & Sarah Wedding, Greg Dries, Moods Photography

Congratulations to or friends Chris & Sarah....

We were at the wedding as guests but I couldn't resist grabbing a few images..... It was a beautiful day, Sarah truly looked like a princess, stunning....

Such a beautiful time of the day... Greg Dries, Moods Photography

Last Thursday we started the day at 5am on the beach, we were there to do shots for a new range of shoes due for release soon. I grabbed this image as the sun started the day..... absolutely beautiful.. Look forward to sharing some of the images from the shoot over the next couple of weeks

Cheers Greg

It's Tuesday: The Music MATTador.......

I'm off work for a week and I know you are feeling me when I say that this is one of the best feelings in the world....... arhhhhh!

I thought that this week I would share with you all a song from an artist that sums up that feeling, the same feeling that you get when you catch your first vision of the coastline as you hit your holiday destination.

Matt McHugh is the front man for an Ozzie band from New South Wales called The Beautiful girls, they have been knocking around the coastal music scene since the early 2000's mixing wonderfully poetic lyrics with sweet, free feeling acoustic rhythms. After their first album "Learn Yourself" their vision changed slightly taking them closer to a heavier reggae, bluesy edge however it's this first album that blew my mind.

Lyrically this is one of my favourite albums - it paints pictures of beautiful surrounds, peaceful and happy people and overall, just a reminder to appreciate all the simple things in life and be grateful for them. It reminds you that life is short and although work can encapsulate so much of or time and energy it really is the basics that makes the world spin.

This whole album feels like a grandfather talking to his grandson, passing on his values his stories and his lessons. It's an amazing thought provoking 45 minutes that gives you the feeling that Matt has been here and done it all before.

The album has the unique ability to do one of two things - sweep past you like a summer breeze allowing you to simply relax, or if you’re like me and listen closely to the lyrics, it will completely amaze and inspire you.

The song "Cash Money" is just one of about 8 songs on this album that truly help's put life in prospective, I chose this song simply because the film clip helps to complete the feeling of arhhhh!

Please enjoy...................... The Music MATTador http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUG3uCqss34

Kate & Adam: Brisbane Weddings

We have had the pleasure of photographing some amazing weddings this year, in some absolutely to die for locations, New Zealand, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Redcliffe, in a few weeks we are at Twin Waters Resort..... we have been loving the locations & more so loving the couples we have the pleasure of photographing.... & last week was no exception, Adam, Kate, & their bridal party were FABULOUS !!!! This was one of those weddings where we just kept wanting to shoot... "Look we'll quickly grab another shot here, & one over here" ..... The day flowed so beautifully & was underpinned by an excited energy .....

This shot gives a very good insight to the personalities of Adam, Cassie & Bruce....

I love this image.... Kate & her Grandmother, we took some beautiful posed images as well but I love how real & unscripted the emotion is in this image, as a photographer you have the opportunity to capture some of lifes precious moments, I felt this was one of those.....

Hope you enjoy these few images......

Greg Dries

Master of Photography

Don't forget to like our facebook page & keep up to date with what's happening at Moods: www.facebook.com/moodsphotography

The Music MATTador's next instalment for us... enjoy !!!

Hi Everyone apologies for being a day late with this, crazy day yesterday & somehow I didn't receive Matt's initial email.....

I'm off to itunes now to download some new music..... thanks again Matt, amazing, hope you all enjoy.... Cheers Greg

I love to see passion in a musician, true energy driven by a force that can be seen simply by watching a performance even without sound. There are many artists that I love for this reason, One in particular exudes this every time I see him perform, Ben Harper. Have you seen. him..... Someone that wears their heart on their sleeve in everything they do, someone that leaves nothing behind?

Ben Harper continues to amaze his fans who are as diverse as you will meet, put simply he covers most all age groups and musical genres and continues to expand his following with age old word of mouth. If you have never seen his DVD "Pleasure and Pain" do yourself a favour and take the time to walk in his shoes for 2 hours. There are so many fantastic examples of Bens' passion (seen beautifully on the DVD when he plays with his good friends and blues legends - The Blind Boys of Alabama) however it's his new project that has re-sparked my love of Ben Harper.

Fistful of Mercy is Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison (son of George). Forming in February 2010, after Arthur had asked Harper to jam at Carrage House Studios; Harper then asked Harrison, (whom he had met at a skate park in Santa Monica), to accompany them and the rest as they say is music history. The album was remarkably written and recorded in 3 days, even more remarkable is the quality of the song writing that evolved in those 3 days!

