Catch the ever-dynamic Deborah Conway at the Tanks Arts Centre this weekend, writes JESSE KUCH

Deborah Conway enjoys a special place in the hearts and minds of the music-loving Australian public.

The dynamic performer, songwriter and cultural mover and shaker has served as both an inspiration and bastion of strength for musicians and lovers of music for more than a quarter of a century, with her powerful voice and commanding presence on stage resonating equally with many different ages and persuasions.

But it is not just the stage or studio where Deborah leaves her mark, with her influence extending far beyond the borders of her own music. She also is artistic director of the biennial Queensland Music Festival, along with a multitude of other behind-the-scenes projects in collaboration with real-life partner Willy Zygier.

They returned to the studio over summer to bring us their ninth studio album Half Man Half Woman.

"It’s a very sonically narrow record, but genre wise it covers quite a lot of territory and is quite eclectic," Deborah says.

"We were trying to explore the boundaries of what two voices and two guitars can do together. We succumbed to augmenting a few of the tracks with bass and drums, one has a trombone part, there is a little bit of this and a little bit of that here and there.

"But by and large, there are no bells or whistles on this album, it’s a raw, immediate kind of record. But I think because it’s so rangy in genre, it was important for me to structure it in a way you could be gently deposited at the beginning of an emotional mood at the start of each song. It’s a lovely journey that snakes through a musical collage, dropping off at points along the way."

Taking to the road together for the first time in a while, Deborah and Willy are joined by Shannon Birchall from John Butler Trio and Tony Floyd from The Black Sorrows.

>> Deborah Conway performs at the Tanks Arts Centre this Saturday from 7.30pm. Tickets range between $30-$35, available now from www.ticketlink.com.au or by calling 1300 855 835.

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