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Jazz Vocalists - CD/SD

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I have the idea that jazz vocalists - ALL jazz vocalists - are completely rubbish. That's Louis Armstrong (as a singer), Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, and their less famous brethren and sistern. They're a blight on the face of jazz, in no way deserving of comparison with the great jazz musicians. Well that's what I think anyway.

What about you?

― The Dirty Vicar, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Louis Armstrong's voice = classic. Other voices noted = classic. How they implemented these voices = depends on where you draw the line. Tonight it's not just the singer; tonight it's the song.

I've this compilation of Rodgers & Hart songs that I only listened to once or twice because half the vocalists are so damned mannered & stiff. Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, Louis Prima. (They're not jazz, though, are they? I'll hush up.) (Is the Velvet Fog a jazz vocalist?) (Is Sinatra? I always get irked when people gush about Sinatra's voice and his panache and his swingin' thing, like he's so cool & beyond reproach.)

― David Raposa, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Nina Simone.
Thats all i have to say.

― anthony, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Vicar: subjectively, I think I feel the opposite from you. I'm not sure that I have enjoyed anyone else in jazz as much as Ella Fitzgerald. But then, I know nothing about jazz. Do you? It could be, I suppose, that jazz singers are jazz for people like me who don't like it, and jazz instrumentals are for proper clued-up fans.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

If you're in southern CA, KCRW (89.9 FM) is running a program today until 10 pm on jazz singers. You might be able to listen online as well.

― youn, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I don't especially like vocal jazz - only own one Billie comp, so I could rightly be said to not know what I'm talking about. But I think it's fair to say that vocal and instrumental jazz are distinct but related. So it's perfectly sensible that one could like one but not the other. And also that means vocal jazz isn't exactly a 'blight' on the rest of it.

― Josh, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Pinefox: No, I know almost nothing about Jazz. I have about five Jazz CDs and three or four Jazz LPs buried somewhere, and I've seen some of the (brilliant) Ken Burns "Jazz" TV series.

Josh: The seperate but equal idea is interesting. Certainly the world of Billie Holliday or Ella Fitzgerald seems very removed from the world of contemporary instrumental jazz (in my very patchy and no doubt laughable inaccurate view).

But Louis Armstrong, I find it very hard to take him seriously as a vocalist. In any sense.

― The Dirty Vicar, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Louis Armstrong (as a singer), Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday

Odd that, by way of example, you picked just about the only jazz singers -- along with Johnny Hartman, maybe, and one or two others -- that I actually like.

A lot of vocal jazz is crap -- it combines the worst aspects of jazz (sterility, necrophilia, stagnation) and pop (endless posturing and the fetishization of ignorance and incompetence) -- but that's largely due to the fact that most jazz vocalists themselves are crap. As a jazz instrumentalist, the most tedious thing in the world is to see a countless procession of jazz vocalists who:

-- can't read music,

-- can't sing in tune,

-- don't know the songs or the chords,

-- don't have anything interesting to say,

-- and think they're hot shit.

Also, vocal jazz is generally extremely conservative, and it's no coincidence that it's also where a lot of the money is. Many great instrumentalists, yearning for the chance to produce original and creative music, have ended up as members of the backing bands for singers, performing tired chestnuts (and never too loud!) to crowds of smug, self-satisfied upper-class snobs.

Finally, scat solos. "Skiddle-dee-bop-a-shoo-ba-loo-ba-woogle-woogle." There are about nine people, give or take, who can pull them off; everyone else sounds ridiculous at best.

The contempt of jazz instrumentalists for jazz vocalists is legendary, and usually well-earned. It's hard to blame them for it, but it's unfortunate when that contempt is turned on that 5% of jazz singers who actually do work hard and make an effort to learn about the music, rather than relying on their voice and, most often, looks.

All that being said, albums like Hartman and Coltrane (or was it the other way round?) are classic, and prove that vocal jazz can be a thing of beauty and wit. And even a notch or two below that, there's room for people like Louis Prima in the world, certainly. But below that, it's a mess -- especially after 1965 or so -- and it's certainly not jazz: just bad, moldy pop.

