Elli Fordyce: Press

1) GILL COOK
SOMETHING COOL
MAINSTEM 45
I’m Old Fashioned / Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea / Happy Together / Something Cool / Old Devil Moon / Blue Skies / She’s Not There / Muddy Water / Daydream / Comes Love /
Joy Spring / When Lights Are Low. 56:46.
Cook, vcl, arr; Steve Waterman, tpt; Tim Whitehead, ts; Nick Tomalin, p; Arnie Somogyi, b; Paul Cavaciuti, d. 2006,
London, England.

2) ELLI FORDYCE with JIM MALLOY
SOMETHING STILL COOL
ELLI FORDYCE, nono #
When Sunny Gets Blue / Dindi / Hey There / One Note Samba / Don’t Blame Me / Wouldn’t It Be Loverly? / Almostst Like Being In Love / Imagination / Love Is Here To Stay / They Can’t Take That Away From Me / It Could Happen To You / I Thought About You / Something Cool. 48:30.
Fordyce, vcl, arr; Malloy vcl; Harry Whitaker, III, p, arr; David Epstein, p; Mark Wade, b; Joe Strasser, d; Samuel Torres, perc; Joe Magnarelli, flgh.
1999, 2002, 2006, NYC, NY.

I’m old enough to remember a day when to hear “Something Cool,” you had to dig out June Christy’s LP of the same name. And for a good number of years that remained true, as I guess there was some sort of tacit understanding in the vocalist community that the song pretty much belonged to her. Not so any more. Recordings of “Cool” abound: Cheryl Bentyne, Dardanelle, Julie London, Stephanie Nakasian, Tierney Sutton, Felicia Sanders, Julie Kelly, Eileen Farrell and—even—Judy Garland are just a few of the singers whose recorded versions are out there.

So, on (1), Yorkshire born Gill Cook [scroll down to (2) for Elli's review.] uses it as the title tune for her second CD, and she sings it much the way June did, in a voice to match—pleading her case without hysterics or self pity, just sitting at the bar and kinda staring into her drink, musing about the road that’s brought her to wherever she thinks she is. It’s one of the best tracks on the CD, with only the rhythm trio in support of the vocal. For the rest, this singer shows a firm grasp of phrasing and her scat (“Joy Spring”) is most convincing. She swings the opening “Fashioned,” as well as “Daydream” and “Lights” with ample dexterity. Steve Waterman’s smeary open horn is a bonus on the latter, but Cook’s tendency to occasional affectation creeps in with her insistence on singing, “daydreaming just like-A-me.” On “Comes Love,” she prefaces “nothing can be done,” with an annoying string of na-na-na-na-na-na’s, and during “Not There,” a dreadful song whose popularity must be laid at the rigor-mortised feet of a certain group of “Zombies,” she insists on some “woo-hoo-hoo”-ing. That track is all but rescued by Steve Waterman’s energetic quadruple (?) tonguing and squawkish trumpet effusions, plus some blowsy tenor from Tim Whitehead. And, in fact, the band is one of the CD’s great assets. The rhythm trio is solid and the horns always well placed and pungent, but one has to wonder why the producers thought thought that “Skies,” a solid track with strong open horn work from Waterman, had to end on such an imperious note of reverb. Also on the deficit side is the singer’s overcooking of “Muddy” in much the way a Las Vegas belter might. Then, she fails to snatch “Happy” out from under the feet of the Captain & (Toni) Tennille where it would have been wise to let it remain. That ditty, and “Not There” are the sort of items you might see in an IQ test series, where you’re asked to identify the items that don’t fit in a run. Still, these noted missteps aside, this is a vocal CD which weighs heavily at the Jazz end of the Jazz/cabaret vocal spectrum, and is most welcome for so being.

But, on (2), Elli Fordyce makes “Cool” very much her own. With only support from David Epstein’s piano, she acts out the tune’s inherent Blanche-DuBois-ness (“bet you couldn’t imagine I had fifteen different beaus who would beg and beg to take me to the ball”), and with just the slightest touch of parlando fashions an absolutely exquisite reading of the Billy Barnes lyric. Epstein alone backs her on “Imagination,” and—again—it’s a ravishingly speech inflected performance. Harry Whitaker takes over piano duties on the remaining 11 tracks, assisted by various configurations of the musicians listed in the header. His work throughout marks him as an accompanist every bit as responsive and resourceful as Epstein. Mark Wade on bass and Joe Strasser on drums are models of pliantly restrained support. Jim Malloy joins Elli vocally on five tracks (“Hey/One Note/Almost/Stay/Thought”) and fits into the album’s air of relaxed melodicism perfectly. Fordyce’s soprano isn’t particularly forceful, but rests easily on a lyric with a reticence that tends to heighten the sense of intimacy informing her interpretation of literate lyrics. She swings and scats on “Happen,” with tasty flugelhorn comments from Joe Magnarelli who’s also heard on “Dindi” on which Ms. Fordyce gives that serially recorded tune such an expressively coherent ballad reading, with Bossa implications, that it takes on the aspect of an entirely new song. It’s just one of the extraordinary tracks on this lovely CD. And I hasten to add that this album has forced me to temporarily set aside the misgivings I usually have when I read that the “basic tracks” were recorded in one location and the vocal tracks somewhere else, at a later date. Somehow in this case, it does not matter: the result is honest, seamless, authentically human music.

