Lumsden & Evely – Self Titled

The self-titled album by Lumsden & Evely

David Lumsden and Martin Evely have immersed themselves in traditional and contemporary Folk music for over thirty-five years and have built up a very extensive repertoire of songs and tunes that span a wide range of musical genres. They can fit with equal ease into a program of Australian Folkmusic; Americana; Country Blues; Celtic songs, Country music; Original songs or English ballads. Several of Martin’s original songs have a Welsh connection. The depth of their song list had been well documented in their two CDs, “Lumsden and Evely,” ‘Old Devil Time,’ Martin’s solo release ‘The Long Road’ and recordings by other artists. David has also featured on the CD re-release of the seminal folk album “Moreton Bay” along with Brian Mooney and Martyn Wyndam-Reid. Lumsden and Evely are known to many Melbourne music lovers from their regular appearances on Don William’s radio program “Traditionally Late.”

David is a third-generation singer. He comes from a family that one Victorian record producer has described as “Australia’s answer to the Seegers.” The Seeger connection is a real one as David played with Pete Seeger on Pete’s first Australian tour, and Lumsden and Evely were asked to play at a reception for Mike Seeger on his solo tour. David’s grandmother Elizabeth Jamieson was the source-singer from whom the often-recorded “Gentle Annie” was collected, and his parents, Kath and Arthur Lumsden were folksingers and collectors of note, to whom several well known performers have acknowledged a debt of gratitude.

David was a central figure in the Melbourne folk music boom of the 1960s and his gentle voice and intricate banjo playing are well known to generations of folk song enthusiasts from his performances with Martin; wife Lynne St John; Glen Thomasetti and others and from his early recordings with Dennis Gibbons and others. Many current exponents of the five-string banjo in Victoria owe their ability to David’s lessons at the Council of Adult Education and elsewhere.

In addition to his skills as a musician David is an accomplished artist and a builder of model ships whose handiwork has graced maritime museums around the country.

Martin also comes from a musical family. His paternal grandfather played several instruments and was a singer of Music-Hall songs and what are now known as Industrial ballads. His hymn writing featured in Dr Keith Cole’s 1989 book on that subject. Martin’s song “Just Another Miner Going Home” tells the story of his grandfather’s life.

Martin has been a prolific songwriter in recent years and is a six-time finalist in major song writing competitions. His work has been praised by Tom Paxton amongst others. Notwithstanding his song writing Martin’s first love is traditional folksong and his affection for this element of the duo’s repertoire is obvious in performance.

Martin is also the author of two books and a cartoonist and caricaturist whose work appears on the cover and label of the CD “Old Devil Time.”

Although David and Martin’s day-jobs have been outside the field of music their long collaboration and deep understanding of their material generates a quiet musical synergy that is all their own.