artist: Coolangubra country of origin: Australia style(s): New acoustic, environmental, folk, word beat essential releases: Coolangubra (1988, Celestial Harmonies) Stormcoming (1990, Celestial Harmonies)

Named after an area of Australia’s south-east forests, this tremendous fusion trio of Cleis Pearce (violin), Stephen Berry (acoustic guitars) and Greg Sheehan (percussion) makes exciting, dynamic music that draws on elements of folk, jazz and ambient soundscaping. They played for many years on the live circuit and released albums locally until label manager Ekhart Rahn picked up them and several other Australian talents and signed them to his highly respected Celestial Harmonies imprint. The band's versatility and superb musicianship is evident throughout both of these albums. “Long Red Road” from Stormcoming is a spirited, folksy tribal jam, while the album's lengthy title track takes an altogether different tack with its brooding impressions of an approaching thunderstorm. Anything but new age earwash, Coolangubra creates real envronmental ambience.

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