The Culture Train live in Brisbane

For one night only, the award-winning Culture Train will stop over in Brisbane for an intimate performance under the iconic Story Bridge at Queensland Multicultural Centre, during its regional tour in celebration of Queensland Multicultural Month.

Featuring Dheeraj Shrestha (Nepal), Clara Domingo (Spain), Ajak Kwai (Sudan), Dya Singh (India) and Mario Conde (Bolivio) five world-renowned artists from culturally diverse backgrounds, the Culture Train is BEMAC’s award-winning regional music tour that traverses the Queensland countryside during Queensland Multicultural Month 2017.

Thanks to a partnership with Queensland Poetry Festival, the Brisbane concert will include a feature reading by Arts Queensland Poet in Residence for Queensland Poetry Festival Joy Harjo.

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Joy Harjo is an internationally known poet, writer, performer and saxophone player of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation who is often cited as playing a formidable role in the second wave of the Native American Renaissance of the late 20th century. Harjo’s eight books of poetry include such well-known titles as How We Became Human: New and Selected Poems and She Had Some Horses. Her newest collection, Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings (2015), short-listed for the 2016 Griffin Poetry Prize, is hailed by Yusef Komunyakaa as ‘a marvelous instrument that veins through a dark lode of American history’. Her memoir Crazy Brave (2012) won several awards, including the PEN USA Literary Award for Creative Non-Fiction and the American Book Award. Recently, Harjo was awarded the prestigious Ruth Lilley Prize, bestowed on a living American poet for outstanding lifetime accomplishments.

Culture Train Acts:

Dheeraj Shrestha (Nepal) is an internationally acclaimed tabla percussionist, who is recognised as the foremost Nepalese-born tabla percussionist in Australia. An irrepressible creativity, tremendous clarity and exciting rhythmic improvisation are his stylistic hallmarks and this has established him, worldwide, as one of the finest exponents of tabla.

Clara Domingo (Spain) is a recent arrival from Barcelona, whose vocal style explores traditional flamenco and Spanish popular music. Reflecting an international sensibility that is firmly grounded within Spanish traditions, Clara Domingo has performed with flamenco companies Flamenco Fire and Jaleos Flamenco including concert appearances at Queensland Performing and Arts Centre, Brisbane City Hall, Woodford Folk Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival.

Ajak Kwai (Sudan) is a compelling storyteller and mesmerising live performer. With a powerful voice, gentle manner and mastery of Dinka, Arabic and English, Ajak Kwai weaves her extraordinary tales of being displaced from her South Sudanese home, to gospel singing in Cairo and starting afresh in Melbourne in 2007 to funky, soulful afro-beats

Mario Conde (Bolivia) is a native Bolivian musician who leads a five-piece ensemble called Celestino, which is renowned for captivating audiences through a mesmerising fusion of their traditional Bolivian instruments and Western music incorporating modern technology. With Celestino, Mario has performed and toured throughout Australia, the Pacific Islands, Europe, South Africa, South America and North America.

Dya Singh (India) has been one of the Australia’s pioneers in the development of new Australian World Music. He is the master musical interpreter of the traditional Sikh hymns, music with diverse influences from around the globe. Having performed around the world over the last 20 years, Dya Singh World Music Group is a true reflection of World Music, Fusion, InterFaith, Multiculturalism and traditional Sikh music. 

Introducing supporting musician:

Liam Morton (Australia) 

Liam Morton is a guitarist that performs jazz, blues, flamenco and pop. His style was honed under the direction of esteemed composer and performer Dr Anthony Garcia. Improvisation forms the basis of his performances, often taking place in cool jazz, bossa nova and samba pieces. He also performs reworked pop music for solo guitar, and colours his arrangements with walking basses, chord solos and jazz harmonies. He began performing in Brisbane in 2012, and is now a regular player in the South East Queensland restaurant, bar and cafe scene.

The event is proudly supported by Australia Pacific LNG.

Food will be on offer from 6pm till just after 7pm when performance begins, thanks to the wonderful Lama Beans, providing tasty momos and other options!