Great American songbook classics and lesser-performed gems, sung with great style, verve and feeling. Produced by Ian Shaw. "Doing it his way, the ghost of Sinatra lives on in the work of one of his most polished admirers" - The Times (London)

15 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Vocals, EASY LISTENING: Crooners/Vocals



Details:
On 'Love's Illusions' - "Todd Gordon sings standards with a deep respect for the tradition that they represent...[his] clear, baritone voice offers one of the finest examples of tonal clarity among contemporary male singers who work in jazz. His vocal delivery is a sheer delight"
-Jim Santella, All About Jazz (USA)

"...a lovely version of 'Both Sides Now' - his voice has that 'velvet fog' quality of Mel Torme"
-Bob Muller, world's leading expert on Joni Mitchell covers

BIOGRAPHY

In just three years, Todd Gordon has established himself as âone of the country's most popular singers and entertainersâ (The Scotsman). He was an avid Beatles fan until the age of eleven when he first heard Sinatra. From then, he collected every album by Ol' Blue Eyes before broadening his interest in jazz to encompass many other renowned singers and instrumentalists.

In 1975 he met Ella Fitzgerald prior to her show and during the concert she invited him on stage and sang specially to him. He was also fortunate enough to meet some of his other idols, including Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, Woody Herman and George Shearing.

Spanning a 20 year period, Todd immersed himself in The Great American Song Book, resulting in a repertoire of over well over a thousand songs. His interest in music and singing was passionate, yet private. Then, in 2000, he participated on the Fionna Duncan Vocal Jazz Workshop and that changed everything. His first time on stage came in 2001 at Henry's Jazz Cellar and, as the cliche goes, he's never looked back. In 2003, he was booked to open for Dionne Warwick during her UK tour visit which prompted him to give up his 'day job.'

Todd performs at many of the most prestigious venues, with frequent appearances at London's Pizza on the Park and now a regular at The 606 Club in Chelsea as well as Pizza Express in Soho, etc. He has performed at The Plaza and Algonquin hotels in New York â where he even did a duet with actor Christopher Walken, singing âI've Got You Under My Skin!â â and also features in jazz festivals and concerts. He is the first-ever Scottish male jazz singer to have been booked for this yearâs London Jazz Festival with a gig in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

His audiences range from intimate jazz club settings to large-scale shows (he twice compered and performed in Jazz on a Summers Day â the UK's biggest jazz event with an audience of 20,000+) and he was also one of four nominees up for a national music award alongside Texas, Ilan Volkov and Annie Lennox.

Todd's current CD, entitled Loveâs Illusions and produced by award-winning jazz singer Ian Shaw, contains 16 timeless Great American Songbook classics, and features the amazing Alan Barnes on saxophone and Bruce Adams on trumpet. He returns to London in December to record a new album, again with Ian Shaw in the producerâs chair and guest musicians including John Parricelli, Alec Dankworth, Mark Fletcher and Guy Barker.

For more information, visit www.toddgordon.com and www.myspace.com/toddgordon

PRESS & THE CRITICS

âThe new King of Swingâ - The Independent

âHis vocal delivery is a sheer delightâ â Jim Santella, All About Jazz (USA)

âLeader in his field, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Great American Songbookâ - Scottish Television

âThe consummate performer of the American songbookâ - The Independent

âToddâs choice of music is impeccable and he and the band interact wonderfullyâ - Michael Parkinson CBE

âSpine-tingling stuff of the classic kindâ - Sinatra Music Society

âLike all the great singers such as Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra, Todd Gordon has the rare gift of creating the web of atmosphere that enfolds his listeners and draws them right into the heart of every song's storyâ - Edinburgh Guide

âTodd can handle a slow ballad with ease, the true test of whether someone can really singâ - Carol Kidd

âDrenched in charisma and classâ â Rick Finlay, Jazz Review

âNote perfect and brimming with charmâ - Three Weeks

âDoing it his way, Sinatraâs ghost lives on in the work of one of his most polished admirersâ - Clive Davis, The Times

PEOPLE IN "THE BUSINESS"

âTodd strips away all the cabaret and show biz veneer and gets to the very heart of the lyrics of the Great American Songbookâ - David Jones, Serious/London Jazz Festival

âTodd believes every line of the song heâs performing, and his sheer love and respect for the material sets him apartâ - Eric Milligan, President, Edinburgh International Jazz Festival

âDestined to become a household nameâ â Stephen Duffy, BBC Radio Jazz House

âSensational voiceâ - multi-Grammy-Award-winning producer, Michael Haas

FELLOW PERFORMERS

âGreat performance!â - Dionne Warwick

âTodd's voice can really tell a storyâ - Jamie Cullum

âVery enjoyable...soft, easy voice and wonderful selection of songsâ - Elaine Stritch

âTodd sings with wonderful feeling and timeâ - Sheila Jordan

âThe smoothness of his voice and his wonderful charisma on stage will make you want to hear him and see him over and over and overâ - Barbara Morrison