2008
Nightjar

Song For Victor Jara was written out of despair for the plight of this man, who was tortured and killed by the fascists in Pinochet’s military coup that overthrew and murdered Salvador Allende, the left wing elected president of Chile in 1973. It has become to be known as the other September 11th. I was asked to perform this song on the 25th anniversary of the coup in front of an audience of Chileans at Marrickville town hall in Sydney. I had the song translated into Spanish and read it aloud before performing the song in English. Everyone in the audience knew who Victor Jara was, it was a powerful moment for me. On a trip to Chile a few years ago, I visited his grave in Santiago.