REVIEW
Women sing for East Timor
Jefferson Lee
2 May 2008
Hau Abut (I am Woman)
Compilation CD for the women of East Timor
Available in Australia for $25.00 (postage included) from <info@afap.org>
Hau Abut (I am Woman) is now the fifth Australian “rock industry” compilation CD that Paul Stewart and the boys from the Dili All Stars have initiated over the past decade and a half of the Timor Leste struggle.
The theme of the latest CD, with 16 different tracks from women performers, is to assist women’s health projects — particularly ante and post-natal — as Timor now has one of the fastest growing populations in the world, but also an extraordinary high childbirth and post-natal mortality rate.
The earlier CDs raised well over $1 million because of the galaxy of well-known rock stars involved and the popularity of the Timor issue.
The Dili All Stars back some female vocalists in a tetum version of the Helen Reddy song “I Am Woman”. Then Liz Cavanagh in “Midnight Blue” presents a sultry love song that congers up hot balmy nights by the seaside. The back arrangement is punctuated by a cleverly insistent squeeze box, gentle tablas and sax. It moves at a slow but sweet pace.
Lisa Miller’s “Do Me In” moves at an even slower pace with strumming guitar and interposing piano and slide guitar licks.
Overall, this CD makes a snazzy present for most mums on Mothers Day. It also gives much needed solidarity to Timorese women.