― Phil, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

maybe it's worth stating the obvious? louis armstrong is not famous 'cos of his singing. (not that his singing's so terrible.)

maybe jazz singing is not different form from popular music singing full stop? the obvious cut off point is that anti-technique never cuts it in jazz (not that it can be dileneated that simply), BUT dinah washington is one of the greatest singers of songs of any kind of all time. sure, she's a jazz singer in a sense (when she's singing in front of jass guys, huh), but most of all she's a singer (better than ella, better than billie, better than anyone - and, pinefox, once i thought ella was about as good as it got too, so check her out!).

june tyson is a great jazz singer (long long time sun ra associate). leon thomas is a jazz stylist out on his own (pharoah sanders' "the creator has a master plan" etc.). fontella bass was also in on some choice '60s stuff (art ensemble of chicago, *and* she had a chart hit with the chess records soul classic "rescue me").

― jon, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

While I definitely prefer to listen to and play instrumental jazz, I don't think the role of the singer in the development of the music should be belittled. There's a lot to be said for learning to play properly behind a singer, and what great jazz vocalists can do with a melody. In fact, many of the master horn players (Miles, Lester Young & Johnny Hodges, Sonny Rollins, etc.) have often stated that they try to sing through the horn and approach a melody as if they were a vocalist.

That said, you should check out Kurt Elling. He's a young singer who's got incredible technique, a great band, cool arrangements, and most of all takes lots of risks. He's not afraid to start screaming like a tenor player in the middle of his solos.

I'd say 'The Messenger' is my favorite album of his.

― Jordan, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

More thoughts:

Adherence to text = less freedom to improvise?

Why do I always get the impression that bands behind singers really are playing "behind" them? Diff. for instrumental soloists: either feels like everyone's playing at the same time (at different volumes maybe, but still), or the band is playing "beneath" soloist (better maybe: "around").

― Josh, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Hey! I think I get to be the first person to say "Chet Baker"!

Vicar: for 'other' views on Burns' "Jazz", cf. thread on it.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

agreed with jon on the dinah washington call... julie londons version of 'watermelon man' puts her more than in the running.. and if familiarity breeds contempt why do i still need louis armstrong & ellas regular knocking me to my knees 'april in paris'.. comfort and rrecognition that its ok to wake up.. cunts

― Dan Mancini, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

its honesty not familiarity that breeds contempt...

― Dan Mancini, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

nina simones 'here comes the sun'...

― Dan Mancini, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

was it leon thomas on 'prince of peace'? that yodelling rocks!

― gareth, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Destroy: Any jazz vocalist who a)Went to stage school b)appeared after 1969

― tarden, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Pinefox, where is this thread of which you speak? searching the I Love Music frontpage for "Jazz" yields only this one.

― DV, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Massive thread called "'Jazz': Search & Destroy".

If I was Nicky D or Josh K I would make those words blue. My editor tells me it's something to do with 'code'. Isn't it always?

As it is, you can probably find it either under S&D or in the New Answers section.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Great call on Leon Thomas, Gareth - would also nominate Linda Sharrock (again), Phil Minton and Cassandra Wilson in the 'post-69' category. But I presume that the tradition of jazz singing died out pretty much with the demise of the big orchestras, all of whom had featured singers (Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing etc. etc.) The voice another instrument that had to abandoned for monetary reasons.

And I'd say that Billie Holiday's recs with Teddy Wilson are as jazz as jazz can be. Sublime.

― Andrew L, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Leon Thomas OK, but he's only good on those couple of Pharoah records & then after that, I dunno, prob'ly not much. but who's that guy on Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre's "Humility in the Light Of The Creator"? George Hines? that's some freaky vocal wonderfulness, did he ever do *anything* else?

― duane, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

In general I don't like singing in jazz, Nina Simone leaves stone cold, Louis A. just sounds so...old, so black & white.