Harrison says the lyrics tell the journey of Fistful of Mercy. "I see the record as more people getting to know each other and testing each other's boundaries," he says.

"The first song we wrote together was 'I Don't Want to Waste Your Time,' because we all are a little nervous about wasting each other's time," Arthur says. "The album's kind of like a conversation -- a three-way conversation -- and sort of a document of friends becoming brothers."

Harrison has since been heard to relate the experience to his fathers brief stint with "The Travelling Wilburys". They have also been described by some as the "Crosby, Stills & Nash" of 2010. Jim Keltner (percussion) and Jessy Greene (violin) also participated in the recording.

The track is called "Fathers Son" and has a fantastic raw blues energy that pours out of all three artists, it will have you tapping your foot and nodding your head, go ahead and jump around, feel free to get a little loose! Please enjoy..................... The Music MATTador http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpunkt6E5kI

Enthusiasts Photography Workshop by Greg Dries, Master of Photography

Here's a few of the images I took at Sundays workshop, we had a number of questions about what we would do with the images (post processing) so thought we would share these.... Thanks again everyone, Kind Regards Greg & Loretta...

Tara & Grace by Greg Dries, Master of Photography

I absolutely love this image of Tara & Grace.... This was such a special shoot on so many levels, to have the opportunity to capture intimate moments like this is unbelievably precious.....

We look forward to sharing a few more images from this shoot a little later, in particular the very classic style images of Grace & the four generation images.... They are totally priceless...

Greg Dries, Master of Photography

Workshop with Greg Dries, Master of Photography

Huge thanks to December for sharing these images she took at last Sundays Enthusiasts workshop, we had an awesome afternoon with a lovely group of attendees..... Thanks also to Greg for organising the day, Loretta for being such an amazing host & our very good friends & fellow photographers, Wayne & Felicity for helping out on the day... December I love that shot of Gundy & me.... thanks everyone ...Greg

We have had alot of interest about whether we will be doing another workshop, if you are interested please call us at the studio or email us so we can put you on our contact list, thankyou

The Music MATTador... Week Two... Enjoy

Wow... I was wondering how Matt would top last week.... here it is, hope you enjoy this as much as I did

Cheers Greg & huge thanks Matt.....

Blog Week 2

I am so pumped this week! The artist that I have for you pretty much sums up all my favourite things about music. I love acoustic driven songs, I love the raw squeak of the strings as the chords change, I love the how subtle it can be one second and yet powerful and bold the next. Combine the acoustics with beautiful song writing and a husky melodic voice and you've just ticked all the boxes. Man... this guy even has good looks to boot, I think I’m feeling some bromance here people.

Have you........ Ever been so excited by a moment because you know it will change your life for the better? We all have these moments on big occasions like children being born and our wedding days, but sometimes it can be something that to others may seem insignificant. I listen to allot of new music and 98% will pass me by without a second thought, but when I heard this artist for the first time, I got that feeling. Not because his music is as important as a major, life changing event but because it's something that makes me happy, and to me smiling and being happy is worth feeling passionate about.

'BOBBY LONG' (Robert Thomas Long) is a Wigan born, English, singer songwriter with an honest, raw approach to story telling through his music. He writes songs from the heart with meaningful lyrics, his folky style is tinged with elements of blues and even country. He is also a very talented musician, his guiiar playing skills shine through in his work leaving behind the simple 3 chord pop songs to deliver a masterful example of acoustic brilliance.

Bobby moved to London to attend university in the 90's where he graduated and gained his degree after writing his senior thesis on the social impact of American folk music. He began performing full time and writing new music throughout 2009 compiling an astonishing 80 songs. Bobby released his debut EP (that he recorded in his bedroom) independently before signing with the major label ATO records (home to other favourites of mine such as David Gray, Radiohead and Ben Kweller) only last year.

The link is to Bobbys' website on which you can listen to his entire debut album "A Winters Tale", although the whole thing is well worth your time I would suggest "Who've you been loving", "A Strangers Song" and "2 Years Old" (almost impossible to choose). If your a fan of Dylan's early years, Johnny Cash or Mumford and sons than I reckon this may tickle a fancy or 2. If you get the chance, sit back, relax and enjoy the simplicity and sweetness of this wonderful musician.................

The Music MATTador http://www.musicbobbylong.com/fr_home.cfm

NB: Bobby is touring in April initially with Rodrigo y Gabriela. He then takes on Byrons' Blues fest and then a couple of side shows in Sydney and Melbourne, if you get the chance to check him out don’t miss it.