The album, On a Turquoise Cloud, Marks the alluring debut album of American jazz vocalist Candice Hoyes.  Climbing to #10 on the American Jazz Charts, On a Turquoise Cloud interprets rare songs virtually unrecorded since Ellington’s own recordings. Produced by two-time GRAMMY® award winner Ulysses Owens, Jr., the album has garnered critical acclaim for both Hoyes and her exceptional octet. 

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Ellington created these high-flying songs to showcase versatile divas Adelaide Hall, Kay Davis, and Alice Babs, and this gifted ensemble reimagines them with a distinctly contemporary sound. These are the songs where swing first met classical, and they were a blueprint for much of today’s best musical theater, opera, and art song.

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Hoyes, a rising star in this generation of vocalists, is devoted to adding this missing piece to the Ellington legacy. To find the song manuscripts, Hoyes pursued months of archival research.

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The supple vocal lines of On a Turquoise Cloud infuse the signature Ellington harmonies with a sultry femininity, setting these tunes apart in his songbook. On a Turquoise Cloud brings a stunning corner of Ellington to light again, offering a fresh and stylish reading that ensures this music has new life.

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Candice Hoyes / Vocalist Ted Nash / Alto Saxophone, Alto Flute, And Clarinet Ron Blake / Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, And Flute Carl Maraghi / Bass Clarinet & Baritone Saxophone Marcus Printup / Trumpet Vincent Gardner / Trombone Adam Birnbaum / Piano Yasushi Nakamura / Bass Ulysses Owens Jr. / Drums & Percussion | Special Guests Joe Temperley / Bass Clarinet (Single Petal Of A Rose) Wycliffe Gordon / Trombone (Almighty God)