Frank Yamma

Early life and background

Frank Yamma was born in . He is the son of Isaac Yamma (1940–1990), an early artist who pioneered singing Western style songs in traditional language, and is regarded as one of Australia's most important Indigenous songwriters. He also founded the first national Indigenous radio network.

Frank Yamma grew up in the camps around Alice Springs. He never had any formal training in music, but as a child knew that he wanted to play like his father; he started playing at around seven years of age, and by the age of 10 had his own band.

He is an initiated Pitjantjatjara man

Career

Yamma played in bands for many years, including with his father and three brothers, Hector, Paul, and Peter. During this time he also worked as a stockman, building houses, and other odd jobs.

He had not played outside Central Australia until his career took off after he was invited in January 1997 to play at the Australia Day celebrations. He then started touring Australia and internationally, including many big festivals (see below). He became known for experimenting with a wide range of musical styles and sounds, including blues, lullabies, reggae, and rock music. In January 1998 he released the album Inma Wiru, an album of ambient dance music, in a collaboration with German producer Zeus B. Held.

He formed the band Piranpa, the name derived from a Pitjantjatjara word meaning "skinny white lizards", because all of the other band members were whitefellas. In 1999, Yamma and his band Piranpa released Playing with Fire. His song "Everybody's Talking" from this album was included on the official 2000 Sydney Olympics soundtrack.

In 2005, he composed and performed the song "Pitjantjara" for the film The Alice.

In 2010, Yamma released the critically-acclaimed Countryman. This album gained international attention, which sparked extensive national and international touring.

In 2014, he released Uncle, to critical acclaim.

In February 2020, Yamma released his debut vinyl album, Tjukurpa: The Story. It received widespread acclaim both in Australia and internationally, including a five-star review in British music magazine Songlines, and earned an ARIA nomination for Best Blues and Roots Album. At the same time, a compilation album called The Kulila Project, featuring longtime collaborators David Bridie and Phil Wales, as well as remixes from Corin, James Henry, and EA Wave's Jinku, Hiribae & Ukweli, was digitally released.

Touring and festivals

In 2001, he did solo tour of the US, performing in San Francisco, Virginia, Washington, New York, and Santa Fe.

For the 2003 Message Sticks Festival, he wrote and performed 11 songs for three performances at the Sydney Opera House Studio Theatre, with the electronica outfit Wicked Beat Sound System.

His three European tours included playing at WOMAD and the 2012 Cultural Olympiad in the UK; the New Hebridean Festival in Scotland; Festival Bled in Slovenia; and Colours of Ostrava in the Czech Republic.

He has also toured Canada at least twice: the first time in 2014, including at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Calgary Folk Music Festival, and Winnipeg Folk Festival, where he shared the stage with Buffy Saint Marie and The Mekons, as well as opening for Joan Baez. In August 2016, he performed at the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival in Lunenberg, Nova Scotia; Manitoba Aboriginal Music Week in Winnipeg; at the Wise Hall in Vancouver; and at the Robson Valley Music Festival in Dunster, BC.

Other festivals he has played at include: Livid; WOMAD and 2021); Moomba; the Yeperenye Festival (2001); and Adelaide Fringe (2024).

Recognition and awards

• 1999: Album of the Year at the Deadly Awards 1999, for Playing with Fire
• 2005: Best Original Song Composed for a Feature Film, Telemovie, TV Series or Mini-Series with David Bridie, at the APRA Music Awards of 2005, for "Pitjantjara", from the film The Alice
• 2014: Represented Australia in the official showcase for WOMEX

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. |- | 2015 |Uncle | Best Independent Country Album | |-

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".

|- | 2005 || "Pitjantjara" from The Alice (David Bridie & Frank Yamma) || Best Original Song Composed for a Feature Film, Telemovie, TV Series or Mini-Series ||

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry. Yamma have been nominated for one award.

|- | 2020 | Tjukurpa: The Story | Best Blues & Roots Album |

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards, commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community.

|- | 1999 |Playing with Fire | Album Release of the Year: | |-

Personal life

Yamma has lived in Adelaide for many years.

Discography

Studio albums

Remix albums

Compilation albums

References

References

1. Vincent, Peter. (14 October 2014). "Frank Yamma: a fire that burns brighter".
2. "Wantok Music".
3. [https://web.archive.org/web/20030828032400/http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?/message/naidoc/naidoc2002/frank_yamma.htm Frank Yamma: NAIDOC Week 2002], ''Message Stick'', ABC Radio, 2003.
4. Hillier, Tony. (23 October 2010). "''Countryman'' review".
5. "Biography".
6. (16 April 2003). "Rappin' to the drum of a different beat".
7. (13 April 2014). "Frank Yamma".
8. (26 July 2016). "Frank Yamma".
9. iFOU2Cnzib0. Frank Yamma - Womadelaide 2010, Adelaide, SA, Australia
10. "Frank Yamma excited to return to the main stage at tonight’s WOMADelaide finale".
11. Von Einem, Johnny. (8 February 2024). "First Nations art and culture to the fore in 2024 Fringe".
12. "Deadly Winners 1999".
13. Billboard, 6 November 1999, "Jimmy Little" by Christie Eliezer
14. (8 November 2005). "2005 AGSC Screen Music Awards".
15. (7 September 2015). "1 Dads, Courtney Barnett Lead This Year's Independent Music Award Nominations".
16. "History Wins".
17. "APRA History". [[Australasian Performing Right Association]] (APRA) | [[Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society]] (AMCOS).
18. "ARIA Awards 2020 Nominees". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
19. "And the 2020 ARIA Awards Go To…". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).
20. [http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an42578133 Keep up the pace]
21. (September 2010). "Countryman (DD)".
22. (10 October 2014). "Uncle (DD)".
23. (18 February 2020). "FRANK YAMMA - TJUKURPA: THE STORY".