Woody Guthrie of down under

Welcome back to the Red Folk column, where we focus on some of the great political music around and the people making it.

Jack Mancor is not a name that will trip readily off the tongue of lovers of political folk music here in Britain. But the release of the Australian-born singer-songwriter's second CD Black Top Blues may well help to change that.

Comparisons with the great Woody Guthrie are all too easily made, but, with Mancor, that comparison holds true.

His blend of traditional folk and roots music, his life spent working his way around Australia plying his trade as a mechanic by day and socially driven singer by night, coupled with his strong voice and convictions, make the connection.

Born in Melbourne to immigrant parents, Mancor sings about working people and their hopes and struggles. It's the politics of life that motivates him, "trying to reclaim what is rightfully ours, the profits of our labour and a planet and future worth having."

On Black Top Blues, Mancor is joined by some of the finest roots and folk performers of the Australian music scene. Particular appealing are the rousing Wheels of the Workers and a fine finale of the Woody Guthrie song I Ain't Got No Home.

Touring in Australia can bring its own unique problems due to the vast size of the country and the distance often needing to be travelled between each gig. But Mancor is currently in the middle of a mammoth tour of Australia of over 30 dates, with more being planned for the new year.

You can find out more about Mancor at his website www.jackmancor.com and both Black Top Blues and his first release Looking For Something can be brought in Britain from www.fourdogsmusic.co.uk

Keeping with an Antipodean theme, Union Song is a remarkable Australian-based website started by Mark Gregory in 1996, but which really kicked off in 1997 following the attack by the Howard government on the Maritime Union of Australia.

Union Song now lists over 590 political songs from over 230 writers and 200-plus of those songs are included as Mp3 files.

This huge resource for all lovers of union and political song continues to grow and also contains extensive links to trade unions, musicians, books, films and articles.

As Gregory says, "Whatever name we find for these songs, they have in common a fierce opposition to the rule of the established powerbrokers, who, as they get richer, get more determined to hang on to power at all costs."

This is definitely a site to keep in your favourites list. Check it out at www.unionsong.com.

Back in Blighty, then, to finish. We have long regarded Claire Mooney as one of our leading radical singer-songwriters.

Claire released her latest CD, Good As You, earlier this year and previously set up her Sound Women project to help female musicians with a political slant get more live work.

Mooney will perform at the Bill Naughton Theatre at Bolton Octagon on December 20 with the Moving House Band and December 21 will see her performing solo at the Cellar Bar at the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield. For more details check www.clairemooney.co.uk.

Another major presence in the political music scene is Alistair Hulett, who will be appearing with Jimmy Ross at The Water Sports Club at The Harbourside in Irvine, Ayrshire, on December 6.

It's the third outing in Scotland for their Ewan MacColl word and song tribute concert, titled Ewan MacColl and the Politics of the British Folk Revival." Full details can be found at www.alistairhulett.com

If you play in a political band, or know of such, please do get in touch at redfolk@btconnect.com.