Avec Elina, Serge et Leo

I think I might have developed a special antenna for Gainsbourg-covers. Yesterday I was trying some SG-titles in iTunes, when up popped the recently released album by Albanian jazzsinger Elina Duni. She set her first steps on stage as a kid violinst, after the fall of the communist administration she moved to Geneva with her mother. There, she studied at several conservatories. Back in Albania, she starred in movies and plays. In Switzerland, she founded her own quartet, winning several prizes. She's even called the most beautiful musical surprise of the 21st century. Elina has a sweet voice, bit breezy, less Balkan-heavy then you might think. The album has some Albanian songs, a few in English and a couple in French: two Gainsbourg-covers, and what some see as the most beautiful song ever written in French, Avec le Temps by Leo Ferré. That song was covered a lot of times, and Elina's version give me the opportunity to post several of my fave versions. The favest is by Jane Birkin, ofcourse. Elina's Myspace is here.

Elina Duni - La Javanaise
Elina Duni - Ces Petits Riens
(See original versions of these songs here and here)
Elina Duni - Avec le Temps
Leo Ferré - Avec le Temps (video)
Jane Birkin - Avec le Temps (very moving video here)
Patricia Kaas - Avec le Temps
Dalida - Avec le Temps (video)
Sapho - Avec le Temps