Oranges and Sunshine, Elly Hoyt review by Barry O’Sullivan
The much awaited second release from jazz vocalist Elly Hoyt confirms that she’s an exceptional artist on the path to great success. In late 2010 Elly launched her self-titled debut album featuring sensational original works and sophisticated arrangements of standard jazz tunes which went on to win an Australian Jazz Bell Award in 2011 for Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album. Shortly after, Elly was accepted into The Jazz
Institute’s Stanford Workshop in the USA where she studied songwriting, as well as vocal
performance in Stanford California and in New York, leading to her compositional contributions to this album – Our Little Boy, Sink or Swim, On the Other Side and the title track Oranges and Sunshine.
Elly’s vocals have never sounded so very perfect as when she’s zooming away on breezy
renditions of Nature Boy and My Baby Just Cares For Me then soaring to vocal heights with her finesse and natural ability on It’ll Rise Again, written by Peter Sculthorpe specifically for voice and piano.
Elly’s band features excellent arrangements by Scott Griffiths with some magical improvisations, while Darryn Farrugia’s finely tuned and sympathetic drumming along with Jonathan Zion’s exceptional bass work contribute to making this album a first class effort and one to be really proud of.
Elly Hoyt – Voice and composition
Scott Griffiths – Piano and arrangements
Darryn Farrugia – Drums
Jonathan Zion – Bass
William Barton – Didgeridoo
Sarah Curro – Violin
Anita Quale – Cello
Thanks very much Barry, I think it’s a terrific album and not many people have heard it yet – the good review is much appreciated!
It really was a labour of love, we basically recorded the whole thing in one studio, ditched it, then started from scratch at the ABC. Then they were jack hammering the basement at the ABC 🙂
Then Peter Sculthorpe died the day we were recording “It’ll Rise Again”.
Elly, Johnny and Danny were a real pleasure to work with.
Thanks again.
Scott