Hollie Smith to reissue 'Long Player', announces 10th anniversary tour

Photo by Steven Langdon

Ten years after its original release, Hollie Smith’s debut album Long Player will be available on vinyl for the first time. To celebrate its anniversary Warner Music NZ will be releasing the original 10 track album on a 2LP gatefold set on September 8. The set will also include five bonus tracks from Hollie’s career thus far including ‘Bathe In The River’.

Recorded at Trident Studios in Wellington, Long Player was co-produced by Hollie and Jeremy Toy (Opensouls, She’s So Rad, Leonard Charles) and mixed and mastered by US based engineer Dave Cooley (Rodriguez, Isaac Hayes, J Dilla). Upon release, the album debuted at #1 on the NZ Top 40 Albums Chart and held its place in the top ten for eleven weeks,  going on to achieve double-platinum status.  Long Player followed on from Hollie’s breakout moment with the Don McGlashan penned ‘Bathe In The River’, from The Mt Raskil Preservation Society, commissioned for Toa Fraser’s film No.2. The track captivated the nation in 2006 and spent 37 weeks in the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, peaking at #2.

Long Player is also noted for gaining the attention of Bruce Lundvall, the President of Blue Note Records, who signed Hollie to the legendary American jazz label after listening to the album one morning and being "completely overwhelmed by her original and soulful voice".

Following the release of Long Player, Hollie went on to win ‘Best Female Solo Artist’, ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’, ‘Best Aotearoa Roots Album’ and ‘Best Producer’ (with Jeremy Toy) at the New Zealand Music Awards in 2007.

To celebrate the release, New Zealand’s first lady of jazz and soul will celebrate with a nationwide tour, with stops in Wellington, New Plymouth, Christchurch, Port Chalmers, Tauranga and Auckland. Along the way she will be supported by the award-winning Mark Vanilau and APRA Silver Scroll nominee Teeks.

Hollie Smith Longplayer 10th Anniversary Tour

Thursday September 14: San Fran – Wellington (with special guest Mark Vanilau)

Friday September 15: Mayfair – New Plymouth (with special guest Mark Vanilau)

Friday September 29 - Arts Centre, Christchurch (with special guest Mark Vanilau)

Saturday September 30 – Seafood Festival, Port Chalmers

Thursday October 5 - Totara St – Tauranga (with special guest Mark Vanilau)

Friday October 6 - Crystal Palace – Auckland (with special guest Teeks)

Tickets via Cosmic Ticketing