Press Clippings about Lifetime Too, Soul to Soul

Everyone should have a copy of Elisabeth Blin's CD, Lifetime Too, for those times you can't decide what to put on. Originally from France, Blin uses a loungey style and bilingual lyrics that scream "ex-pat drinking cocktails at a Paris bistro" and put you in the mood faster than "Girl from Ipanema". (BD)

Willamette Week, Portland, Or.

Elisabeth Blin's new CD is a beautiful collection of original pieces sung in her native French and played in the rhythms of Latin Jazz. Most of the tunes are bossa novas, but not in that watered down, affected style currently known as "lounge."

This is the real stuff, from its Brazilian roots, that cool early- 60's groove of the Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz collaborations.

Produced with the help of the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the album is airy and fresh, but grounded in solid musicianship featuring a cast of Boise all-stars that include Sandon Mayhew. Lawson Hill, Vicki Stagi and Georges Thomason.

Elisabeth wrote, arranged and produced everything in the CD, even the instrumental solos.

Boise Weekly

[Elisabeth] is one of the grooviest Fench imports since Jacques Brel. A grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts enabled her to enlist many of Boise's finest musicians to make Lifetime Too, her first CD a success. Some of the musicians featured include Vicki Staggi on bass and violin,Steve Lang on bass and guitar, Lawson Hill and Martin Johncox on drums/percussion, Rex Miller and Scot Derrer on piano, Sandon Mayhew on tenor sax, John Cain on guitar, Alan Ames on dobro, Dr. David Saunders on French horn and Alan Nielsen on bass clarinet.

While the opening and the closing tracks are instrumental and the first vocal track is sung in English, the real charm of the album comes through beginning with the third track, "Dust". In the immortal, cliche words of many an American bandstand dancer, "it has a good beat and you can dance to it." With a little help from the amazing Sandon Mayhew's tenor sax, "Dust" really sets the mood for the rest of the album and stands as one of the best tracks. "Gabrielle" follows with a more laid back, bossa nova feel. An occasional bass clarinet riff adds a little color to the tasteful piano fills of Scot Derrer. "Boise-Univers" is probably the first song about Boise to be written in French. Ironically, the lyrics hint of déjà vu and spotlight the beautiful French horn of Dr. David Sounders. Other highlights include love songs to Blin's son, Kirtane, "Five Years," and husband Tom "Hanging Around Your Neck." "Free-Will", however, was too happy for even my giddiest moods, but is followed by the more ethereal "Voice of the World."

While the music seems deceptively fun, the lyrics, kindly translated in English, are strikingly personal and spiritual.

Scot Derrer, 3 Syllables

Boise's queen of the bossa nova, Elisabeth Blin, performs at Borders.

Boise Weekly

Elisabeth Blin, Boise's answer to Edith Piaf, performs her Paris-bred bistro tunes.

Idaho Statesman

French music provided by Elisabeth Blin, Boise's own diva of bossa nova with an authentic European flare.

Idaho Statesman