And did I mention that the notes say this singer is 70 years old? (Her photo on the cover shows her at a much younger age.) I’m not asking where she’s been all my life: I just hope she keeps recording for the rest of my life—and, perhaps, even beyond that.

Rob's follow-up comment after Elli thanked him for his wonderful review: Thanks for the recent post-review e-mail. In fact, my editor had to ask me to tone down the gushing praise and to not sound like we were old pals ... thank you for the wonderful music and good vibes. I'm very glad to know you and am looking forward to hearing you sing again and again.

Singer Elli Fordyce's debut Something Still Cool (EF Music) took its time in getting released (the basic tracks were laid down in 1999). At 70 years old, this vocalist clearly isn't in a hurry, and on Cool she takes us on a leisurely ride through a comfortable play list: "When Sunny Gets Blue," "Love Is Here It Stay," "One Note Samba," "It Could Happen To You," and nine others. Proving it's never too late to follow your dreams, Fordyce sings forthrightly with a hint of Anita O'Day and Peggy Lee in her voice. But if Fordyce's voice lacks the elasticity of a younger singer, she compensates with a deeply felt passion for the songs she performs. Surrounding herself with friends like pianist Harry Whitaker and Joe Magnarelli on flugelhorn, Fordyce also invites singer Jim Malloy to duet on a number of tunes and their repartee is charming. Fordyce, who claims her roots are in '50s jazz, should be proud of her first recording because it swings in all the right places. Better still, Something Still Cool has a plainspoken, late-night elegance and that seems to be the point - simple is sometimes better.

And from Nick's follow-up email after Elli thanked him for his review: As a "jazz critic," I get to hear dozens of releases a year from jazz singers and other musicians but your CD struck me as something special and I'm looking forward to your next one.

Best regards and continued success,

Elli Fordyce/Something Still Cool: Elli Fordyce is not exactly the Grandma Moses of female jazz singers, but releasing her first album at the age of 70 does require some explanation. In her case, long absences to raise a family and recover from an auto accident prevented her from ever putting together a body of work before now, though she has been singing off and on over the years. This collection of 13 standards, culminating with the June Christy signature piece alluded to in the title, shows that Fordyce plans to make up for lost time, and how. As Scott Yanow remarks in the liner notes, Fordyce excels at phrasing and giving the lyrics a knowing, personal touch. She won't blow you away with the technique of an Ella Fitzgerald, but she always maintains complete control and possesses a mature, slightly smoky tone that reinforces the personal twist she adds to the lyrics. Fordyce is at her best on the slower ballads, like "Dindi" (#2), "Don't Blame Me" (#5), "Imagination" (#8), and "Something Cool" (#13), where her stretching and relaxing the melodic tempo further emphasizes the lyrics. The program also includes five duets with Jim Malloy, most of which swing slightly, though on "Almost Like Being in Love" (#7) the pace almost gets a little too rambunctious. The solo "They Can't Take That Away From Me" (#10) also swings ever so slightly and sounds great doing it, proving that perhaps Fordyce swings best when she swings alone. However she chooses to swing, though, let's hope it doesn't take as long to crank out her next effort.

"Elli Fordyce with Jim Malloy: Something STILL Cool (1999-2006 [2007], EF Music): Fordyce is a singer based in NY, b. 1937, with her first album.... She likes the cool jazz of the 1950s, explaining that she hired trumpeter James Magnarelli for his fondness for Chet Baker. Malloy ... has an album of mostly 1950s bop standards called Jazz Vocalist. He appears in duets on 5 songs, and they make a nice pair.... Good liner notes; solid craftsmanship. B+(*)"

" ... Elli has a very attractive style, putting a lot of feeling into the lyrics she interprets while always swinging; her phrasing is quite infectious ... including five charming vocal duets with Jim Malloy, ... Her versions of such songs as 'When Sunny Gets Blue,' 'Don't Blame Me,' 'It Could Happen To You,' a touching 'Something Cool' and her duet with Malloy on 'Almost Like Being In Love' are among the highlights although every selection has much to offer.... Elli has her own sound and approach, making each song sound like her own."

[Scott Yanow is the author of Jazz On Film, Jazz On Record 1917-76, Trumpet Kings, et al]

"Lovely Lady, There are moments in time when, if we are lucky, we are given the opportunity to recognize a person with an elan, panache and joi de vivre that is 'heads above the maddening crowd, and, when I saw your pretty, preserved, angelic, savvy face and that you are 70, it blew my mind ... but, when I listened to you just levitating and swinging in that hip, jive way, I knew, Elli, that you are NOW and bring Yesterday to people that forgot they would ever hear magic except on a record or a CD. So, with that said, 'you hit the spot like a cool mint julep on an August night' and I will be returning to listen as I approach my 70th birthday on April 16 .. if and when you see Barry Harris give him a hug, give him a smile and tell him he is magic for recognizing your God-given talent. With that said, 'amen.'"

