The result is the three Songbirds CDs containing over 50 original songs recorded in prison cells, cupboards, gyms and libraries, and produced by five-time ARIA-winning producer Paul McKercher (who’s worked with Iggy Pop, Hoodoo Gurus, Midnight Oil, Cruel Sea, You Am I) at the state-of-the-art Free Energy Device Studio.

“Many of the contributors had never sung into a microphone, or for that matter written a song before – hats off to their courage and often surprisingly good and heartfelt vocals,” says Cook, who starts his sessions getting prisoners to write a blues song about their life story.

“The look of joy on their faces when they hear their song back, professionally and sympathetically produced by people like Jim Moginie from Midnight Oil is the payoff for me.

“The tracks have been used as a ‘demo’ to get work post release, or just even as a reminder that the darkest period of their lives produced such beautiful music... Two of the singers were asked to appear on The Voice on the strength of these recordings,” he said.

CRC CEO Alison Churchill says the project has been a huge success in improving the outcomes of people who have a high risk of reoffending when they leave the prison system, opening up educational and vocational options on release, and ultimately resulting in reduced recidivism.

“This is a group of people who haven’t been seen, heard or valued and music is changing their lives by giving them some self-worth and a way of creating a new identity – they are now people who can sing not just someone who has been in prison,” she says.

Dobson, who travelled all over the state to correctional facilities to help inmates demystify the songwriting process, said she could see first-hand the joy that came to prisoners once they sang their stories.

“I loved watching the men in the workshops see that music is a sacred outlet for emotional expression, and encouraging them to articulate their feelings in song you could see there was a palpable difference, they felt better about themselves,” Dobson said.

At the CD launch this week, Luke Grant, the deputy commissioner at Corrective Services, said the Songbirds Project not only creates possible employment skills, but also helps ensure the wellbeing of people in custody.

“If you listen to the music, they are songs of regret and loss, sadness but also hope for the future – the whole human experience – and you get an idea of how sad they are, but that music can be transformative for prisoners. You can hear the authenticity in their voices in this recording,” Grant said.

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The music program runs in tandem with art workshops for prisoners run by the National Art School’s former head of sculpture Jim Croke and art therapist Carrie Fraser, all funded by philanthropy to the CRC. A theatre skills workshop began for the first time on Friday.

“It is so rewarding to see people escape from prison for a bit, while they are painting,” Croke said.

Long Bay’s Boom Gate Gallery, where the art produced in prison is sold, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in October, with a retrospective exhibition of prisoners’ art work.

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