Sally Ford and the Idiomatics:

Premiere Album Launch: Every Happiness
Friday 12 September | Doors Open 7pm | Show at 7.30pm

The Idiomatics launch their highly anticipated debut album Every Happiness.

Recorded at Rolling Stock Studios and The Hacienda, and mixed by Myles Mumford, this vibrant, groove-drenched collection of original songs fuses Sally Ford’s story-led songwriting with sonic experimentation and contemporary sound design from Patrick Cronin, Michael Havir and Alice Garner.

These musicians bring a huge depth of experience to this project, drawing from diverse musical backgrounds including the ARIA-award winning Melbourne Ska Orchestra, Texicali Rose, Spaghetti Western Orchestra, Yothu Yindi, Xylouris Ensemble, Black Sorrows, Skazz, Dr Hernández, Pachuco Playboys, Sunshine Tip, Ska Vendors and Frank Yamma.

Their careers span funk, afro-Cuban, ska, reggae, jazz, rock, folk, film and theatre composition. This album synthesises their collective influences, blending live instrumentation with electro-acoustic sound design to create the Idiomatics’ unique sonic identity.

At the core of Every Happiness is Sally Ford’s unmistakable voice— commanding and infused with a sharp-eyed lyricism. Her storytelling cuts through the lush, genre-blurring instrumentation, creating music that is at once familiar and refreshingly new. The Idiomatics’ sound defies easy categorisation, offering an exhilarating fusion of groove, melody and evocative sonic textures.

THE IDIOMATICS ARE

Sally Ford vocals, flutes, sax
Patrick Cronin sequences, synth, valve trombone, whistling.
Michael Havir keyboards, electronic-fx
Alice Garner cello

"Sally Ford & The Idiomatics bring a strong and enduring – and ultimately eclectic – musicianship to the stage ... these musicians certainly don’t play it safe. Genre-blending and genre-bending, there is both moodiness and familiarity in their songs, a presence of nostalgia complete with Cronin’s forefront whistling like an echo of a memory”. Glam Adelaide, June 2023

"There’s a special kind of intimacy here. [a] superbly focused and talented band ... with the unique combination of traditional and modern instruments (and musical styles) cradling each piece and giving it different shapes and textures.”
Stage Whispers, Adelaide June 2023