Djaambi were an urban rock band formed in 1989 by

Richard Frankland Richard Joseph Frankland is an Australian playwright, scriptwriter and musician. He is an Aboriginal Australian of Gunditjmara origin from Victoria. He has worked significantly for the Aboriginal Australian cause. Biography Richard J. Frank ...

(ex-Interaction) on lead vocals and saxophone, with both Aboriginal and white members. Initially a ten-piece, they had a variable line-up and sometimes had 15 performers. The word, ''djaambi'', is "brother" in an Aboriginal language. The group released a self-titled album in 1990 and supported

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

on his Australian Tour in 1992. Djaambi were the subject of a documentary, ''Beating About the Bush'' (Titus Films, 1993), which followed their travels from

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

, through Aboriginal communities, to Darwin. It was co-produced and co-directed by Nicholas Adler and Caroline Sherwood. According to ''

The Canberra Times ''The Canberra Times'' is a daily newspaper in Canberra, Australia, which is published by Australian Community Media. It was founded in 1926, and has changed ownership and format several times. History ''The Canberra Times'' was launched in ...

'' staff reporters, "It was obvious that most of the band members, particularly the more vocal Aboriginal ones, did not want the film crew there. It was a wonder they allowed the crew in the first place, considering the distrust of them... Franklin was virtually the only person who was happy with the filming." Frankland, who was also a film maker, had the group provide music for three of his films. Former members of Djaambi include Peter Rotumah on bass guitar (ex-Hard Times), who was later in

the Black Arm Band Black Arm Band is an Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander music theatre organisation. History The organisation was founded in late 2005 by Steven Richardson and has produced seven large-scale productions since its debut performance a ...

. Three female vocalists, Amy Saunders (Frankland's sister), Sally Dastey and Lou Bennett, left in 1991 to form a folk band, Tiddas. Other band members included Peter Pascotto (drums), Peter Camm (guitar), Dean Hilson (sax), Eugene Ball (trumpet), Allyson Walker (vocals),

Julia Messenger Julia Messenger is an Australian singer-songwriter and producer best known for her work in the electronica, chill-out and jazz genres, being dubbed the “Queen Of Chill” as well as her jazz performances being described as something she “s ...

(vocals), Sonny Cooper (didge, dancer) and Paul Wright (didge, dancer), Francis Cleary (audio & production) . Bennett later recalled her time with Djaambi, "the band could range from 10 to 15, depending on who was in the audience with a

didgeridoo The didgeridoo (; also spelt didjeridu, among other variants) is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgeridoo was developed by ...

, or who could dance." Bennett, Dastey and Saunders were also members of the Black Arm Band. During 1995 to 1996 Frankland recorded his debut solo album, ''Down Three Waterholes Road'' (September 1997).

References

{{Authority control Victoria (state) musical groups Indigenous Australian musical groups