Design and Creation of Original Photo Art by Kirstin Vieg.
Letters to a Dream (October 1992), was co-produced with Barry Wolfison. Bevan Hannan writing for The Canberra Timess finds "[t]he instrumentals are infatuating, perhaps long-winded at times, but to Tillett's credit he sustains the mood, mainly due to the absence of electronics and a rhythm section. His bold operatic voice is engaging and he works an interesting interplay with backing singer Mary-Ellen Stringer".
"The cover picture from Letters to a Dream - taken in Bonn by Kirstin Vieg. It was somewhere near Beethoven's mother grave...which gave me the idea... I asked myself - what would Beethoven look like if he was exhumed? That was what we were trying to capture here. Kirstin was a true artist. She used Large Format photography and went to great pains to set up the shot. I think every photograph cost around $100. So it was a real passion and a statement for her to make, as the proverbial impoverished artist, at the time. She and her boyfriend kindly offered for me to stay in the old abandoned industrial site/warehouse where they stayed, to allow me to afford moving to Germany on a permanent basis. Eventually, she actually bought a share, and held on to one of the spaces for me for years, though I never did move there".
A "Large Format Photography" Camera.
There are many articles and reviews of this rare release, which talk about the mood of the album. It is haunting and other-worldy. It is, as all of Louis' albums tend to be, a reflection of the musicians he chose to bring out the qualities of the story and feeling of what he was trying to convey. Jackie Orszaczky's feel is inescapable, and he is, as usual, magnificent in this album. The "harpies" featured on this album were Mary-Ellen Stringer, who often sang with Paris Green, and other line-ups with Louis, and Jade Da Silva, who returned to sing with Louis in The Art Of Darkness (returning soon) - which featured the first Live performances of the songs featuring the "harpies", since this album was recorded. One of the defining sounds on this album were the percussion of Sunil De Silva, who also returned in The Art of Darkness.
Album Credits
Backing Vocals –Jade Da Silva (tracks: 2,3,5)
Bass – Jackie Orszaczky
Cello – Sarah Peet
Percussion – Sunil De Silva
Producer, Engineer – Barry Wolifson
Saxophone [Alto & Soprano] – Peter Boyd
Vocals – Mary-Ellen Stringer
Vocals, Piano, Organ [Hammond], Other [Hacksaw, Axe & Boltcutters] – Louis Tillett
Bass – Jackie Orszaczky
Cello – Sarah Peet
Percussion – Sunil De Silva
Producer, Engineer – Barry Wolifson
Saxophone [Alto & Soprano] – Peter Boyd
Vocals – Mary-Ellen Stringer
Vocals, Piano, Organ [Hammond], Other [Hacksaw, Axe & Boltcutters] – Louis Tillett
