bassist, composer, producer, curator and interdisciplinary artist.
MUSIC / SOUND | FILM / TELEVISION
Samuel has performed with Allan Browne OAM, Paul Grabowsky, Bernie McGann, Missy Higgins, Iain Graindage, Louis Burdett, John Rose, Kate Miller Heidke, Erkki Veltheim, Andrew D’Angelo (USA), the Sun Ra Arkestra, Brian Ritchie (USA), Erik Griswold (USA), Vanessa Tomlinson, Tony Buck, Katie Noonan, The Brodsky String Quartet (UK), Mike Nock, and Indigenous artists William Barton and Aunty Delmae Barton. He is a member of the Australian Art Orchestra and has premiered works by Alvin Lucier (USA), Nicole Lizee (CAN), and Paul Grabowsky.
Pankhurst’s collaboration with Butchulla songman Fred Leone - Yirinda - combines ancient Butchulla songlines with Samuel’s eclectic contrabass and compositional style. The were stand out acts at 2019 Supersense: Festival of the Ecstatic, artists in residence at MONA FOMA 2019, and performed at Golden Plains festival 2020.
Samuel is currently developing a large scale installation/performance piece with legendary Indigenous artist Archie Moore. The piece tackles Australia’s rich tapestry of racism in the media. He is working on a major commission to write for the Australian Art Orchestra and Yirinda, plus a new sound design for prominent Indigenous dancer/choreographer Thomas Kelly.
As a producer/musical director he has worked with celebrated indie rock act ‘The Trouble With Templeton’ (Bella Union records UK), Grammy award nominated Hiatus Kaiyote, Brisbane art-punk iconoclast Gerald Keaney and the Gerald Keaneys, and legendary Indigenous singer songwriter Shellie Morris. Samuel was commissioned to compose the original score for ‘City Crush’ and ‘Leisure’ by filmmaker Mia Forrest. Both have been screened extensively at festivals around the world whilst the former was selected by the Cannes Film Festival.
Pankhurst is the composer, sound designer and audio editor for Wunungu Awara as well as dialogue editor on Bluey. He curates a monthly DIY open mic night called Vomit Cabaret and is the owner and artistic director of Poverty Castles: an East Brisbane based record label which works with super marginal local artists, on their terms.
contact: samuel@povertycastles.com