“Elaine Dame sings standards with old-school insouciance, bringing plenty of
rhythmic oomph to the swing she generates with her band (pianist Dennis Luxion,
bassist Jake Vinsel, drummer Jon Dietemyer, and guitarist Andy Brown). But her
devotion to classic jazz aesthetics doesn’t prevent her from mining gold from more
contemporary sources—she makes agile vehicles of songs by the likes of Richard
Thompson and Joni Mitchell.”
~Peter Margasak ~ The Chicago Reader
“Her new album You’re My Thrill is exactly what you’d expect from a consummate
pro here in Chicago. The sidemen are a who’s who of top notch players in town,
and the arrangements are refreshingly well thought out
Read more
“Elaine Dame sings standards with old-school insouciance, bringing plenty of
rhythmic oomph to the swing she generates with her band (pianist Dennis Luxion,
bassist Jake Vinsel, drummer Jon Dietemyer, and guitarist Andy Brown). But her
devotion to classic jazz aesthetics doesn’t prevent her from mining gold from more
contemporary sources—she makes agile vehicles of songs by the likes of Richard
Thompson and Joni Mitchell.”
~Peter Margasak ~ The Chicago Reader
“Her new album You’re My Thrill is exactly what you’d expect from a consummate
pro here in Chicago. The sidemen are a who’s who of top notch players in town,
and the arrangements are refreshingly well thought out. There’s a lot to like here,
from a rather grooving take on “You’re My Thrill” to a really nice run through of “I
Was Doing All Right.”
~WDCB Jazz Radio
“Dame’s interpretive gifts-which are through the roof-do what jazz is meant to do:
turn these well-worn tunes into a revelatory and often very witty set of
commentaries on each other. This song list is constructed like a roller-coaster ride
over the radiant heights and the devastated depths of the modern landscape of
modern romance. Her voice is capable of doing whatever she asks of it-from an
extended staccato run to a single word teased by a beguiling melisma – but it’s
the choices behind these technical feats that are the real story. Everything is in
the service of of the narrative; the beauty of her instrument is guided by the
shrewdness of her instincts and her instincts are infallible.”
~New City
“Her joy in the act of singing is obvious throughout the
entirety of “Comes Love.” Dame combines a freshness of
approach, like the unpredictability of shifting meters Used
to insert tension and increase the excitement of
“Yesterdays,” with an unaffected fondness for the music she
sings. That fondness is evident in the unadorned respect she
pays for a classic song like “What’ll I Do?” The result is a
clear-eyed approach to her material that remains accessible
to a broad cross section of listeners, potentially enlarging
the audience for jazz.”
~ Jazz Improv Magazine
“Dame takes songs and puts a unique stamp on them and while
the arrangements and their performances are first-rate, it’s
Dame’s vocals that create the most interest… The achingly
raw honesty, coupled with her fresh take makes “Comes Love”
a recommended addition to one’s jazz library”
~ Gay Chicago Magazine
“From the start, it was apparent that Dame offered optimism,
enthusiasm, and joy for both her partners and the jazz
standards they played together. This musical attitude was
just as appealing as her considerable vocal and flute
playing skills...her intelligent phrasing proves she
actually listens to the lyrics that she sings...a resounding
musical success...”
~ Chicago Jazz Magazine
“Blessed with such purity of sound that clarions could take
lessons, Dame expresses wide open honesty, and her clarity
is matched note for note by her imagination...”
~ Jazz Times
”And artist who truly wants to sing and has dug deep down to
do it. Dame’s first CD is very smooth and stylish. Every
track is note perfect… an intimate, personal style…
interpretation is clearly her forte, she shapes a song like
she’s been doing it for years… Dame delivers the perfect
twists and turns on every phrase, swinging from a whisper to
a husky wail with confidence and panache”
~ Jazzreview.com
“a clear and powerful voice along with the ability to
improvise with subtlety…an excellent scat singer…beautiful
tone”
~ All Music Guide
“…a winning stage presence and a chameleon-like vocal
flexibility”
~ The Chicago Reader
“Dame’s cool alto voice fits nicely with her instrumental
support”
~ Cadence Magazine
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