The dessert that best describes Ellen Joyce Loo's voice is pave au chocolat et au rhum - a piece of rum chocolate cake. Mellow and not too sweet, her voice sweeps you to paradise.
Loo's solo guitar concert, 'This Land Was Made For You and Me', is her best show to date. The singer showed a lot of courage in conducting the whole gig on her own, with just her voice, her collection of guitars and an echo recording machine.
Loo began the musical feast with a version of Tat Ming Pair's Beautiful in Heart () played on an electric 12-string guitar. She continued with Choked , William So's That Person () and Tat Ming Pair's Autumn With No Breezes ().
I loved her adaption of the songs. They were sung with subtle emotion, and her gentle guitar strokes tugged at my heartstrings as well.
I was impressed by Loo's performance of her original song Say No to Non-fat (), with its layers of echoes building up the harmonies.
After a few more songs, Ellen introduced her guest, Fergus Chow, bass player of the Ripples Band. Together they performed a reggae version of Ellen's latest song, You're a Nobody (), which got everybody moving along with its pulsating beat.
Loo told us about her desire to produce a richer texture of music. Using a 10-cent coin, a can cover and a clip, she made a tiny drum that she stuck onto her guitar and then produced crispy sounds by hitting it with her fingers. She demonstrated flawless drumming skills in the breathtaking Song of the Big Thumb ().