Redemption Songs

07 November 2022

Redemption Songs

Murray Cook's inspiring music programme is changing the lives of hundreds of men and women in NSW prisons, building self-esteem, reducing isolation and providing new skills for reintegration into the community.

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Murray Cook, the author and coordinator of the Songbirds program is a musician, songwriter and performer who for over 40 years has toured internationally with Midnight Oil, Mental as Anything and the Warumpi band to name a few. For 21 of these years he also taught music at Long Bay Correctional Centre, and in 2017 converted decades of experience into a syllabus for this unique song writing program.

“The most important thing is that people listen to their stories through music for the very first time. It’s so important to them. It shows them their lives are valuable,” says Murray.

With three CD’s released, every song is written in the workshops and recorded in prison by singer/songwriters with little or no experience. Their sweet sounds emanate from the most unlikely places, with tracks recorded inside cells, bathrooms, and on occasion even in cupboards. Anywhere they can find a little peace and quiet. Some are reluctant at first, confidence, shyness, lack of self-worth all playing a role. However very quickly the course helps reveal their capacity to tell stories, demystify song writing, and release their voices into song. The results are as diverse as they are surprising, with tracks across blues, rock, rap, punk, reggae, spoken word and poetry.

“Prison can be a very tough place, yet somehow in the context of song, it becomes a sacred space. The barriers come down and people who may never usually communicate, work together to create music.”

MURRAY COOK

Made possible with funding and operational support from the Community Restorative Centre (CRC), Murray has brought an esteemed team of musicians, songwriters and producers to the Songbirds project. As mentors their priority is to help create meaningful music their students can be proud of, always hitting the right balance of professionalism while maintaining the ‘rough edges’ to ensure the honesty and rawness is retained.

“When they hear the song they wrote and recorded in a library or a cell, with backing vocals and all the instruments including drums, bass guitar, keyboards harmonica, the look on their faces is worth more to me than money. When they hear it, they think ‘I’m a singer’. And then they send it to their wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, kids. Their families are so proud of them – it brings them peace of mind,” says Murray.

Aside from the profound social and emotional impact, physiologically music has the potential to rebuild and redirect neural pathways affected by drugs and alcohol, and heal the impact of foetal alcohol syndrome. It also helps improve literacy, learning languages and even maths. These benefits, are increasingly acknowledged, reflecting the growing demand for the program across the state.

During the covid lockdown period, Murray’s daughter Maya (a producer/musician) created a video version of Songbirds to ensure continuity and keep people occupied over the challenging time. As a result, the potential and reach of the program has soared, with 5 more prisons now offering the course via closed circuit tablets, and up to 50 prisons rolling it out in the near future.

With increased demand for Songbirds, the offering now also includes art and theatre programs. All three are run in conjunction with the CRC which helps get people back on their feet following release. An entirely donations based organisation, steering them towards educational opportunities (ideally accredited courses leading to qualifications) including free courses in music, mixing, DJ’ing and art studies.

“There really are some great stories. James from Broken Hill, he’s an amazing young singer. He was asked to be on the Voice. He’s a very good song writer and since he got out I’ve met up with him a couple of times. He was working as a waiter, and now he also runs his own karaoke night and does gigs around town. He’s working two jobs and he’s also training to be a mental health and trauma counsellor. He’s really put his experience to good.”

As Murray embarks on the 4th Songbirds album, his motivation as a musician and a mentor hasn’t waned. He is immensely grateful for the change it has brought him personally, but more-so for the change song writing has brought the people he has met in jail.

“Once they get over the nerves we see some incredible stuff. You know their words are really profound. I always say to them, ‘people appreciate the incredible honesty you bring to your song. People want to hear your story and how you have survived such a tough life.’ It’s so from the heart.”