George Telek

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

George Telek Mamua, usually called simply Telek, is a musician and singer from Papua New Guinea. He was born in 1959 in the village of Barovon near Kokopo in East New Britain province and is one of the few singers from his country with an international following. He sings in his mother tongue Kuanua and in Tok Pisin. Many of his songs are in three-part harmony, a feature of the Tolai, the people to whom he belongs.

Music and breakthrough

Telek used to sing with various bands in Papua New Guinea, above all with the Tolai group Painim Wok, where he was lead singer. In 1989 he met David Bridie of the Australian band Not Drowning, Waving. Together they recorded the album Tabaran, which came out in 1990 and was nominated for an ARIA Award in 1992. His first solo album Telek from 1997 won an ARIA Award for best world music album. Serious Tam followed in 2000, Kambek in 2002, Amette in 2004 and Akave in 2010, among others. Abebe is on the 1997 album.

Influence

His music combines traditional singing from the islands with guitars and contemporary production. The three-part singing gives the songs a warm, layered sound. For pop history Telek is an example of how local singing traditions from the Pacific reached a worldwide audience through collaborations with Australian musicians.

Listening

• 
  Abebe · George Telek, 1997

Discography

Studio albums

• 1990Tabaran
• 1997Telek
• 2000Serious Tam
• 2002Kambek (I Lilikun Mulai)
• 2004Amette
• 2010Akave
• 2015Celebration of a Legend

See also

• Music of Papua New Guinea