L.A. Jazz Scene Newspaper, July 2004
By Russell Arthur Roberts
Seldom enamored by the good many jazz vocalists who these days are competing for their place under the sun, these two tasteful Southland vocalists, Lulee Fisher and Heather Evans, are as deserving as most any. (Be known, the cool likes of Terri Southern, Peggy Lee, Mr. B., and Lady Day make up the standard by which I judge jazz vocalists. As they say: "It is in the nuance.")
Contrary to the trend in popular music, where singers think they have to warble and stretch sounds to their breath-catching limits in order to connect with their audiences, Evans and Fisher make every note worthy of the message in the lyrics. And wasteful not, as well, are the several fine backing groups (each singer employing more than one) made up from Southern California's plentitude of pros.
Heather's many friends won\'t be at all surprised to find that she starts off right at the heart of the matter here: in up-tempo song and spoken word, she opens with a rapid-fire survey of the many facets of the topic at hand, in Jane Getz's "A Little Thing Called Love." The song is a kind of slide show summary of love metaphors ranging from images of exhilaration to ones of uncertainty and ultimately redemption, and it serves as a table of contents for this lovely and revealing recording. You\'re listening to a very personal collection, the heartfelt reflections of a life fully lived, and loved.
"My mother was a singer and played the piano from the time she was seven years old, " Heather says. "She loved the music of the 30's and 40's. I grew up singing the many standards that she played." The next set of tunes pays homage to that era. Heather makes a stirring anthem of devotion out of the standard, "Come Rain or Come Shine." She then clearly exults in the light-hearted spirit of )ohnny Mercer's lyrics - and the groove laid down by Mssrs. Ferguson and Collett - as together they playfully "Hit the Road to Dreamland." Then, as Littleton, Chris and lane design the seductive decor, there's a faint aroma of cognac in the air when Heather sings "You Go to My Head."
Internationally known jazz critic Scott Yanow reviewed the Jazzlinx CD, Stolen Moments, in his column in the February 2011 monthly newspaper LA Jazz Scene. Here is his notice in full:
"Stolen Moments (Jazzlinx)
"The Jazzlinx is comprised of vocalist Heather Evans and singer-pianist-arranger Vern Waldron. The two voices blend together and interact a bit like Jackie and Roy while displaying their own personalities. With a sextet also including tenor-saxophonist Rickey Woodard; bassist Richard Simon, drummer Roy McCurdy, and percussionist Rene Castro, Jazzlinx is featured on five numbers including "Call Me, " "Baby Its Cold Outside, " and "Stolen Moments." The music is enjoyable but there is not enough of it for their EP clocks in around 23 1/2 minutes. Still, this is a good introduction to Jazzlinx, available from www.jazzlinx.com. "
Wikipedia entry on Scott Yanow says he is an " American jazz commentator, known for many contributions to the Allmusic website, for writing ten books on jazz and for reviewing jazz recordings for over 30 years."
Here are some samples from Stolen Moments elsewhere on our website.