My dream bass

An early 1930s Alcoa aluminum bass, fully polished for the blinding stage effect:

How about this for a beautiful thing?
I want to build one & I intend to do so!

Julie & Harmen Live at Bishop's Wood Kerikeri, Northland

photo by Dimitri Edmonds

Julie Holton & Harmen Hielkema
Acoustic Guitar & Bass Duo.
Performing live at the Bishop’s Wood Restaurant, Kerikeri on Tuesday evening, August 5th 2008.

Julie Holton is a guitarist and vocalist with a beautiful, pure, true voice.
Julie was born into a very musical family on a farm in Kent. Her Grandmother, father and brother were all piano players. Julie’s brother Nigel went on to become a successful composer, musician and producer in Los Angeles.
Julie has played guitar and sung ballads since she was a teenager, busking and performing around the folk clubs and streets of London.
When she first settled in New Zealand Julie fronted a Dunedin Band “The Coast Roaders.” Julie has since continued to perform as time allowed around motherhood and a successful business career.
Julie’s son Eric (now living in London) continues this musical family tradition. Eric is an excellent songwriter, guitarist and vocalist in his own right.

Harmen Hielkema has a diverse background in music having played drums in Auckland bands professionally and semi professionally for 30 years. His father was a classically trained oboe player. Harmen is best known to the New Zealand folk scene for his skiffle bass playing and vocals. Harmen has performed and recorded with the “Gumdiggers Bush Band” the “Jews Brothers Band” and the dixie jazz band “The Blue Bottom Stompers.” He has also recorded and performed with the Ink Spots, Billy T James, Graham Brazier, Diane Ponzio, Nigel Gavin, Neill Duncan, Caitlin Smith, Lorina Harding, Eddie Rainer, Richard Watt, Shane Wills, Michael Young, among many others.

As a duo Julie and Harmen perform ballads from their repertoire of folk music featuring songs from writers such as Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Joan Baez, Van Morrison, Richard Thompson, Carol King, and more.

Together Julie & Harmen are propieters and hosts of Waima Lodge Guesthouse in the south Hokianga District of Northland.

Waima Lodge specializes in excellent quality accommodation, food, acoustic music and original art. Julie and Harmen serenade their guests from time to time and they also host house concerts featuring professional musicians on a regular basis.

We look forward to seeing you on
Tuesday evening 5th August at Bishop’s Wood Restaurant State Highway 10 Kerikeri.

See www.waimalodge.co.nz of phone 09 405 3808 for further information.

Diane Ponzio House concert at Waima Lodge

Diane Ponzio plays Waima Lodge
We have international New York City based singer song writer and C. F. Martin Guitar clinician, Diane Ponzio presenting a house concert at Waima Lodge in our living room.
This will be a very special event with an exceptional artist and performer in a very intimate setting.
Link to Diane's website. http://www.dianeponzio.com/

Venue and booking info:

Waima Lodge Guesthouse
2465 State Highway 12
(Situated midway between Kaikohe and Opononi)
Off street parking available.
Saturday August 30th
7.30 P.M.
Bookings essential (no door sales due to limited seating)
$15.00 per person (visa and mastercard accepted at + 5% booking fee)
Phone Harmen or Julie 09 405 3808
email info@waimalodge.co.nz

Harmen's Discography

The Jews Brothers Band: Live at Gerhard's Cafe, 1996
Eclectic mix of Klezmer & skiffle. Traditional Hebrew tunes and songs.
This album sold platinum numbers in NZ & NZ's first CD Rom release.
Harmen features on tea chest bass and backing vocals.
To hear the Jews Brother Band go to: http://jews-brothers-band-search-downloads.kohit.net/_/





















The Jews Brothers Band: My Yiddish Swing, 2000
After touring the first Album, this emerged. Live and studio recordings of original material penned by Linn and Hershal & Nigel Gavin. The first JBB albunm to feature Neill Duncan on saxaphones, percussion, backing vocals & production.
Harmen on one string bass & vocals.





















The Jews Brothers Band: Too Much Talent, 2004
Who are the J.B.B.? Cast of thousands album.
Harmen on one string bass & vocals.





















The Blue Bottom Stompers: But is it Folk?, 2001
This recording came off the one track mixing desk at the Auckland Folk festival.
The title asks a valid question. Maniacal Gumbo Jazz.
Harmen on one string bass & vocals. Engineered by Mark Austin, Harmen concept, Harmen & Neil Duncan co producers.





















Richard Watt's debut album, "Songs from Down the Line."
New Zealand songwriting at its best and most original.
I'm particularly proud of my involvement on this project. Produced by my old friend Nigel Gavin.
Harmen Hielkema: One string Bass.

