Colourful Characters: Paula Langlands
Author: CBOnline | Source: CBOnline | Date: 29-06-01
It all started with a teens radio show in Wollongong. From there it moved into nightclubs, cabaret and the theatre and into an occasional pub.
It took her all over Australia, through South East Asia and to the Pacific Islands, where she was described in a local French newspaper as having “wafted in on cloud of charm”.
Its seen her work with the likes of Judy Bailey, John Sangster and Don Burrows and brought her into contact with Dizzy Gillespie, Toshiko Akioshi and Dave Brubeck.
There were appearances on the TV soaps “Prisoner” and “Neighbours”, spots on live variety shows on the ABC, including “The Star Artist" (her very own) and a 10 year stint with the famous (or infamous) Graham Kennedy “In Melbourne Tonight” shows on Channel 9.
And that’s just a snippet of the career of Paula Langlands, who needless to say, is considered a bit of an all rounder in the industry. For her singing and breathing go hand in hand and they have since she was 10.
These days Paula mainly focuses on her first love, jazz. She leads her own six piece band, teaches and is the voice behind two specialist jazz programs on community radio.
“Jazz Made In Australia” (broadcast on the community radio satellite, ComRadSat), highlights the contribution Australian artists have made to jazz music. On Sydney’s Eastside radio Paula features personalities in jazz on her program “Straight Ahead”.
Oh, and if all that isn’t enough of a claim to fame, her brother is the eminent St. George Dragon’s footballer, Graeme ‘Changa’ Langlands (inducted into the sporting hall of fame, rugby league immortal and holder of a MBE for his contribution to sport), whose biography “Larrikin and Saint” will be on the shelves in July.
She used to kick up her heels and he used to kick goals, but don’t ask Paula anything about rugby league or Graeme anything about singing.