Fiona Joy Hawkins’ New Single and Video

June 29, 2020 Leave a comment

Fiona Joy Hawkin’s Presents New Single and Video
Calling County Clare

Music for this moment… A piano journey that finds joy. Calling County Clare is the first track on Fiona Joy’s upcoming album Moving Through Worlds due out 7 July. Calling County Clare is a Celtic dance and joyful celebration featuring piano with Irish Whistle, guitars, accordion and rhythm. In the video Fiona is standing on the shores of Town Beach at Port Macquarie and calling to the shores of Ireland. There’s some really beautiful drone footage of the Irish coast throughout the video shot specifically for the clip.

Fiona Joy Hawkins is an Australian Pianist, Composer and Singer who enjoys and regularly tours China and the USA and is also a member of the Contemporary instrumental group FLOW (Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Will Ackerman). Fiona Joy Hawkins is best known for her romantic, melodic songs and lush arrangements. A prolific composer, she has always been interested in creating music that evokes images, emotions and tells stories.

Fiona Joy is known for ‘Grace’, her song on a Grammy Winning album in 2014 and for her extensive catalogue produced by Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill Records). In 2016 she won two categories of the Independent Music Awards at the Lincoln Centre in New York and has been awarded Best Piano Album by International Radio (ZMR Awards) for several of her albums. Nominated alongside Pete Seeger for Best LIVE Performance Album in the Independent Music Awards,Fiona was an ARIA Finalist in Australia in 2008. Fiona works with Australian piano maker Stuart and Sons, and has several albums with Blue Coast Records (content partners with Sony Music for hi-resolution releases).

Watch the Video (Premiered last week on Scenstr) for Calling County Clare here

Blue Coast owner/producer Cookie Marenco says, “Fiona’s melodic solo piano and masterful performances are the perfect music to debut the kind of clarity double DSD audio brings to the home listener,”

“One of the brightest lights in contemporary instrumental music, Fiona Joy is poised to move into stardom,” -Will Ackerman, Founder of Windham Hill Records

“Calling County Clare” is OUT NOW via FOGHORN/MGM.

Streaming “Calling County Clare”
Stream on Spotify
Stream on Bandcamp
Stream on Apple Music

Connect with Fiona Joy:

For further information, Files, CD and Interview Requests please contact:
Marshall Cullen at Foghorn Media
0416 143 030
marshall@foghornrecords.net

REBECCA DANIEL AND FIONA JOY HAWKINS – THE LIGHTNESS OF DARK

August 2, 2019 Leave a comment

REBECCA DANIEL AND FIONA JOY HAWKINS JOIN FORCES TO CREATE THE LIGHTNESS OF DARK –A POWERFUL MUSICAL EXPLORATION OF LOSS, MOURNING AND FINDING BEAUTY AMIDST LIFE’S SADNESS

Blending New Age and Contemporary Classical Crossover Music, Daniel (Violin/Voice/Piano) and Hawkins (Piano/Voice) Will Be Supporting Their Cathartic and Healing 11 Track Album With A Tour in Fall 2019

Leonard Cohen once said, “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

Australian instrumentalists Rebecca Daniel and Fiona Joy Hawkins place this insight on the back cover of The Lightness of Dark to illuminate their creative and spiritual vision behind the project –their first dual album after many years of live and studio collaborations. The two explore the many facets of life and loss, the search for something positive in the crippling shadows and the potential beauty that can emerge from mourning and sadness

The Lightness of Dark weaves its lush, cathartic narrative via music with varying instrumentation depending on the emotions the two are expressing. The opening track “Heavenly Voices” blends string quartet (featuring The Kanimbla Quartet)with organ, piano and vocals. Other tracks feature solo piano (“Ghosts, Insanity, Angels”), piano/violin duet (“Elegy”), piano with quartet pads (“Lake of Contemplation”), string quartet only (“Interwoven Threads of Chance”), string quartet featuring piano (“Empty Moments”) and other combinations uniquely fitted for the compositions they imbue.

“We believe our album will connect with everyone because we all experience loss in varying forms,” Fiona says. “It can be the loss of youth, a loved one, a pet, your health…Life changing events where we are left to mourn because of loss. People only face their own issues when you lead them to a safe place to do this.”

