19-03-2002 The Drum Media

"It says to the world, look, Sydney music is really kicking arse. Australian acoustic songwriting is really kicking arse. The album is something to be really proud of, something to be really excited about, and we're putting it out there," says acoustic singer/songwriter Brett Hunt of the new CD 'Club Acoustica: The Basement Showcases Vol 1'.

Hunt appears on the album along with other artists including Stella One Eleven, Dominique Fraissard, King Curly, Jay Atwill, Glance, women in docs, Jigzag, Luke O'Shea & Medicine Wheel and more.

"The aim of the CD is twofold," begins Martin Contempree, one of a core team of four behind Club Acoustica (Michael & Deanne Hardwick and Beej are the other three). "It's definitely there as a promotional tool for our name and what Club Acoustica is trying to do, which is the acoustic presentation of original music in quiet and atmospheric surrounds, but also to help the artists on the album, because obviously we're doing a lot of promotion around it so that starts to get their story out there."

"The first track on the album, we thought that exemplified the whole acoustic art. It is simple finger picking and playing, just voice and guitar. Very simple presentation but very powerful as well," Contempree adds.

The first track belongs to Jay Atwill. Originally performing in Melbourne, he went to Canada and Mexico only to return to Sydney recently, never having actually played a gig here. "It was a really good way to tap into a network of musicians and get a good rapport with venues where Club Acoustica was holding their gigs," Atwill says of coming under the wing of Club Acoustica.

"It was a good stepping stone for getting on the scene. They're showcase gigs so you get the chance to boil your set down to your best material, so it's a good context to put across the best of what you do without the pressure of holding the show gig yourself".

Hunt thinks along similar lines. "It is a fairly big family. You've got hundreds and hundreds of artists who have gone through Club Acoustica, so that gives you an immediate network to be a part of, and be able to showcase your music in an environment that is all about the music," he says.

"Everyone's there to see live and, I stress, original music," Atwill agrees. "Often in a pub scenario there is that ambiguity there. Some people might be there to play pool, some to get drunk, some to play poker machines and some to half listen to music and a few to actually listen to music, so you're dealing with that, where as with Club Acoustica the focus is on live music."

The CD is just another part of the expanding Club Acoustica empire, something that has happened in combination with the development of the local acoustic scene. Contempree though always had faith that it would get this far. "There was a belief in the depth of talent that was out there. It took a while for us to get the name out there and get people to know it. We always did have a vision to get the a showcase stage and to releasing CDs and taking that even further into radio and TV, which is where it is starting to head now" he says. The radio expansion has already happened with a show on 2SER 107.3 FM, and plans are afoot for a Studio 22-style Club Acoustica show on SBS.

"Club Acoustica philosophies have been able to achieve things in an environment here in Sydney that almost do the opposite to how everything else is." Hunt furthers, "as a consequence of the poker machine fiasco, the closure of some venues, the repopulation of the city and noise complaints, the live scene's been going in one direction while Club Acoustica seems to be going the other, growing more popular and getting a bigger fanbase."

For more information see www.clubacoustica.com.au.