By Tim Page on "Songs from down the line" Artist: Richard Watt

From first chord, this album presents itself as distinctly Kiwi. The more I listened to it, the more I found it embedding itself in my consciousness. Subject matter ranges from the laid back Nirvana is Near (watching cricket on tele) and Prayer Flags, to poignant narratives of the Tangiwai and Wahine disasters respectively, Powered Flight is a beautifully crafted portrayal of Richard Pearce's story, told from his point of view. There's an underlying NZ railway theme, which continues into the artwork. Images of kiwiana are resplendent, such as "whitebait-frittering the day away", or using no. 8 wire to mend the world. The style is largely folksey, although Earthquake Road makes a foray into a rockier sound. Contributors include Caitlin Smith, Aaron Coddel, Harmen Hielkema, Jason Orme and Nigel Gavin, who also wore the producer's hat. Watt alludes to himself as 'an old geezer', and obviously this is the product of many years of songcraft. The quality of both musicianship and recording is superb, the songwriting is thoughtful, intelligent and absent of cliché.
For album details and playlist go to: http://www.marbecks.com/detail/detail.lsd?catalogID=298659






















D.T.H. Cutting Room Floor. 2003
Skiffle album of unreleased original material from the creative muse of Tim Herauld & Dorland Bray. Fantastic songs.
Harmen on one string bass & drums.






















Graham Brazier: East of Eden, 2004
I played Tea chest bass on track 6 "Winter of Discontent" arguably the best track on the album. Harmen on one string bass.
MP3 play list is here: http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/7405/east_of_eden.html






















Lorina Harding: Clean Break, 2005
The Jews Brothers Band was invited to play on a track "Table # 7"
Lorina decided to re record the track with my tea chest bass and both cuts made it to the CD
This album went on to win the Folk category at the prestigious New Zealand Tui Music Awards. Harmen on one string bass.
For MP3 downloads and playlist go to: http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/18366/clean_break.html;jsessionid=
9F9B971ADD0A557D7E5FBF79F5F310FD

Musical relations gallery

Harmen & Julie performing to their guests at Waima Lodge.
Julie plays a C. F. Martin 0016 DBM. Harmen plays a Taylor AB1 acoustic bass.
Covering Joni Mitchel, Karol King, James Taylor, Joan Baez, Van Morrison, Annie Lennox and more.




































Dorland, Tim & Harmen (hence D.T.H.) Under the Grafton Bridge. Skiffle with wonk: Albums 
(undiscovered) "Life's too long" Cutting Room Floor (Deleted & X rated)






































Harmen with his latest and most successful string drum (skiffle Bass)


This bass is made from a Beverly Bass drum shell that I found in a junk shop in Auckland for
$ 5.00.
I removed every second tensioning lug so that only 4 remained. These lugs provide the mounting for the legs. I welded some tube clamps inside the lugs which adjust with a wing screw from the inside of the shell. This allows me to adjust the height of the shell from the ground ( for different players ).

The shell is finished with an iridescent fabric resined to the surface and clear finished in lacquer, The feather is my own custom paint job.
The sound board is made of high quality mahogany plywood ( 3 ply ). The string is spectra braid 1/4 inch ( 4mm. ) this is a braided cord that is used exclusively for control lines in small sailing boats. Spectra has zero stretch and fantastic tonal qualities. The sheath of this cord is soft to the touch which saves blisters when playing for hours.

The pole I hand carved from a native timber called Red Matipo into a design reminiscent of the
native people of New Zealand ( Maori ). The wood is extremely dense and rigid.
I get 3 octaves in the key of G.

I have an AKG concert microphone installed permanently under the sound board which enables me to DI during concert or recording conditions.
My personal amplifier is a Jansen 50 watt bassman valve amp (copy of a Fender Bassman built in NZ in the 1960s) through a quad box with 4x12 in speakers.















My treasured 1961 Jansen valve amp & quad.

Everyone is astounded at the tonality and punch of this bass. It is the best bass of my experimental range to date. I'm still thinking about ways to improve though fixing what ain't broke keeps me working with this one for the time being.

The bass and I feature on several albums of NZ music including
The Jews Brothers Band 3 albums, "Live at Gerhards Cafe", "My Yiddish Swing" & "Too Much Talent"
The Blue Bottom Stompers "But is it Folk? Live at the Auckland Folk Festival".
Graham Brazier's "East of Eden"
Richard Watt's "Songs From Down the Line" and
Lorina Harding's Award winning album "Clean Break"


Among my many collaborations I have played drums or bass with:

The Ink Spots, Billy T James, Tama Renata, Caitlin Smith, Nigel Gavin, Richard Adams, Lin Lorkin, Peter Scott, Eddie Rayner, Don Hopkins, Malcolm Green, Gumbo Fever, Yaneck Croydon, The Blue Bottom Stompers, Tim Heraud, Dorland Bray, Finn Andrews, Tommy Adderly, Tommy Ferguson, Garry Clark, Gary Harvey, Kerry Adams, Grant Bridger, Frankie Rowles, Jodie Vaughn, Kelvin Hair, Kelvin Roy, Neill Duncan, Bill and Kath Worsfold, Kerrin Worsfold, Miranda Adams, Micheal Young, Diane Ponzio, Don McGlashin, ...