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Pippa Hayes

"Hayes has a coy and coquettish voice, lazy and sensual as Quaaludes and honey ... this singer has great things to say and the chops to say them.”

This review by C. Michael Bailey from the website, All About Jazz, beautifully summarizes the vocal qualities of Australian vocalist, Pippa Hayes. Born in the Cook Islands and based out of Queensland, music has been a part of her life since she was a young child. As Hayes recalls:

“One of my earliest memories was of my mother singing lullabies with a baby in her arms...I remembered then it would've been a moment of respite for her as she was a busy person.”

As she continued to grow, more music would be introduced into Hayes’ life, largely thanks to her Nanna. It was her who pointed out to a young Pippa how to listen to individual voices in church choirs and through her own singing, introduced a growing young mind to the music of Irving Berlin and George & Ira Gershwin. Listening turned to performing as Hayes began singing “God Save The Queen” during assemblies at her primary school

Hayes’ love for music led to her delving into the work of many of the composers that her Nanna had introduced her to as a child. From there, she went on to discover other musicians and vocalists whose work she loved, including the jazz work of Louis Armstrong, and the classical cello playing of Jacqueline du Pre. In terms of vocalists, Hayes found herself drawn to famed singers Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Kirsten Flagstad, Jerome Hines and Luciano Pavarotti.

As much admiration as Hayes has for her favorite vocalists, she also has great reverence for the advice that jazz legend Miles Davis gave about not being a mockingbird. Just as he strived to develop his own unique sound, Hayes has tried to follow in his footsteps and interpret and perform even the most familiar of songs in her own unique way. Even critically acclaimed jazz musician, George Golla couldn’t quite place Hayes’ voice when he worked with her on her album, It Had To Be You.

Released in 2010, It Had To Be You has been gaining quite the following and for good reason. Recorded at the prestigious James Morrison Studios in Sydney, Australia, Hayes’ CD not only has a number of fantastic performances from her, but also includes arrangements from George Golla and trumpet playing from world renowned musician, Bob Barnard. The reviews have been nothing short of glowing.

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Album Review

Pippa Hayes: It Had to Be You

Read "It Had to Be You" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Australian vocalist Pippa Hayes is foremost an educator, but that old saw about “those who can...do and those who can't...teach" does not apply. Hayes is perfectly comfortable performing, with an infectious method and effortless grace. She has a coy and coquettish voice, lazy and sensual as Quaaludes and honey (in places, almost too much so). However, Hayes harbors no fear stylistically, putting it all out there with a relaxed confidence. She shows perfection on Hoagy Carmichael's “The Nearness of You," ...

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"A debut album can be a hit or miss affair, an artist can either choke from the pressure or smack a home run. In the case of Australian vocalist Pippa Hayes, the result is a grand slam." - MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS

“It Had To Be You is a spine-tingling collection of jazz standards sung with real soul and deep-seated passion." - TOP 40 CHARTS

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