In many ways not a lot has changed about Tauranga music in the last 15 years or so.
There is still a fitful live scene with only a couple of venues offering regular original live music; there are still only a handful of bands – some new, some the same – recording and putting out albums; there is still little support of local music from mainstream local radio.

But a couple of things are different. On the bright side, we do now have a radio station, Kiss-FM that plays local music.
However, the biggest change to me has been the improvement of Tauranga's recording studios, to a point where two of them at least, Colourfield Studio and The Boatshed, are now turning out albums of national and international quality. One of the great pleasures of recent times has been to listen to new releases from each studio and hear the studio guys – Tim Julian and Nigel Masters respectively – getting better and better results with each album.
This week I've been listening to the new album out of Colourfield, Light My Heart by Elizabeth Robinson, and again it proves that recordings from the Bay can stand alongside anything from anywhere. It is a beautiful album.
A little background first perhaps.
Some six months ago a Welshman, Jeff Murphy, a scriptwriter for film and television, walked into the Colourfield Studio looking for a female singer. Fortunately Tim Julian knew just the person. Elizabeth Robinson had sung on a few jingles and recordings for him, but wasn't doing much musically at the time. He put her together with Jeff and a magical combination was formed.
Since then the three of them have become both business and musical partners, with Elizabeth's album to be released on the studio's newly formed record label, Fragile Colours Music. Jeff has now headed back overseas for more script work and hopes to place some of the album's songs on the various projects he is working on. He plans to return at the end of the year for them to record a follow-up. This album – a short piece at just under 30 minutes is a calling card for radio and the industry, a first stab at getting Elizabeth's name out there in the wider world.
So what does it sound like?
Well, in a word, fantastic. Elizabeth has an astounding voice, rich, pure and strong, with great control and warmth. The songs, aside from one of Elizabeth's, are by Jeff, and Tim has assembled a batch of the Bay's finest to enhance the beds created by his keyboards and Jeff's acoustic guitar. To that end Mike Kirk (Kokomo) plays guitars, Steve Mills drums, Wayne Melville (Torch Songs) bass, and Rod Laurenson saxophone.
The album kicks off with a war lament based around A E Houseman's WW1 poem 'Here Dead We Lie”, with Jeff reciting a few key lines from the poem. It is simple and beautiful. I happen to think that the Houseman lines used are some of the greatest war writing ever and, spoken in Jeff's rich Welsh voice surrounded by a beautiful melody and Elizabeth's singing, it makes for a moving experience.
But that is not typical of the album which leans more towards a cross between light pop and stately folk music. Jeff has really good ear for a melody and it is shown off well on the poppier 'Cool Rain” and 'Hey, Hey Hey”, the latter leaning towards a gentle Michael Franks' feel. On the folkier end, 'Stay With Me” has the control and poise of Canada's McGarrigle sisters while 'Light My Heart” recalls Jeff's heritage by using a barbershop quartet (Harmony 4 Quartet) to simulate a Welsh male voice choir. It is an ambitious piece of arranging and recording and is expertly handled.
If I have a reservation it is that the lyrics throughout stray towards the generic: there is no imagery detailed or original enough to raise the songs above simply being pretty and pleasant. Perhaps that will come with the next album. As far as calling cards go, this is a brilliant start.
If you want to hear Light My Heart it is now on iTunes and Elizabeth's MySpace page or can be ordered direct from the studio at www.fragilecolours.com.