Rave Reviews of Ellen LaFurn
Ellen LaFurn is both a flautist by training and a jazz singer by instinct. Her instrumental training gives her that important sensitivity to pitch and dynamics, but her creamy voice is more than just perfect In intonation-she has that grasp for the words and the message of the songs she sings
And certainly she navigates melodies very well, seeming to easily hit the notes and to fly or float in any tempo, with her dips into Brazilian music (Jobim's cozy melody for "Dindi"), as well as brightly swinging, or slow and slinky ones. Throughout the CD, the singer's diction and adeptness at handling melodic lines are admirable, her timbre is attractive, and intonation is solid.
...her interpretive approach to the music is spot-on. She does full justice to an uptempo burner like "Cherokee," and is equally impressive with an evocative ballad like "When Sunny Gets Blue."
Laid-back & easy jazz vocals issue forth nicely from Ellen on thirteen fun tunes you will dig deep down into, no doubt in my mind. Since Ellen also plays flute (though not on this release), she has that extra comprehension of how a vocal needs to "fit" into the jazz that many other vocalists will never understand.
She's got an inherent feel for rhythm in delivery, and her voice has a bit of fun rounding off the "Rs"...
C'est is a baker's dozen of standards delivered in knowing and sympathetic fashion by a woman who understands what's what, enveloping the listeners in a warm wistful haze of past reminiscence and present hope.
LaFurn rolls through these pieces effortlessly and with poise.
D. OSCAR GROOMES,
O’s Place Jazz NewsletterO’s Place Jazz Newsletter review
Ellen LaFurn's voice is very easy; it insinuates itself into the heart of the listener...
MICHAEL CZEKUS,
Audiophile Online PolandAudiophile Online Poland review
Always present in the music swing, accurate intonation vocalist...confidently finding proper place every note and skillfully conveying the beauty and melody and mood of the song...