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Born in Melbourne Australia, as a child of the 60s Julie grew up listening to artistes such as Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. The purity and passion of their songs and their delivery were influential in shaping Julie's early musical leanings, and later her own performances and material. Later exposure to the subtlety of Jacqui McShee's voice in the contemporary treatment of traditional folk music by Pentangle led Julie to explore the genre further, combining that with studies of both the established and the modern Israeli music of her faith. Later influences such as the work of Mary Black, Nancy Griffith, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Bruce Cockburn and James Keeleghan added to the breadth of Julie's own song writing.
This love of musical diversity and her continuing search for new experiences and cultures equipped her well for her roles of cantorial soloist in the synagogues of her native Melbourne and as a professional singer in the folk field, roles that eventually brought her to Hong Kong in the mid Nineties.
Dividing her musical energies between teaching and performing the music of her own culture, and an increasing involvement in the Hong Kong Folk Society as both a performer and organiser, Julie became a major contributor to the 'live' musical scene in her adopted home, delivering quality folk club performances throughout 1998 and 1999, appearing on the Hong Kong Metro Radio 'live' show "Music Friendly On The Street", and performing a flawless set as a principal guest at the prestigious annual Hong Kong international Folk Festival in November of that year.
Julie had by then come to the attention of Springboard's Managing Director, a regular at most of Hong Kong's 'live' music venues during that period. Recognising that Julie possessed a stunning voice supported by the ability to write powerful and emotive songs, Springboard offered her the opportunity to record under a full commercial contract. Springboard's Marketing and Studio Production directors visited Hong Kong over the following months, meeting Julie, watching her perform, discussing the planned recording, and organising demo takes for the studio crew.
The album was recorded in the late summer of 2000 in Springboard's UK studios, enhanced by some of the UK's finest session musicians on percussion (Paul Beavis) and on guitar (Dave Goodes). During a break in studio sessions, Julie performed a 'live' interview and music session on UK Radio with the legendary presenter Gary Beal. This session was recorded and is still being aired occasionally almost a year later, such was the response to her performance on-air.
Released to the web site and to 'live' performance sales at the November 2000 Hong Kong Folk Festival, the album attracted enormous interest, being outsold only by the principal guests Catherine Mundy and Jay Turner (Mundy-Turner), artistes who went on to become friends and admirers, with Julie opening for them on their concert return to Hong Kong in October 2001.
Jez Lowe, world-renowned contemporary UK performer said of Julie during his late-2000 Hong Kong concert visit: "I never thought to find a bright new voice and such an exceptional writer for the acoustic music scene living in Hong Kong! Little did I know that a few months later I'd be listening to her great new CD back in the UK."
Ralph McTell, probably the best known of the UK's singer-songwriters commented during his March 2000 Hong Kong concert visit: "A unique voice and excellent songs, a very special talent both as a singer and a composer, and I wish her good luck."
UK promotion and press releases have brought similar bouquets in magazine reviews.
Springboard are supporting Julie's professional return to Australia from in November 2001, promoting the album through radio and through press releases, and continue to promote the album in the UK and Europe
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Dave Goodes
Steve Smith
Dave Christopher
Paul Beavis
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