Elina Duni and Rob Luft: ‘Reaching for the Moon’

One of my favourite duos for the last few years has been Elina Duni and Rob Luft and their third album together is phenomenal.

Reaching for the Moon brings together the vocals of Duni and the guitar of Luft and this is a stunning combination of cultural and musical influences.

Opening with the title track, Duni’s voice evokes everything from the Irving Berlin original and melds it into her own style, with Luft’s expressive guitar and use of electronics. This is a tune that has been oft-covered but this version brings something new and poignant.

There are several other tunes from films or, like the Gabriel Fauré Les Berceaux, classics that influenced or inspired the duo. For me, the most interesting tunes are the three originals: they allow the duo to be more than interpreters of others’ ideas.

Luft’s introduction to Foolish Flame makes expert and subtle use of the electronics which always impress anyone who has seen him live. Duni’s beautiful voice joins him and this love song once more evokes the moon and often breaks into wordless vocals. The multi-lingual voice oozes a tenderness on the other Duni/Luft songs Magnolia and Your Arms.

The final track of the album is Lonely Woman, composed in 1959 by sax player Ornette Coleman, with lyrics by Margo Guryan. This version is gentle and delicate, with the subtle addition of the vocalist’s percussion, and seems to represent the woman who - at the opening of the album - is Reaching for the Moon.

I interviewed Elina Duni for Harmonious World in August 2023 and Rob Luft in July 2020 and live in July 2024 - you can watch the video on YouTube. 

Elina Duni and Rob Luft are touring widely, so do check out their schedule and buy ‘Reaching for the Moon’ direct from the artists or find it online