Swept: Curated, Live Julia Fordham

Back in the day, I thrilled to the majestic voice of La Lennox, but I was in love with Julia Fordham’s pipes–all four of their astonishing octaves. And I still am. In one sense, she’s a bit like Nina Simone, but with an unbelievable top end.

Ultimately, however, her pop stardom never matched her outsized voice, and she’s become venerated by fans with certain boutique tastes. Which is a shame because to see her live is to fully realize how gamine-like she is–which makes the matter of That Voice coming out of such a small frame all the more mind-bending.

Which gave me an idea: A rough-hewn curation of Fordham’s live performances aimed equally at cultists and initiates. No matter which camp you fall into, there’s something here to vocally thrill you–trust me . . .