Regular readers will know that Sydney-based singer-songwriter and composer, Marcus Corowa, was the special guest performer at the SSH Harbour Cruise and Picnic on May 18. Corowa’s soulful set was the perfect complement to a warm, breezy day on the water.
On July 8 Corowa will play his first-ever ticketed show, headlining at Venue 505 in Surry Hills. The gig comes amid a hectic and exhilarating period that has seen the release of a five-track EP, a four-week residency with the Ayers Rock Resort at Uluru, and supports for James Reyne and Christine Anu.
“The supports were awesome,” Corowa said. “It was great to hang out with Christine, and playing at the Basement had long been a dream. It’s a good place to play because people there really listen. They appreciate what you’re doing and giving.”
Corowa grew up in North Queensland, in Bowen, where, he says, the whole community played music. Church was a part of it, and social life more generally. “Yeah, we played together all the time, at the barbecue, at the beach.” His website features a photo of a young boy with a big acoustic guitar and shy grin. His earliest memories are of eating mangoes and playing guitar.
“My grand-dad played the guitar, so does my dad, my aunts and uncles. I guess my dad was my first teacher. I just asked him how to play a couple of chords so I could join in. I was self-taught after that. My family is a huge influence – most of us sing, the harmonies are pretty much natural to them.”
In his teens, Corowa moved with his family to Brisbane where he finished school and worked at the local post office before “swapping stamps for amps”. In less than two years Corowa soared to great heights, becoming a finalist in the 2010 Q Song Awards, Queensland’s premier songwriting competition, and the APRA Professional Development Awards in 2011.
“Making the move to Sydney in 2011 was a big decision,” Corowa said. “The move meant I was committed to making things happen as a musician. It’s really paid off. It’s been the best thing I’ve done in terms of personal and professional growth.”
Since relocating, he has notched up appearances at Sydney’s South Sea Islander Recognition Day, the Sydney Festival, and alongside Jessica Mauboy and Dan Sultan at the 2012 Yabun Festival. Corowa also played at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Bundaberg’s South Sea Islander Conference and completed a string of performances for the 2012 NAIDOC Week. A gifted composer, he has also written songs for the musical The New Black, which was showcased as part of the 2012 Arts Centre Melbourne Carnegie 18 program.
Apart from family and community, Corowa cites blues, jazz, funk, country gospel and rock influences – Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Phil Collins, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Sade.
The Greater You was produced by Sean Carey and recorded at Gadigal Records in Redfern. The EP showcases Corowa’s distinctive songwriting – a smooth and bluesy take on soul, part Motown, part laid-back coastal acoustic.
It’s a warm and confident debut. The songs shimmer, buoyed along by a gentle groove and positive spirit. “I’d written the songs in Brisbane. I just played them for the session musos and they listened, made their notations, then we recorded the band live. It was a fantastic experience, and captured the feel of the songs really well.”
Corowa has been writing material for a new release (hopefully by the end of the year). “My trusty Maton is my everything guitar. Playing solo means the freedom to experiment with some fingerpicking, some bass elements and some hit-and-scratch-style percussion. Creativity is something I’m always engaged in, I think. I’m always jamming, noodling around on the guitar. It’s endless, really. What I’ve been learning more about lately is the discipline of writing, formatting ideas, finishing a song. It’s a very enjoyable process.”
Recently, Corowa has enjoyed collaborating with other artists. “That’s been a great way to learn. It’s been surprising and really encouraging to spend time with writers who take their work seriously. I’ll keep the details of the co-writes a secret until the release of the new record, but the songwriting seminars have been great. There was a seminar I attended recently sponsored by APRA and held at the JMC Academy, which I got a lot out of.”
“I used to get nervous before a gig, but not so much now. Playing more regularly has been a big help. Now that I’ve got more experience I’m working on the craft of performing. I’m getting more confident with talking to my audiences and sharing my own experiences with them. I’m also getting more confident with the risks that I can take with my songs. I like to find new ways to play old songs.”
“I really admire those who used to play night after night in smoky venues, who did the hard yards to get where they are. Looking after my voice is something I think about. I warm up my voice before performing, and try to rest it when I can. My voice has actually become a lot stronger, my breathing better, over the past year or so.”
When he’s not performing or writing, Corowa enjoys downtime at home in St Peters. His partner Sharni is an actor. She came up with the concept for The Greater You cover art (an illustration by her friend Hilary Thackway). Sharni built the website, too, which she also maintains. The couple have a pet rabbit called Boo.