Rebecca and Fiona have enjoyed a long history of collaborations and are looking forward to working with renowned Australian Producer Llew Kiek. They have performed over 50 concerts together including at the Sydney Opera House for the 2012 MusicOz Awards, New Orleans for 2014 ZMR Awardsand 2017 Sydney Women’s International Jazz Festival-and Rebecca has appeared on nearly every one of Fiona’s solo albums. The two have played together as part of Fiona’s Blue Dream Ensemble, and Rebecca produced the group’s album Live at the Q.

Rebecca Daniel studied violin and chamber music with Emanuel Hurwitz and the Amadeus String Quartet at The Royal Academy of Music. She worked withTrevor Pinnock and Simon Standage, and The Australian Chamber Orchestra, and was Orchestra Leader for Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast. She has recorded and performed with, John Denver, Bread, James Galway and the Chieftains, Will Ackerman, Shirley Bassey, Barbra Streisand, Men at Work and INXS.

Fiona Joy Hawkins, a Conservatorium-trained pianist, renowned for her romantic, melodic songs and lush arrangements, is a prolific composer who regularly tours China and the USA and is also a member of the Contemporary instrumental group FLOW (Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Will Ackerman). Fiona’s song “Grace’ is on a 2014 Grammy Winning album, and in 2016 she won two Independent Music Awards at the Lincoln Centre in New York. She has several Best Piano Album ZMR Awards and has worked with Producer Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill Records and Cookie Marenco (Blue Coast Records) for hi-resolution audiophile recordings.

Soundslikecafe is proud to feature this brilliant album and the leading single Elegy appears on the July Playlist.

Checkout the entire album here

Social

fionajoyhawkinsrebeccadaniel.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/FionaJoyHawkinsRebeccaDaniel

Tailor Birds – WHERE WILL WE GO TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CROWS

October 2, 2018 Leave a comment

tailor birds-crows-Artwork high resnewWEB

To be released Friday October 5 Soundslikecafe is proud to feature this excellent new album from Tailor Birds

WHERE WILL WE GO TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CROWS

Australian Release October 5
and tour dates to follow

Sophie Kinston is Tailor Birds.
Tailor Birds newest album is music that soothes the soul, warms the spirit, and ignites your passion.
Even though the content is 6 songs they are each a 7-10 minute ‘Piece’ forming an album length body of work. Following the success of the previous work ‘Stilts on the Water’ (a single 40 minute piece) this release explores further electro/folk/world territory with more instrumentation such as Piano and Flute added to the already lush soundscape. Recorded in various studios throughout Europe while on tour and mixed and mastered at Damien Gerard Studios Sydney the sonic quality is exceptional.

In Sophie’s own words“Tailor Birds combines electronic violin, live looping, foley art, percussion, and rich harmonised vocals, to create a sound like no other. A sound that is all about the vibe and positive energy, building an audience that is as diverse as much as it is one, you could say that Sophie is a traveling troubadour. She believes that music should not just be about playing one gig after another with just the music making an impact, but is also o about connecting people to something good again, in a world that is constantly changing. Music needs to inspire and placing Tailor Birds in a space that can do just that, it makes an impact greater than you could ever imagine.”

Checkout Sophie’s Toyota Hi Ace Rebuild to a touring home and stage now at 775 000 views

Tailor Birds is currently touring through Australia and Europe

“Faint echoes of Kate Bush here, Enya there but really like neither and often much spookier”
–Michael Smith – Rhythms Magazine

Tailor Birds’ key influences are Sigur Ros, the Kronos Quartet, Bear’s Den, Chet Faker and more.
-=Sophie Kinston

Connect with Tailor Birds
Website
http://www.tailorbirdsmusic.com/

Facebook
www.facebook.com/tailorbirdsmusic

Twitter
twitter.com/tailor_birds

Hear The Album

Fiona Joy (Hawkins) – New Single – Grace Chill Remix – Out Now

September 17, 2018 Leave a comment

Fiona Joy (Hawkins) – New Single – Grace Chill Remix – Out Now

Soundslikecafe is proud to feature this International Tune on the new September 2018 playlist

“I originally wrote Grace as a piano instrumental and it ended up on a Grammy winning album in 2014. I wanted to add words and record my own singer/songwriter version as I really connected with the message in the song “To be with Grace, To live with Grace, Always with Grace’. A slower acoustic recording was followed by a chill mix which featured on the first Say Yes To Love album in support of marriage equality. This current remix of Grace is punchier Dream-Pop.
The track features Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel) playing NS Bass, Marc Shulman (Jewel & Suzanne Vega) playing Electric guitar with a little Beat-Box by my son Nick Hawkins.
The song has genre hopped from World to New Age to Pop and it’s been covered by a number of other artists including Flutist Sherry Finzer and Grammy winners Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman.

