Elaine began serious vocal training at age fifteen, studying opera and the classical repertoire with the local opera company. During high school, she won a summer scholarship to attend the Chautaqua Institute for the Arts, and after graduating early from high school, won a theater scholarship to the State University of New York at Binghamton (now Binghamton University). Two years later she auditioned for and was awarded a vocal scholarship to attend the Eastman School of Music. While there, Elaine continued to study classical vocal technique, but immersed herself in jazz. In “The Art of Singing – Classical Jazz to Jazz Classics,” Elaine and her long-time collaborators, Jonathan Alford (piano), and Pierre Archain (upright bass) present Classical music in a contemporary Jazz format and style , and Jazz songs as classical pieces. The result is a gorgeous re-imagining of the voice as a solo instrument.
The first set,”Classical Jazz,” is a beautiful and unique presentation of classical songs re-arranged with jazz harmonies/instrumentation and Elaine’s vocalise or lyrical solo interpretation of the melody. The songs are performed in chronological order. The second set, “Jazz Classics,” displays jazz songs that Elaine considers “mini-masterpieces;” each is sung in the style of a ‘classical’ art song – that is, exactly as the composer wrote them. Elaine stays true to the original melody, does not stray from it with “scat” singing or any improvisation. Rather, each song is presented very simply and sung masterfully.
It’s a beautiful and unique presentation that showcases the stunning clarity and melodic purity in Elaine’s vocal instrument.
The voice as an instrument, played by a virtuoso.
Listen to Elaine singing “O Del Mio Dolce Ardor”
O-Del-Mio-Dolce-Ardor.mp3