Frank Yamma

Biography

Frank Yamma is one of Australia's most talented contemporary performers. He also happens to be a traditional Pitjantjatjara man from Australia's central desert and speaks five languages. An extraordinary songwriter and an exceptional guitarist, Frank Yamma also has an incredible voice, rich, deep and resonant. When Frank sings about standing on a sand dune watching over the landscape, it is if you are standing with him. When he sings about the plight of Aboriginal children born into a world of...

Frank Yamma is one of Australia's most talented contemporary performers. He also happens to be a traditional Pitjantjatjara man from Australia's central desert and speaks five languages. An extraordinary songwriter and an exceptional guitarist, Frank Yamma also has an incredible voice, rich, deep and resonant.

When Frank sings about standing on a sand dune watching over the landscape, it is if you are standing with him. When he sings about the plight of Aboriginal children born into a world of chaos and alcohol, Frank wrenches the heart.

Frank, who lives in Alice Springs, has been a legend in Central Australia for the last ten years. On return from his international debut at Midern in Hong Kong, Frank hit national television and radio waves with live performances on the ABC's "Recovery" Radio National, and Triple J. He also performed with David Bridie for a one night show in Alice.

On his first trip to Sydney in 1997, Frank performed along side 'My Friend the Chocolate Cake', Julie Anthony and Richard Clapton, as well as receiving extensive media coverage from both ABC and SBS TV and radio, and local community stations.

The ABC's Songlines program recorded Frank's song 'Everybody's Talking' for TV and the accompanying CD. Frank also joined Tiddas on Bart Willoughby's track 'Sunrise', while Queensland group Aim 4 More recorded their own version of Frank's first song 'Make More Spear'. In April 1997 he was invited to return to Sydney to perform for the media launch of the 'Songlines' program. On his return home he recorded with newly formed multicultural group 'Terrasphere'. SBS also travelled to Alice in June to produce a clip for Frank.

Frank's father, now deceased, was one of the first Aboriginal Australian's to be recorded singing contemporary songs in language. He was also instrumental in founding CAMMA, the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association. A highly respected and talented man, he was particularly loved for his rendition of Three Blind Mice in Pitjantjatjara. Frankie grew up following his father everywhere and by his early teens was playing in his father's Pitjantjatjara Country Band.

In 1988 Frank travelled to Darwin to perform at the inaugural 'Sing Loud Play Strong' Aboriginal Music Festival. It was here that Frank first performed his own material. Standing alone with just an acoustic guitar on the huge Darwin Amphitheatre stage, Frank stunned an unprepared audience with the power and charisma of his performance. It was recorded on video and sold around the world by CAAMA.

Frank's magical performance of 'Make More Spear' at the Port Fairy Folk Festival in the same year was captured by the ABC and features on their recently released CD, 'Celebration-Highlights of Port Fairy's Last 25Years'.

Frank gained further experience by playing as hired hand for well known outback performers like Bill Davis and Brian Young, recording and playing with other Aboriginal performers such as Tiddas, Amunda and Bart Willoughby, and travelling with his own hugely popular bands through central Australia. In 1989 his band Ulpanyali recorded one of the biggest sellers ever for the CAMMA label.

1999 saw Frank release his album titled playing with Fire, an explosive mix of up beat dance rhythms with a fusion of styles mixing language and English for an amazing musical experience. That album went on to win Album Release of the year at the 1999 Indigenous Music awards. Franks recent live performances include CAAMA Music showcase event in Melbourne 1999, Support group for international act Moses O'Jah, and the reconciliation concert Corroboree 2000 in Sydney. Frank also performed as part of the Olympic torch ceremony events at Uluru. July and August 2000 Frank and band Piranpa supported the Ruby Hunter "Feeling Good" National Tour. October 2000 Frank was one of the feature acts at the Stompem Ground festival in Broome, Franks performance was recorded and recently featured on live at the wireless on Triple J. After the festival Frank and the band Piranpa set off on a hugely successful bush tour of the Kimberly in Western Australia and remote areas of the Northern Territory. Frank also featured on the Olympic compilation album with his song Everybody's Talking.

2001 saw Frank record the powerful track Coolibah produced by David Bridie for The Corroboration compilation album through Festival Mushroom and play in Sydney for the International Racism Conference.

Listen to Frank sing in language and you could be hearing South American, Jamaican, African or Jazz influences its world music like you have never heard. Joined by the Band Piranpa Frank has created an absolute buzz, a vibrant show that moves audiences from dancing to slower thought provoking realism. An exciting, passionate artist and group unlike any other in Australia. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.