Artists a taste of new Tassie talent

BILLIE Raffety will be one of the many emerging talents being shown off at this year’s New Year’s event on Hobart’s wharf — alongside some of Tassie’s best.

The 17-year-old, of Elizabeth College, Hugo Bladel and Katy Raucher will be joining the line-up of 65 who’ll be taking the Taste into 2020.

“They asked me if I’d like to be involved and I was overjoyed,” Ms Raffety said.

“I’ll be playing with most of the members of Mumbo Gumbo, which is a Hobartbased funk band.”

Other emerging and established Tasmanian singers will also be singing, alongside one of the two house bands.

“I’m the youngest there and it’s been really amazing learning from these other singers,” Ms Raffety said.

The jazz, funk and soul enthusiast said she’d be singing Just the Two of Us by Bill Withers and the jazz standard Body and Soul in

Spanish, in what will be her biggest gig to date.

“I’ve done lots of smaller ones, but this is definitely the biggest, and I’m also really excited to attend and watch the other performers because that’ll be a great opportunity to learn as well,” she said.

The Taste of Tasmania’s New Year’s Eve Party runs from 6pm on December 31, and will include seven hours of live music and entertainment by all-Tasmanian artists.

Soul Truck will be joining Mumbo Gumbo as the second house band, and will feature local artists such as Jay Jarome, Crystal Sky, and Siobhan O’Rourke.

Hits from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and today, as well as originals, will make up the soundtrack.

Guests can dine out on food prepared by more than 70 stallholders while the performers will provide entertainment from five stages.

Tickets are on sale for $59-$99 at www.thetasteof tasmania.com.au