Nichaud Fitzgibbon - After Hours (2001)

"Melbourne has known it for years but, with the release of this exceptional debut CD, so will Australia - Nichaud Fitzgibbon is a special singer. She has the unique ability to not only understand the lyric of a song but also paint musical pictures with the words in a way that would delight the composers, especially as she sings the verses of the great songs. She is a singer who can plumb the emotions but at other times appear disarmingly casual and relaxed. This is what makes her a first-rate singer in any style or tempo. But it's as a balladeer that she excels, especially when accompanied by her brother Mark, one of Australia's best jazz pianists, who enhances, underlines and supports the warm beauty of her voice. This is most noticeable on With A song In My Heart and on You're My Thrill , which also contains a fine trombone solo by Jordan Murray, one of Perth's finest musical exports to the southern city. He is only one of the many first-class young musicians who appear on this disc, which is the result of late-night recording sessions at Chapel Off Chapel. Ken Schroder's arrangements for the tracks featuring the four-piece front line of exciting tenor player Jamie Oehler's septet Blowfish showcase her voice to perfection. And she knows how to feature the strong jazz talent at her disposal, whether it's the elegant , melodic lines of James Sherlock's guitar, David Rex's passionate also or the flawless solos of her brother. A future duet album by the siblings is a must. This one has been a long time coming but is worth the wait"~Kevin Jones - The Australian November 2001