"ELLI FORDYCE/Something Still Cool: Talk about back in the day, Fordyce used to pal around with Bobby Darin. If she wants to make a back-in-the-day album, just get out of her way. Casting herself in a classic jazz vocal mode with a bunch of largely cool-school back-in-the-day tunes, this recalls an era from when 'diva' didn't mean spoiled brat -- at least in public. Equal parts classy, sassy and soulful, jazz vocal fans with a taste for a lite but real journey through the past will have a good time here."

For those of you in the New York area I wanted to share one of my fabulous buddies, Elli Fordyce, who's been doing a run at Kurio. Elli is a fantastic jazz artist and [2/2/08] is her closing night. I was there on opening night and had a fantastic time. The drinks were great, ambience was cozy, warm and intimate and the performance was extraordinary. Elli is a tasty delight for a cold Saturday night among friends. I'll be there this evening. I'd love to see you and share a delicious experience.

The DJs:

Dick Crockett, Voice" 88.7FM: "the "There's no rush, no hurry, let lovely waves of Elli Fordyce tempo and interpretive lyrics, overcome you."

Dick Hughes, Community Radio, Jazz Action, Productions: "Hello [from] Sydney, Australia. Thank you [Kate Smith Promotions] again for your generosity and supporting our public radio here. I am very impressed with the musicianship displayed on Something STILL Cool ... the CD ... what an impressive singer Elli Fordyce is, at such a mature age to be debuting in the recording world."

Bruno Pollacci, www.animajazz.it: "It's been a real pleasure to receive and to listen [to] your voice that I appreciate very much. I'll promote with passion your CD [on] my 'A Voice, A Soul,' a specific program dedicated to International Jazz Voices.... The listeners of 'Animajazz' and 'A Voice, A Soul' are from all Continents, weekly promotion is international to thousands of Jazz organizers, Labels, Owners of Jazz Clubs, Promoters, Associations, Critics, Musicians and Passionists, so it's real publicity for the artists in my programs.... "

Joost van Steen, The Netherlands, www.jazzbluestour.nl: "And again, a great CD from a 'Jazz-Diva,' at least that's my opinion listening [to] Elli's great CD!!! She has that full, mature vocal style which most young vocalists cannot bring (yet), so I really like what I hear and the CD will be an asset to my program. Thanks so much! ... My pleasure [for my] reaction [to] your CD, already listened to it 3 times and it will be the utmost pleasure to airplay it on my program [starting] February 5.... Respect for the album and your skills and lots of good luck."

Mark Robinson, New Zealand, www.georgefm.co.nz/jazz: I listened to Elli Fordyce this morning as I opened [Kate Smith Promotions'] packages. My notes on the CD read most favorably and as I speak it is being ripped to be loaded onto George Jazz -- Fav track on the CD being 'It Could Happen To You' but only 'cos I do like my jazz up-tempo as a rule. Very cool and classy CD release. Great work on there by the rest of the band with Joe Magnarelli playing beautifully. Elli does indeed have a smooth rich voice. I too heard Anita O'Day in there and perhaps a tiny bit of Blossom Dearie, but as the liner notes say, Elli has a wonderful voice of her own."

Bob Collins, The Jazz Café, WRHU: "Elli's new CD is first rate, nice mix of songs with stylish singing and great musical accompaniment."

Dr. Michael E. Matheny, IO Real JAZZ, RadioIO.com: "I will tell you what is sweet, the [release] I am writing you about, 'Something STILL Cool,' which I received yesterday by post ... have added these tracks to radioIO Vocal Jazz for immediate play, look at dis!

Almost Like Being In Love (w/ Jim Malloy), Dindi
Don't Blame Me, Hey There (w/ Jim Malloy, I Thought About You (w/ Jim Malloy, Imagination, It Could Happen To You,
Love Is Here To Stay (w/ Jim Malloy, One Note Samba (w/ Jim Malloy,
Something Cool, They Can't Take That Away From Me,
When Sunny Gets Blue, Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

Elli? Ella? What's the difference! Ha! Elli is seventy? ... Phew. cut me a break here, she sounds like a 23-year old. Now THAT is sweet."

And: "Hello Elli. Greetings from drmike: I am enjoying your music so much! Your CD was a great surprise for me. I always [love] discovering great talent for our audience. I am spinning live now and have just loaded a back-to-back coming up soon with 'Almost Like Being in Love' and 'Dindi.' I also like the team of your voice and Jim's. Please let Jim know my appreciation. Our audience is very lucky to have your new tracks for their enjoyment at RadioIO.com."

Paul Borelli, Music Director, KOOP.com: "Elli Fordyce 'They Can't Take That Away From Me' -- "Something STILL Cool" is added. I am a BIG fan of classic jazz female vocals and I don't hear too many singers today who measure up to the greats. Your CD does -- reminds me of Annie Ross in a way. Glad that you finally got to get that first album under your belt. Now don't wait another 70 years for the next one -- I doubt I'll be around.'