Fiona Joy Hawkins – Live at the Q

Live at the Q with Fiona Joy Hawkins and The Blue Dream Ensemble spans genre and style, there is no pigeon hole…… there is no ‘sounds like’. The album is a standout performance by New Age Composer and Pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins, and with the addition of the Blue Dream Ensemble, favourites from Fiona’s five award winning albums come to life.

“One of the brightest lights in the contemporary instrumental genre Fiona Joy Hawkins is poised to move into stardom” Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill Records)

CD review by Ian Dearden

It was something of a first to review these two albums – the CDs that cross my desk for review don’t usually have titles such as “Sensual Journeys”!!

I had no knowledge of Fiona Joy Hawkins before reviewing these two albums, but to give you a couple of points of reference, the album cover of “Sensual Journeys” contains a commendation from Windham Hill’s Will Ackerman and the notation, “New Age”, while the performances (centred around the romantic acoustic piano playing of Fiona, and her exquisite wordless vocals) are reminiscent of a stripped back Enya, or perhaps Loreena McKennitt in her more meditative moments.

Although Fiona’s voice is featured in many of the pieces, it is almost always as vocalise rather than singing lyrics.

The second of the albums, “Live At The Q” features the “Blue Dream Ensemble” providing sympathetic string, wind and vocal accompaniment, and has been superbly recorded at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Q Theatre, Penrith, NSW by Andy Busuttil from Blue Mountain Sound, who also plays clarinet, saxillo, Irish whistles, percussion, sings and co-produces!!

Song titles are suitably new ageish – Contemplating, Flight of the Snowbird, Frozen Rose are examples from “Sensual Journeys”, while the live album includes pieces such as Cerulean Interlude, Feeling Sunshine and Through Cloud.

This is beautiful, peaceful and relaxing music, much of it sounding (in the best possible way) improvised.

Popping either or both of these albums in the CD player (but not at the same time) would be a perfect way to chill out at the end of a tough day on the job, or after you’ve put the kids to sleep and you need to dramatically reduce your stress levels!!