Connect with Fiona:

Website

Facebook

Joseph L Young – Every Moment (Official)

August 7, 2018 Leave a comment

Annoyed by Restaurant Playlists, a Master Musician Made His Own

August 4, 2018 Leave a comment

From NY Times –

by Ben Ratliff

Last Autumn a friend told me a story about Ryuichi Sakamoto, the
renowned musician and composer who now lives in West Village, New
York. Mr. Sakamoto, it seems, so likes a particular Japanese

restaurant in Murray Hill, and visits it so often, he finally had to be
straight with the chef: He could not bear the music it played for its
patrons. The issue was not so much that the music was loud, but that
it was thoughtless. Mr. Sakamoto suggested he could take over the
job of choosing it, without pay, if only so he could feel more
comfortable eating there. The chef agreed, and so Mr. Sakamoto
started making playlists for the restaurant, none of which include any
of his own music. Few people knew about this, because Mr. Sakamoto
has no particular desire to publicise it. It took me a few weeks to
appreciate how radical the story was, if indeed it was true. I consider
thoughtless music in restaurants a problem that has gotten worse over
the years, even since the advent of the music-streaming services,
which – you’d think – should have made it better. If I’m going to spend
decent money on a meal, I don’t want the reservation-taker, the dishwasher or someone from the back office to be cooking it; I want someone who is very good at cooking food to do it. The same should apply to the music, which after all will be playing before, during and after the eating. I would prefer that music not seem an afterthought, or the result of algorithmic computation. I want it chosen by a person who knows music up and down and sideways: its context, its dynamism and its historical and aural clichés.

Joseph L Young – New Album – Every Moment

July 24, 2018 Leave a comment

Joseph L Young – New Album – Every Moment

For his fifth album, acclaimed flutist Joseph L Young returns to the instrument which first awakened his muse—the saxophone.

Every Moment marries soulful sax with flowing new age melodies, lightly sprinkled with elements of ambient textures and chilled rhythms. All of this is wrapped up in Young’s usual top-notch production quality. Prepare to hear Joseph L Young in a whole new light, where every moment is musical bliss.

The critics weigh in on Every Moment

The many layers of instrumentation make the 12 tracks on this CD a delightful journey for the listener. The use of the synthesiser layered between the sax is brilliant. The atmospheres are a combination of new age and smooth jazz. I love that combination and most certainly would like to hear more. The variety is what draws me and keeps me interested… Joseph L. Young gives us another masterpiece of sound and colour to listen to…say or Every Moment of this gift of music and spirituality and thank Joseph when you can.5/5 StarsKeith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

As I move into my 30th year of writing music reviews, I continue to be amazed by the high quality of music coming in here each and every day… and Joseph’s high quality work on his new release[Every Moment] is one of the best examples of that perfection…I give this album a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.99… it is definitely an album worth owning and will give you aural pleasure for years to come. Dick Metcalf/ Contemporary Fusion Reviews

Every Moment by Joseph L Young is one of the finest albums I have heard this year, there have been a few now but it’s so pleasing to hear so much quality out there. Young…has opened his heart and embraced his original muse, the Saxophone, and manifested something so pristinely beautiful, that it will flourish in all corners of the musical world.

Music composed, performed, engineered and mixed by Joseph Lee Young, except as noted on the album. Album artwork by the artist. Produced by Joseph Lee Young and Lenise Redding. Mastered by Andy Mitran at Mitran Studios, Chicago.

