Hello & welcome.

I’m  Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky - storyteller, singer, musician.

I work variously on stage, in bands, the theatre, schools, and in radio, documentary television, tourism and publishing.

2012 is my 41st year in the business, having begun in 1971 playing the humble tea-chest bass in The Bushwackers Band.

There’s biographical material elsewhere on this site, but for now…

 

Teachers

If you’re a teacher and wish to learn about my  SCHOOL SHOWS & WORSKHOPS, the best place to begin is with the Intro to Shows & Workshops, where you’ll find a list of everything available, and links to the details for each presentation.

Then to book or talk about the possibilities, please email or ring me on 0417 332 065.

There’s also an account of my past schools work you can look at.

 

The Storyteller’s Guide Shop

You may be here to purchase my new book/triple CD package  Me & Phar Lap  or the Bushwackers & Bullockies Bush Band album: if so, click the images below to go straight to them in The Storyteller’s Guide online shop.

To browse other shop items, click the shop front image on the right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re here from a festival or other gig, or just want to check out my ‘general stuff’… in that case go to Bio.

 

News

Me & Phar Lap

The talks I’ve been giving on the new CD/book package ‘Me & Phar Lap’ have been growing into a talking, singing, banjo playing talk-show, with people entranced by the voice of Tommy Woodcock as I play him off the CDs.

I’ll get a comprehensive blurb on this out soon, but if anyone wants it up your way, then call me on 0417 332 065.

The CDs are also being re-packaged as a ‘talking book’ for libraries, and they’ll be available in march 2012.

Monster Meeting of Diggers

This is a project about an 1851 meeting of 15,000 diggers on the Castlemaine goldfields. They were the first to stand up to the Victorian Government over the Gold License tax, and their actions were the first in what became the Eureka Stockade in 1854.

We’re working towards a double CD of songs, and a book of research, so watch this space.

 

 

Old News

Me & Phar Lap

My new book and triple CD set, Me & Phar Lap: The Remarkable Life of Tommy Woodcock is out. It’s Tommy’s life story – the tale of a boy who loved horses and became the symbiotic other half of the legendary racehorses Phar Lap (1928-32) and Reckless (1972-7). The book is now re-edited and updated, with the most comprehensive information to date on Phar Lap’s mysterious death.  (And no, I haven’t solved it yet…but it wasn’t ‘the Yanks’.)

The book is based on recordings I made of Tommy in 1984, and now at last  The Tommy Woodcock Tapes  are available as a 3 CD set and downloads. Have a listen to Tommy  talking. He’s a beautiful yarn-spinner, and a voice the likes of we’ll never hear again.

You can purchase the book and CDs out in my online store, and for reviews and other information go to www.meandpharlap.com.au.

Bushwackers & Bullockies Bush Band

The recent gigs (July 2011) from the re-formed Bushwackers & Bullockies Bush Band  were a hoot. We had a ball, the audience came primed for a good time, and all the old energy was here. So to anybody who came to Beechworth, the Lomond or Newport – thanks for coming and making it such a good time. Poster below if you want to drag on onto your desktop.

Cheers!

Bushwackers & Bullockies Bush Band posters