Graeme Gardner, Manager, Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania
 

     “Listening to your music is relaxing with some curiosity of what you’re going to say!! As to the Shearwater Suite, I felt the musical instruments (each having their moments) captured the essence of the birds flight etc. To hear Babel Island mentioned was a tingly moment. It is enjoyable listening.  I will be playing and mention your music to community members and offer myself or other community members to attend the January Workshop to provide an insight into the muttonbird.”    

 

   Stephanie Thorne Presenter City Park Radio            

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       “Tony Newport, singer-songwriter and player of the autoharp, has been a featured artist at the annual Tamar Valley Folk Festival since 2014.   He put out his first album Give Me Grace, 'dedicated to the spirit and people of Western Tasmania' in 2015.   2019 sees the completion of his second album, This Land, which largely continues the stories of the Tasmanian west coast and its people.           This is where Tony grew up .  It is obvious that he has a great affinity to, knowledge of and love for this area's history, people, struggles and landscape.   The album is proudly and productively local, yet deals with themes that can be universal.    As with Give Me Grace, this album has an accompanying booklet with background notes (together with photos) providing insight to each song.
          Tony has gathered together an impressive array of musicians for This Land and the instrumentation complements the words.  I particularly love the inclusion of the violin, played by Kat Mear.  

          There's variety of mood and subject matter from the light-hearted and cheeky way Tony sings about bureaucracy and sexism in  "The Heads of Department (HODS)'  to the moving and beautiful title track.   There's the cutting description of hypocrisy in "People People", the 
pathos of "Requium for Robbo", the nostalgia of "Raindrops on Rinadeena" and reflections on a Catholic upbringing in the final song on the album.  

            It's an album of generous length (there are 15 tracks in all), it displays intelligence and kindness, and the design of the album cover is 
beautiful (with thanks to Bokprint).”                  

 

   Jim Brown Former Channel Nine Journalist and Presenter

     “As a singer songwriter myself, and one who is passionate about Australian music and poetry, I invite everyone to listen to Tony Newport’s album “This Land.” Tony is a philosopher and master story teller of all things Australian, past and present, with a strong emphasis on his birthplace, Tasmania.   
     The album covers a wide range of material:- the strong and but charming nostalgia of his own working class childhood, the wonders of Tasmanian landscape and wildlife, with some wittyditties and political satire thrown in.
      As well as the quality of the material, the album has been engineered by Vince Brophy who has recently moved to Georgetown after a long and successful musical career on mainland Australia and internationally.  The quality of Vince's sound production is outstanding. “This Land” is an Australian gem.”