Fionna Duncan Reviews of "Young & Foolish"
Jazz UK Sept/Oct 06 2006 by Pete Martin

If there's any justice, this CD will spread the word about Fionna Duncan's fine singing well beyond her native Scotland, where the recording was made. In the company of a superb rhythm section - pianist Brian Kellock, bassist Ronnie Rae, and drummer John Rae - she swings her way through a selection of superior standards, her diction immaculate, her smoky voice investing the words with subtle shades of meaning, and phrasing just like a top horn player. I agree with Ralph M Liane, who suggests in the liner notes that a great singing stylist should be instantly recognisable. Well, Fionna Duncan certainly meets that criterion - listen to her unusually slow, and bold, treatment of 'Lady Be Good', her duet with Brian Kellock on the title track, or - my favourite in this set - her emotional reading of Andy Razaf's 's'posin'. For some time now, Fionna Duncan has been running highly successful vocal workshops for aspiring singers; hopefully this CD will make more people aware of just how much skill, wisdom, and experience she has to pass on to them.

Jazzwise review Sep 06 by Peter Quinn ****

To say that Fionna Duncan possesses a distinctive voice would be rather like saying Mount Everest is "a bit of a climb". The lived-in, grainy sound emanating from the singer's inimitable pipes could not be described as being conventionally pretty, so if you consider jazz singing as being primarily about beauty of tone then you may not dig the singer at all. If, however, you respond to a genuine 24-carrot storytelling gift and unfathomable depths of emotion then you'll want to investigate the wonderful Young and Foolish. The singer hits her stride from the get-go with the swinging Fats Waller opener 'I've got a feeling I'm falling'. Her sublime balladeering skills are also heard to great effect on several cuts - 's'posin', the regretful title track, 'Body and Soul' - but nowhere more so than on 'Lady Be Good', and if a more languorous version of the great Gershwin tune has been recorded then we'd like to hear it. The singer has performed with her regular trio of partner Ronnie Rae(bass), pianist Brian Kellock and drummer John Rae since 1985, so you could say they've garnered a little experience of playing together. The trio's infectiously joyous coda to Irving Berlin's 'Remember', with Kellock knocking sparks out of the piano, will put a smile on your face for the rest of the week. Young and Foolish is the first vocal release on Clark Tracy's Tentoten label - let's hope there's more from this great singer.