A style of music so unique to the Melanesian Pacific and still so prolific is stringband (guaranteed to make you smile) I first came across it producing ‘Tabaran’ in Rabaul, at the home of stringband,  Greg Seeto’s, Pacific Gold Studio’s. I fell in love with it and when we walked into Mongol Village whilst exploring Kavieng the capital of New Ireland, and discovered they had a village String band, (as most PNG villages do) we organised a session.

What is a stringband? Good question Tim, stringbands are bands made of strings, usually around four acoustic guitars all in open tunings, picking style playing different rolls; lead, rhythm and bass with a ukulele keeping the tempo and everyone sings in harmony. The Mongol Village band also had some percussion and dancers, and classic songs, we should have them finished to experience soon.