Whatever it is he does, exactly, there is no doubt that audiences, particularly in Australia and Canada, have been quite receptive to his unique style. It's almost like dancing, you know, just sort of expressing myself and all the rhythms coming from my limbs and from within.β βIt's not something I find really too hard,β Rudd said over the phone. To even most musicians, these simultaneous tasks would seem daunting, but to Rudd, they're nothing of the sort. Guitars or other stringed instruments provide the harmonic elements of his songs, and these are met with his voice, a harmonica or the sound of the yidaki. The beat of his compositions are generally carried by hand drums, a kit set-up around him, or a series of percussion instruments played by foot. Most musicians are lucky if they can competently play one instrument at a time in a typical Xavier Rudd song, however, it is not uncommon to see him play up to three or four simultaneously. Rudd's live set-up includes several yidaki, but the use of native music isn't the only thing that sets him apart from other artists. Years ago, aboriginals discover that these yidaki could actually produce a deep, droning sound, and ever since, they have been considered a traditional instrument. This type of aboriginal instrument, as he explained, is created in the hot, dry Australian climate by termites who burrow through the centre of certain hardwoods, creating hollow tubes. In his younger years, Rudd spent hours in the wild with friends searching for the perfect yidaki, better known as a didgeridoo. In fact, these two passions have consistently overlapped at many points throughout his life. Growing up in the small town of Torquay, Australia, Rudd has always been fascinated by both nature and music. I suppose, without using the term out of context, Rudd is a hippy. His folk-style incorporates an organic spirituality and genuine concern for the problems that the Earth faces. Political unrest can be fuelled, social injustices brought to light, or, for example, in the case of Xavier Rudd, environmental issues can become the focus of music and balladry. It often becomes the job of an artist to assess the state of the world, interpret it, and create a reflection of society from his or her perspective out of material, words, sounds, sometimes all three. Xavier Rudd's bringing Canada closer to Australia, one didgeridoo at a time
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