What a gem! As always, your songwriting knocks me out. You were smart to put "After Hours" first. It's one of your best, what a great song. I also really loved Visions of Hope. It's a re-emergence of a theme I see in your writing, but it's as fresh as ever, a new way of speaking it and the music is so beautiful. I also really liked Sugar and Spice. Please tell Denee for me that her lead vocal on "Sugar and Spice" is terrific.....

The Promise of My Love -- wow. You have such a knack for putting these profound and subtle insights into language that is so musical and sing-able.

It's great to have the album on and be listening. I feel like you guys are right there...

—Linda Waterfall

CD Review: Ellen Silva’s “Vision of Hope”
By Ken Luey

I first met Ellen Silva at CCMC No. 2. In band class and later in the student concert, I played congas on her tune “River of Love.” This great song is built on an infectious Latin beat and it tells its story in a simple, straightforward way. At the time, I thought, “Boy, I don’t know who this is, but she sure is good.” That was 14 years ago, and every summer since then, one of my camp week highlights has been to hear Ellen’s new songs.

Ellen has now released her third CD, “Visions of Hope,” and most of the twelve songs contain all of the wonderful Ellen Silva musical signatures, including her own synthesis of world rhythms and grooves combined with direct lyrics that get right to the heart of the matter. In “Honolua Bay,” Denée Deckert’s fluid vocal and sparkling ukulele drift over breezes of Jeff Smith’s Hawaiian guitar, Preston Carter’s electric bass, and Sue Smith’s brushes, while Ellen provides solid rhythm guitar and harmony vocals. Denée sings:

Slow island rhythms will rock you to sleep
Even though I’ll be gone, dear,
Look for me in your dreams.

And what’s this happening on “Palm-filled Paradise?” Something like a languid chacha in a minor scale that goes into and out of a jazz blues feel. What great jam tune this would be. I could play it all night, and I have already enjoyed playing along with it. In this new crop of songs there are many things going on, some of which I have not heard before, and these things suggest that Ellen’s musical craftsmanship is increasing in its sophistication. “After Hours” is a swing tune with an attractive bounce in both the beat and melody. I like how the lyric and melody jump as Ellen sings: “I will be pleased to be in your com-pa-ny after hours....” Kristen Strom adds the finishing touch with burnished clarinet. The whole gang, including Karen SooHoo on drums and tambourine, John Treacy on mandolin, and Kristen on saxophone, channel Van Morrison on “Magic Happens (Whenever I’m with You).” It has a punchy R&B horn arrangement and fine, soulful mandolin from John.

For me, the killer tune is “Visions of Hope.” This song clearly establishes Ellen Silva as a master songwriter. It is filled with colorful intervals and sinuous lines. It has the tints and hues of “Stardust” or “Sophisticated Lady.” It is no frivolous jingle. Consequently, to my ear, it does not sound like an easy song to sing. And yet Denée hits all those color tones pure and on the mark. She displays marvelous vocal chops on this song and brings to it much feeling and heart. In closing, “Visions of Hope” covers a lot of musical ground, and it’s all ground that’s rich and deep. Ellen has tended to it with immaculate care and brings from it a bountiful harvest. “Visions of Hope” is highly recommended and I give it five palm trees.