TRACK LISTING

Prism 5:38

Falling Through Time 4:49

Every Moment 5:07

Twilight 4:21

Time Traveler 5:18

Once In A While 4:26

Vicariously Blue 5:07

Continuum 4:44

Chronos Dreams 5:56

Letting Go 4:30

Eleventh Hour 5:46

Evening Repose 6:11

Ivona Rose – New Album – So Modern

July 24, 2018 Leave a comment

Ivona Rose

Central Coast based Ivona Rose is a raw, evocative, dreamy, honest and uncompromisingly unique artist. Her music is where eccentric melody marries poetic song writing. Hand carved like insignia on pavement, her tales of suburban life are as being lead through an enchanted garden, by a haunting hymn.

Currently only available in cafes her debut album “So Modern” will be released worldwide July 27. Produced with Brian Campeau at “The Plex” recording studio, it is a collection of 10 carefully selected and crafted songs. Featuring Zoe Hauptmann on Bass (Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, King Curly), Evan Mannell on Drums (Sarah Belkner, The Alcohotlicks, Self Titled Artist), Emily Palethorpe on Cello (Sarah Blasko, Accent Strings), Casey Nicholson on Trumpet (Ngarukuruwala, The NEO, The Boom Band Krewe) and Brian Campeau on Guitars and Synth.

The Album will be Launched in Sydney on the 13th September at Django Bar (see link below for tix)

LAUNCH

QnA

What is the first record you bought and why?
It was Joni Mitchell “Hits and Misses” and it was a tape. Purchased to learn every word by heart.

Favourite artists of all time?
I have to say Bjork. It’s a hard question to answer and it doesn’t necessarily mean that my music is in the same genre or that I am aiming for a pop sphere but the truth is own all her albums, admire her creativity and boldness and when I feel that I’m just a bit too weird for the word, I take solace in Bjork.

What are your future plans for 2018/2019?
I plan to release and promote my debut album “So Modern” and do lots of yoga.

Ivona talks about So Modern “So Modern” the title track of the Album.

“If we live our lives as an avatar of ourselves, what are we giving up of our true self to uphold that image and where do we go from there as a society?” (Ivona Rose) So Modern questions the impact of technology, how we are using it and what we are losing as a society in the process. A dance between Autoharp, Guitar and Zoe Hauptmann’s expert Double Bass licks, take us to a time reminiscent of 60’s Go Go.

Fiona Joy Hawkins – New Album – Story of Ghosts

July 24, 2018 Leave a comment

Fiona Joy Hawkins – New Album – Story of Ghosts

Fiona Joy Hawkins – A name that resonates in acoustic music circles as one of this generation’s top contemporary solo piano artists. Having won many awards for her two previous solo piano albums, Fiona is destined to do the same with Story of Ghosts.

Fiona’s third solo piano album takes her fans on an introspective journey reflecting the past year of her life as she deals with its twists and turns (as we all do). The music is provocative and hauntingly beautiful.

“It’s much more classical and very connected to my roots” says Fiona of this new album. “There’s a lot of emotion in it; that part was challenging. But when I get feedback from my audience saying that I’m touching their lives, and in some way making a difference, that makes it worthwhile.”

Fiona has recorded for only two labels, her own Little Hartley Music for standard recordings, and Blue Coast Records – known for its high quality audio file recordings. Working with producer Cookie Marenco.

“Even CD quality is unsatisfying when you’ve heard DSD or SACD, especially when played on a high-end system” says Fiona.

The release in June 2018 marks the official launch date, the album is now available in high resolution down-load and on streaming channels.

Track list

1. Song for Dunnie [3:35]

2. Story of Angels [4:48]

3. Contemplating (Solo) [5:31]

4. Blue Dream (Solo) [3:12]

5. The Solo Tango [5:11]

6. The White Light [3:35]

7. Story of Ghosts [3:27]

8. Twilight [3:41]

9. Story of Insanity [2:52]

10. Before the Light [5:31]

Rachel LaFond – New Album – Encounters of the Beautiful Kind

June 14, 2018 Leave a comment

Encounters of the Beautiful Kind cover artwork

Rachel LaFond – New Album – Encounters of the Beautiful Kind

Come along on a powerful musical journey inspired by Rachel LaFond’s experience, of being a stranger in a new country. New Zealand to be precise where she now calls home.

This beautiful solo Piano Album was recorded in high resolution audio at her home and mastered by the golden ears of Mike Bloemendahl.

