Musician, Actor, Singer/Songwriter

Mark Bin Baker, better known as Mary G has dedicated much of his adult life to promoting indigenous life and culture. A West Australian native, Mr Bin Baker established Abmusic, a successful music school to help indigenous musicians.

He travels extensively to remote areas talking to people about alcohol and drug abuse, health care, emotional wellbeing, respect for elders and domestic violence.

Mr Bin Baker has a nationally broadcast radio show where he also promotes indigenous culture.

Musician, Singer/Songwriter, Actor

1999 WAMI Award Best Original Indigenous Act

Frederick Emanual Gesha (Gisu) is a singer songwriter and musician with heritage from Murray Island (Mer) in the Torres Straits and Vanuatu in the South Pacific. He is also a graduate from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander College of Performing Arts (Abmusic) in Perth WA having obtained his Certificate of Performing Arts in 1993, followed by his Diploma of Performing Arts in 1999 as well as completing his Cert IV in Music Industry Skills in 2000. Before embarking on his musical career Fred studied for his Diploma of Teaching Primary at Mt Gravatt Teachers College campus Griffith University Brisbane

During his time in the public service Fred continued to pursue his love of music and acting. Fred worked as an extra and featured extra/actor for Warner Brothers Studios on the Gold Coast through his agent “Studio Search”. Fred was a regular on the TV series “Flipper” and “Pacific Drive” filmed on the Gold Coast. Fred was also part of a camera crew for Channel Nines Wide World of Sports filming the Iron Man series at Karrawa Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. Continuing to write his original compositions, Fred was then recorded by Criston Barker, a former bass player and sound engineer for former world number one Australian Band “Air Supply”.

On returning to Perth Fred Joined Alice Haines, a rising star of stage and screen to form the Band ‘Acoustic Dreaming’ which went on to win a West Australian Music Industry Award for the Best Original Indigenous Music Act for 1999 followed up with a nomination for the National Deadly awards that same year for Best New Talent.

Fred is currently writing and developing his debut album of original compositions. Fred’s music has been described as short stories with music and a soundscape maker/dreamer.

Fred also continues to write and perform at festivals and community events while teaching Indigenous Australian history and education at Griffith University in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Fred is currently undertaking a Masters of Philosophy in Indigenous Arts at Griffith University in Brisbane as well as managing The Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation delivering certificate III in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health in the Cape York Region of Queensland.

Singer/Songwriter, Musician and Mentor

2009 Bass Player of the Year, Too Solid Music Awards

Lorrae Coffin was born in the WA Pilbara town of Port Hedland and raised in Broome where she resides. Her cultural heritage comes from the richness of the Nyiyalarli and Yindjiparndi language groups of the Pilbara region. Lorrae is a mother of two adult children and a grandmother of seven grandchildren.

Lorrae music career begin in the early 1990’s and has continued to thrive in all areas of Music; performance, education and training and has toured Internationally and Nationally.

Lorrae is one of the Co-founders, musican and Co-composers with the Internationally acclaimed, Marrugeku Company. She was one of the first to graduate with an Associate Diploma in Music Theory & Practical from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander School of Music in 1993, commonly known as Abmusic.

Lorrae fronts her own band "self titled" and won the Bass Player of the year 2009 at the Inaugural Too Solid Music Awards. She has, and continues to facillitate Music Skills Development workshops and Music Programs for local, urban and remote communities throughout Australia, working extensively with Indigenous Musicians in supporting thier professional development.

Lorrae is the Chairperson of the Indigenous Arts Peer Assessment Panel for The Department for Culture & the Arts WA, and is currenlty co-delivering the Music Training Program throughout the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, through the implementation of the NG Media Music Strategy in the Central Desert.

Dancer, Chereographer, Didjeridoo Player

“Common Ground” is an Aboriginal Dance Group consisting of a core of three members. This core can be expanded to six should the occasion require it.

Lee West plays Didgeridoo; Peter Nelson (who is the elder of the group) and his son Ben Nelson are the dancers. The group have performed at various openings, functions, festivals, schools and have travelled internationally. They have recently returned from Malaysia where they performed at Kota Kinabalu. “Common Ground” regularly performs at the South Perth Civic Centre for the Australia Day Citizenship ceremonies and also at the River Retreat Art Gallery in the Swan Valley. The group has also performed at the Birruk Yeedee Dreaming Festival, Abmusic’s 20^th Anniversary, the 2007 WAM Indigenous Round Table as well as numerous welcoming ceremonies for visiting politicians.

The performance consists of dance, music and story telling. Permission from the elders of the North and South of Western Australia has been given. Audience participation is encouraged which leads to education through entertainment. People get to dance, try the didgeridoo and learn about the Aboriginal way of life and language. Some of the dances involve drama; the acting out of old stories and practices.

Involving the audience breaks down barriers and opens new doors and opens eyes to a new world.

Being proud of their culture gives “Common Ground” a zest for performing and sharing, not only bridging gaps between cultures, but giving people a sense of belonging and an insight to their own culture.

Common Ground can be contacted on +61 8 (08) 9343-4563