Linda Ciofalo

“Ciofalo is a sophisticated singer and her voice carries a smile. It’s a winning combination.”--All About Jazz NY

Linda Ciofalo might be a familiar name on the New York vocal jazz scene, but she wasn’t yet a blip on my radar screen when I received a copy of her new recording, Sun Set (Lucky Jazz). But I’ll bet she’ll soon be one of the bright stars in the jazz sky. Ciofalo celebrated the CD's release at The Kitano in Manhattan on December 6th and undoubtedly will be heard frequently around the Big Apple and beyond.

Although accepted into New York's High School of Music and Art, Linda Ciofalo did not attend due to her parents’ disapproval of her career aspirations. Yet she never gave up the idea, attending evening classes in classical voice and musical theater at Juilliard. Her interest in jazz sparked by a television broadcast of Sarah Vaughn, Linda auditioned among 300 singers and gained a featured vocalist spot in The Big Band Association's jazz orchestra. Her debut recording of standards, pop tunes and original compositions, Take the High Road (1999), received a lot of attention in New York as well as on international radio. Soon she had club dates at the Blue Note, Iridium, 55 Bar and as part of the Long Island Distinguished Artists series. She’s shared the stage with such notables as Mark Murphy and Les Paul, and has received numerous arts grants. In addition to vocal performance, Linda Ciofalo is a dedicated educator, recruited recently by the Lincoln Center Institute/Tilles Center as music-teaching artist in the New York State public school system, and directs the jazz vocal program for the Long Island High School of the Arts.

Sun Set

Ciofalo’s tone is as bright as the “bright golden haze on the meadow” of the opening Rodgers and Hammerstein track, supported by bass counterpoint and soprano sax, with some interesting percussive accents from the always-busy Matt Wilson. This band wastes no time demonstrating that it is worthy of the finest voice…..which she has. But perhaps her phrasing even outshines her tone, and while the voices and style are quite different, her inventive rendering of lyrics is reminiscent of Kendra Shank. The tracks with small ensembles give this project a very individual imprint. “You Took Advantage of Me” is a duet with Matt Wilson, and perhaps there is no better percussive foil for a vocalist than Wilson, who finds more voices within a trapset than in a typical choir. The comparison to Kendra Shank seems more appropriate here, as Ciofalo conjures the multiple voices and rhythms of the full quintet, whether scatting or singing the lyrics, never losing the melodicism of the original. “Comes Love” features a sultry interaction between Linda and Marcus McLaurine, and it’s a toss-up as to which musician creates the most slinky lines. Her scat here essentially adds a horn to the mix while McLaurine gives the underappreciated bass an almost sexy persona. On the last chorus Matt Wilson joins the fun with some clinky and rumbly brushwork. (Even Linda can’t suppress a laugh at Wilson’s finale.) The closing track, “The Last Day of Summer,” features Linda and John DiMartino, each following an individual direction and allowing the harmonic structure to tie their paths together.

Previously I had only heard Kurt Elling sing his “Orange Blossoms in Summertime” and Ciofalo makes no attempt to imitate his version, although I think a duet with Kurt would be quite interesting. She elongates key phrases, coasting easily into the Gershwin interlude such that the two tunes become one. Frahm again scores gold with a soprano solo that wrings passion from every note and DiMartino is as elegant as he is clever in his support. Covering music by the various Beatles has become almost a fad among jazz musicians in the past few years, thus it can be a challenge to create a fresh version of “Here Comes the Sun” or “I’ll Follow the Sun” –Ciofalo succeeds on both tracks. “Here Comes the Sun” has a bit of a folk and country vibe thanks in considerable part to guitarist John Hart’s contributions as well as Linda’s unique modifications of melody and phrasing. On “I’ll Follow the Sun,” Linda plunges into a surprisingly lower key than anticipated, displaying her wide vocal range; DiMartino swings it lightly and embellishes his solo with thick but gentle chords. The lyric is taken to heart, with a touch of sadness permeating the “sunshine.”

John Hart©Andrea Canter

Live or on record, Linda Ciofalo and company bring a class act of inventive vocals and virtuosic interplay to to any audience.

More about Linda Ciofalo at www.lindaciofalo.com