BLUE SMOKE RECORDS

Music can change your mood, paint your experiences

and colour your memories. Ten years after the release of

For the Record - The Pixie Williams Collection,

Blue Smoke Records is proud to release

The New Blue - Pixie Williams Reimagined

Releasing 9 April 2021

Pre-save your digital copy here

Music has the power to transport us to another time and place.

Blue Smoke Records was established to do just that - to transport listeners to the music

of post-war New Zealand by restoring the magical recordings of Pixie Williams

more than 60 years after their release.

In 1949, as an unknown 21 year old, Pixie became a household name singing Blue Smoke, a song that appealed to post-war sentiments, evoking the emotion and sadness of parting loved ones heading to war. Little known today was that Pixie went on to record a further 12 songs, mixing universal themes and international musical styles with an unmistakable flavour of Aotearoa, New Zealand,

before slipping quietly from the limelight.

2021 PROJECTS

"The discovery and restoration of Pixie Williams' recordings is an important event

in the history of New Zealand music. It will make available to the public fantastic works

that would have otherwise been lost forever."

Stephen O'Hoy, Amplifier 2011

PROJECTS

Blue Smoke Records is proud to present three very special projects

to celebrate the music and story of

- Pixie Williams -

The Documentary

PIXIE

Maori TV

PIXIE is the remarkable story of Pixie Williams, our first pop star, and Aotearoa's musical pioneers.

Given New Zealand's post-war cultural landscape was more discriminating than today, PIXIE is the fascinating tale of how two self-taught artists from the same iwi came to make New Zealand recording history.

Director: Danny Mulholland

Producer: Julian Arahanga, AWA Films

The Live Show
The New Blue

Arts Fesitvals 2021

A unique festival performance showcasing the songbook of Pixie Williams and the music that influenced her life.

Songbirds Lisa Tomlins, Kirsten Te Rito, and Rachel Fraser and The New Blue Band bring Pixie's music to life, lighting the stage with songs that shaped a generation.

Dunedin Arts Festival

Regent Theatre, Dunedin

Tuesday, 13 April 2021

Festival of Colour

Pacific Crystal Palace, Wanaka

Wednesday, 14 April 2021

The Tribute Album

The New Blue

Remixed and Reimagined

Due for release on 9 April 2021 a select group of Aotearoa's leading and emerging contemporary artists have reimagined Pixie's recordings for today.

Each artist has breathed new life into their song and gifted their own magic to its creation, including the song that started it all for Pixie, Blue Smoke.

Reimagined with a new orchestral arrangement by Mike Gibson of Munki Studios with conductor Hamish McKeich directing Stroma FilmWorks Orchestra, The New Blue features Pixie's original vocals, alongside Lisa Tomlins and Kirsten Te Rito.

SUPPORTED BY

Blue Smoke Records gratefully acknowledges the following funding partners,

without whose support these nationally significant projects would not be possible.

He ao te rangi ka uhia, mā te huruhuru te manu ka rere.

The sky needs clouds to clothe it. Birds need feathers to fly.