AJ Tyndale, vocalist

From Flemington, NJ, AJ is a seasoned singer often complimented by reviewers for her keen sense of diction and choice of songs from the great American songbook. AJ began her singing alongside her father, who was a jazz musician that regularly appeared on the old John Gambling Show. She studied voice at Carnegie Hall, which led her to work singing professionally in the Catskills alongside performers such as Clarence Gaskill, the composer of Prisoner of Love. She frequently sang for serviceman through the USO. Over the years, AJ has appeared in many nightclubs and cabarets, including Odette’s, the Stockton Inn and the Cosmopolitan Club. For one performance at Odette’s, AJ was a featured singer performing along side cabaret legend, Margaret Whiting. AJ released her new CD – “Live at the Stockton Inn” in January 2010.

Anita Donovan writes "I wish she could be a coach for the teenagers that come along -- she shows the diction, the attention to the lyrics, a true voice, and a service to the song that has gone out of style but is still so arresting. Her sincerity makes a chestnut like Pocket full of dreams quite charming."

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Sometimes second acts are the best, and in the case of local songstress AJ, this is particularly true.
A mature singer (in the best of ways), AJ is coming into her own at a time when most people are dreaming about retirement. She is blossoming as a performer, and it may have been an appearance at Odette's back in 1989 that helped fuel her ambition.

In the early days of the Odette's cabaret, legendary singer Margaret Whiting came to New Hope, PA, for a local appearance. Her experience there was so positive that she sent word back to other cabaret artists in New York: "Come to Bucks County to perform." Soon many more celebrities poured into town to appear at Odette's. Among the many talented singers I had the pleasure of meeting through Margaret was AJ (Alice Jane) who lived in this area. I was very impressed when I heard her sing with Margaret, not only by her voice, but also by the way she phrased and presented her material.

She has a strong, clear voice and sings in the solid traditions of the great women singers like Whiting and perhaps Rosemary Clooney. Local critic Anita Donovan once said that AJ is "a seasoned pro" who "could be a coach for the teenagers that come along. She shows diction, the attention to lyrics, a true voice, and a service to the song that has gone out of style but is still so arresting."

It's not surprising, then, to hear that music is in AJ's bloodline. Originally from Staten Island, NY, she was the daughter of a pediatrician who had his own yearning to perform. When he wasn't practicing medicine, he was practicing the piano--often performing jazz standards at clubs and on the old John Gambling Show. AJ's earliest singing was with her father, who recognized his daughter's talents and sent her into Manhattan to take voice lessons. After studying in a music school at Carnegie Hall, AJ began to sing professionally, working with Clarence Gaskill, composer of Prisoner of Love, and performing for servicemen at the local USO.

When she married a young hotel executive, she continued to sing in New York, particularly at the St. Moritz Hotel, where her husband was the manager. It was the untimely death of her only daughter, Margaret Jane, in 1997 and the passing of her husband a few years later that brought her career to a halt.

After a year's hiatus, however, I convinced AJ to get back to her music. Today she says that returning to the stage has saved her life. AJ continues to perform around the region at parties, corporate events, and cabarets. This CD was recorded live at the Stockton Inn in Stockton, NJ. Listen and you'll agree that AJ is in her musical prime. After a promising start and some personal tragedies, AJ's success is a reminder that second acts can even be better than first acts. — Bob Egan