We Sing

By Chris Mineral

Mutti Mutti singer and song man Kutcha Edwards is like a champion multiple group one winner. He has an incredible track record.

Musos that he has recorded with include Paul Kelly, Andy Stewart, Dan Sultan, Paul Hester, Craig Pilkington, Richard Pleasance (Boom Crash Opera, Kenny soundtrack) and Renee Geyer and he has done extensive work in the theatrical realm. 

For his latest project, Kutcha Edwards had 100 singers singing his song We Sing in lockdown. Kutcha has been broadcasting a radio show on 3CR for 20 years called Beyond The Bars, a live prison radio show. With that experience, Kutcha has the knowledge and the skills to bring out the best of singers in this day and age of lockdown.

One of Kutcha Edward’s favourite songs is The Seekers Morningtown Ride …

Rockin’ Rollin’ Ridin’

Out along the bay

All bound for Morningtown

Many miles away

Buskers in Melbourne in the 21st century love Morningtown Ride. It’s a very beautiful song. The Seekers, with Judith Durham front and centre performed once to hundreds of thousands of people at the Myer Music Bowl when Royce Hart was playing for Richmond. 

It was a special treat for Kutcha to have Judith Durham sing on his song We Sing.

Kutcha is a survivor of the Stolen Generations. 

He performed his show Songlines Of A Mutti Mutti Man at the superb George Fairfax Studios theatrical space in Arts Centre Melbourne on St Kilda Rd. 

The creative and prolific Kutcha also delivered the entertaining Kutcha’s Carpool Koorioke, a YouTube series where he picks up his friends and they have a yack and a yarn about music and life.

Guests include Dan Sultan, Uncle Jack Charles, Alice Skye, Emily WurraMara, Bart Willoughby and Bunna Lawrie.

Kutcha Edwards has the ability to tap into the spiritual side of life with insight, wisdom and humour. He’s a freshwater man who recognises that the reconciliation process is furthered when citizens have a greater awareness of the journey that First Nations tribes are on, their song lines and their history. Arrente Gurundji muso Dan Sultan talks about this in his conversation with Kutcha in an episode of Carpool Koorioke, and sometimes the song takes as long to write as it takes to sing.

Everyone who is old enough can remember where they were when Cathy Freeman won the 400 metres at the Sydney Olympics. Freeman felt the connection to the land and ancestry. Commentator Bruce MacAvaney intuitively knew that. His commentary was and is a song line. Uniting a community. That’s what Kutcha’s talking and singing about.

We Sing from Kutcha’s forthcoming fifth album Circling Time includes the 100 Voices Online Choir, voices including Paul Kelly, Emma Donovan, Joe Geia, Judith Durham, Emily WurraMara and Archie Roach •