The Fondue Set – In a Blue Vein (Out There)

e.g., CD Reviews by Graham Reid 4 out of 5 stars November 30 – December 6, 2000 As with their fine debut album last year – the equally cheesily named Stick a Fork In It – this is a thoroughly enjoyable, intelligent selection of tunes by the Auckland jazz trio fronted by Caitlin Smith, who adroit vocal style has a touch of the Rickie Lee Jones, Minnie Ripperton and Joni Mitchell about it. This time – again some tunes were recorded live at the Gables so there’s discreet ambient noise – Smith, drummer Malcolm Taylor (on three tracks) and guitarists Graeme Webb and Steve Gerrish offer idiosyncratic and memorable treatments of such warhorses as God Bless the Child, Love For Sale, Old Devil Moon and other standards.  But they also open with Smith’s supple massaging of Fred Neil’s Midnight Cowboy theme Everybody’s Talking, drop in the Goffin-King No Easy Way Down halfway through and close with an equally tasteful version of Witchita Lineman given subtle slide embellishment by Gerrish. The Fondue Set, unlike many similar local jazzy outfits, take classic tunes and bend them to create something distinctive and engaging, although you might speculate that good though these are, next time it might not be amiss to hear some local compositions in their smart selection. But this is pleasant and engaging indeed.