The music explores universal human experiences: feelings of loneliness, worries about not being good enough, and the evolution we undergo as existing friendships change or fade while new connections spring to life.

This journey culminates in the realisation that as we bear each other up and connect with one another, we make the world a more beautiful place for all of us.

About Rachel LaFond:

Rachel LaFond is an American composer and pianist who has been steeped in musicality her entire life. Her appreciation of the piano began when she was a toddler as her mother (a piano teacher) played with a young Rachel on her lap. She began formal lessons at age five, and by the time Rachel was eleven, she began teaching lessons herself. She lived in Vienna and studied piano performance there as a teenager, then returned home to major in piano at the University of Washington. After university, she continued to teach and perform professionally, but for years Rachel didn’t realise she had a talent for writing music hidden inside herself until David.

David she had met just weeks ago. Rachel couldn’t stop thinking about him on one rainy autumn afternoon, everything changed. Gazing out the window of her teaching studio, Distraction transformed into inspiration, and by the end of that evening she had finished her first original piece, Loving in the Rain. This first piece stood alone for a while as Rachel got swept up in life’s adventures: Rachel and David got married, quit their jobs, and embarked on a year of long-term travel around the world.

Rachel’s music is inspired by, and engages with, the full depth of human experience. Whether she’s capturing the heady wooziness of falling in love or responding to the chest-cracking pain of Barcelonans who suffered in the terror attack of summer 2017, her pieces are unflinching and compel the listener to lean into the feeling of the song for just a moment more. Rachel’s drive to bring beauty, light, and kindness to dark places through her music lends a striking sense of purpose to her creative work. And she’s just getting started.

Encounters of the Beautiful Kind, Track Listing;

1. Luminous; 5:30

2. Your Beauty Calls Me; 5:00

3. Heart Full Of Memories; 4:24

4. Tears For Catalunya; 4:31

5. You Will Conquer This Shadow; 4:32

6. Love’s Labour’s Never Lost; 5:08

7. The Questions Your Heart Asks; 4:59

8. Don’t Cry, Calvin; 2:46

9. Unrestrained Joy; 3:40

10. Shout To The Sun; 3:27

11. A Knight’s Journey; 3:22

Encounters of the Beautiful Kind Reviews:

Mainly Piano review by Kathy Parsons:

“Encounters of the Beautiful Kind begins with “Luminous,” a piece that starts out in a quietly reflective mood and gradually builds in intensity and passion, peaking and then becoming more subdued to the end – a great opener!”

https://mainlypiano.com/reviews/rachel-lafond-encounters-of-the-beautiful-kind

Contemporary Fusion Reviews By Dick Metcalf:

“Rachel’s expressive and bold approach to the keyboard wins her high marks from me again… songs like the opener, “Luminous“, will raise your spirit to new heights.”

http://contemporaryfusionreviews.com/bold-expressive-solo-piano-rachel-lafond-encounters-of-the-beautiful-kind/

All recorded in Auckland, New Zealand in Rachel’s home.

Mastering by Mike Bloemendahl

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Tag: Ambient music

Fiona Joy Hawkins’ New Single and Video

REBECCA DANIEL AND FIONA JOY HAWKINS – THE LIGHTNESS OF DARK

Tailor Birds – WHERE WILL WE GO TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CROWS

WHERE WILL WE GO TO BREAK FREE FROM THE CROWS

Fiona Joy (Hawkins) – New Single – Grace Chill Remix – Out Now

Fiona Joy (Hawkins) – New Single – Grace Chill Remix – Out Now

Joseph L Young – Every Moment (Official)

Annoyed by Restaurant Playlists, a Master Musician Made His Own

Joseph L Young – New Album – Every Moment

Joseph L Young – New Album – Every Moment

TRACK LISTING

Ivona Rose – New Album – So Modern

Ivona Rose

QnA

Fiona Joy Hawkins – New Album – Story of Ghosts

Fiona Joy Hawkins – New Album – Story of Ghosts

Track list

Rachel LaFond – New Album – Encounters of the Beautiful Kind

Rachel LaFond – New Album – Encounters of the Beautiful Kind

Connect and listen to Rachel LaFond:

Listen to Sounds Like Cafe

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