Dutch/Belgian group Gare du Nord was formed in 2001 by Ferdy Lancee and Barend Fransen. Signed to Play It Again Sam, the lounge-oriented style synthesists released several albums during their first few years, beginning with 2002's In Search of Excellolounge and concluding with Sex 'n' Jazz. They aligned with Blue Note, beginning with 2007's Jazz in the City, which was heavy on interpretations of the label's '60s and '70s output (from Duke Pearson's "The Phantom" to Ronnie Foster's "Mystic Brew"). The same year, Italian singer Dorona Alberti (KMFDM) was added to the lineup and featured prominently. In 2001, Gare du Nord established a performing version of the group, fronted by Alberti, while a studio-based entity remained driven by Lancee and Fransen. The Blue Note association resulted in additional releases such as 2011's Lilywhite Soul and 2012's live release Lifesexy. ~ Andy Kellman