Tina Harrod City Of Longing

Powerful New Album

Songwriter and vocalist, Tina Harrod, releases a breathtaking new album City Of Longing, with a launch concert at the Basement, Sydney, Wed 11 April. Concerts in other cities announced soon.

City of Longing was co-written and produced by brilliant composer/pianist Stu Hunter who has worked with Passenger, silverchair, Portishead, Alex Lloyd, Delta Goodrem, Russell Crowe, Katie Noonan and many others.

Tina's fifth album takes her songwriting and mind-blowing vocal skills to another plane. City of Longing is an emotionally charged, soul-wrenching set with real musical depth, performed by creative and adventurous musicians.

"Like Eartha Kitt in a contemporary context, blowing your mind with its lyrical content and luscious sonic capability, Harrod's voice … gives the gift of musical ascension." Sydney Morning Herald.

"My goal is to achieve cohesion, marrying different styles and ideas together to create their own sound. I don't want to make a new soul record or a new funky jazz album; I want to create something that is unknown to me. Stu (Hunter) recorded and mixed the whole album. He went above and beyond with this project - meticulously researching and boldly experimenting with sounds - which is time consuming and it is really thanks to him that that I have an album I am really proud of." - Tina Harrod

The songs are delivered with cutting edge production in an aural landscape of cinematic breadth: Stu Hunter's innovative arrangements are outstanding.

Tina is acknowledged as one of Australia's finest vocalists and she continues to find further seams to mine and depths to plumb within her craft. Her voice is a mature and powerful tool conveying emotions that many of us wouldn't dare feel. Brace yourself and grab a drink before listening…

The Songs

Most of the material was co-written with Stu Hunter. Trophy Girl was written with Dave Symes (Boy & Bear, Sarah Blasko, Missy Higgins, The Sleepy Jackson). The title track City of Longing was written with acclaimed jazz pianist Matt McMahon and Until I Hear from You was written with Aron Ottignon another extraordinary jazz pianist, in Paris.

Tina Harrod: "There are songs about relationships, about turmoil in relationships, another about leaving the city … but I'm driven by what I see in politics and the way the world is run and the systems that run it."

"Stu & my musical relationship is the real glue in this album because we started it together from the ground up. We wanted a cohesive sound and recorded it with the one rhythm section of Dave Symes (bass), Evan Mannell (drums), Stu (keys) and Cameron Deyell from LA on guitar."

The music draws from the deep well of soul and jazz yet is edgy, unusual, definitely innovative. For a moment you'll feel a familiar groove but in the next, a jolt from an unexpected twist will drive the song to a darker place or an emotional space you've never thought of before.

Born in New Zealand with Fijian and Welsh heritage Tina is a multi-award winning Australian recording artist. Tina's four albums have received high critical acclaim and the fifth, City of Longing, is released in 2018.

"The power of Nina Simone with the expression of Billie Holiday, yet Harrod's individuality is never compromised." - The Australian

Tina has worked as a vocalist with Jimmy Barnes, Paul Kelly, Diesel, Vika & Linda Bull, Katie Noonan, Paul Grabowsky, The Whitlams, Guy Sebastian, Thirsty Merc, Wendy Matthews and Jackie Orszaczky.

She has performed her own music extensively in Australia and Europe including Sydney Opera House, Perth International Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival, Sydney Festival, JazzAhead in Bremen, plus Sziget Festival, the Palace of Arts and Budapest Blues Festival in Hungary.

Tina lives on Scotland Island, north of Sydney and is the founder /artistic director of the popular Northern Beaches music venue The Co-op Club.

Award winning composer, pianist and producer Stu Hunter is a prolific and genre-defying musician. He has collaborated and or toured with dozens of artists including Passenger, silverchair, Portishead, Delta Goodrem, Alex Lloyd, Russell Crowe, Katie Noonan, Darren Hayes, Marcia Hines, Jackie Orszaczky and Sally Seltmann.

He has produced albums for Sarah McLeod, Martha Marlow, Artefact, Wes Carr, Leroy Lee and also Tina Harrod's previous album

Stu's own music is described as "intensely emotional and humanely intelligent." His most recent recording and suite The Migration won two Jazz Bell Awards and was nominated for the Best Jazz Album ARIA.