Exception: Chet Baker. Dude!

― Omar, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

far as old fashioned type stuff though, another couple thumbs up for Ella Fitz from over here...

― duane, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Chet B. - I don't get it. Willing to try again though ...

― duane, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Bah! Ella, Billie, Dinah, Nina, Chet etc etc are the ONLY jazz I like! Give me even 'A-Tisket A-Tasket' over the furious noodling of John Coltrane and his ilk. The version of 'With a Song in My Heart' by Ella F may well be my favourite song of all time, and if I ever find myself matrimony-bound, it will almost certaintly accompany me up the aisle. A-and - Chet Sings is THE BEST MAKE-OUT LP OF ALL TIME. Thing is, I don't really think of any of these people as jazz singers, any more than I think of Frank Sinatra as a jazz singer. They're just pop singers, and all the better for that.

Jazz singers = CLEO LAINE! Which is dud, dud, dud (though I have a soft spot for poor old Johnny). The only person who should be allowed to scat is Balloo the Bear.

― stevie t, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I back Stevie, of course - believe it or not, he TAUGHT me half of what I know about jazz singers, and I think his taste here is quite simple and very fine. Except that unlike him, I don't 'Make Out', so I don't need 'Make-Out LPs'.

― the pinefox, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

These singers use the jazz aesthetic in pop music. The music isn't jazz and shouldn't be judged as such. I understand why jazz people don't like these singers, but they shouldn't dislike them any more than they dislike any other pop act. they are "jazzy" not "jazz."

And that's why I like them! Nat Cole! Dean Martin! Chet Baker! Ella! Important building blocks for pop-rock.

― Blake, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Ok, so nobody's mentioned "Sassy", the great Sarah Vaughan. Her voice is pure magic, never hit a bad note, and while her many LPs contain some dud arrangements, she's never less than perfect each time out, even making me like songs I'd never wanted to even hear. Search: Sarah Vaughan in HiFi, with Miles on trumpet.

Nina Simone is brilliant, but I wouldn't call her a jazz singer. Just saw her in NYC, and seeing her again in Oakland, CA, btw.

― Sean, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I didn't see anybody mention Jimmy Scott--he has some crazy disorder that caused him to quit growing when he was really young so he's tiny a la Joe C. His voice is high and plaintive and tremendously affecting. He played Jazzfest here in New Orleans this year but I missed it do to my continued boycott of anything involving "jam bands." Blah.

― adam, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Agreed re: Sarah Vaughn. She's another one who is up there with the instrumentalists in terms of harmonic knowledge, and according to Richard Davis (who played in her trio during the 60s) she's quite an accomplished piano player too.

Also, Josh, you're definitely right about the singer having a separate, elevated place in the group. Maybe it's partly due to the fact that the unamplified voice is quieter than horns and drums at comparable dynamic levels, but I've had it drilled into me to respect and support the singer when there is one. There isn't the same sense of equality in interaction...there are exceptions of course (like when I saw Kurt Elling do 'Resolution' live last year, he was very much an equal part of the group).

― Jordan, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

leon thomas? ok, duane, i didn't mean to say he was all good, but even his impulse solo lp is pretty alright. it's probably true that it is the non-verbal stuff, yodelling if you like, that makes it (and that may characterise what seemed like it was surviving after '65 or '69). so hear hear to linda sharrock and george hines, and you can add in penelope taylor ("levels and degrees of light") for a more opera, less native american slant in the aacm camp, maybe. in that vein, non-verbal, the only plausible candidates for recent non-pop, improv/jazz vocalisations that come to mind are sainkho namtchylak (who's coming from an inuit angle?) and maybe lauren newton (though there's something pretty arch about that stuff).

― jon, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

oops, i mean leon thomas' solo lp on flying dutchman....

― jon, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

In general I mistrust any for of vocal jazz. It is so hard to do well. have to be a top singer improvisor and have a real feel for the music. Nothing makes me leave a jazz gig faster than a band welcoming a singer onto the stage to do a few numbers, and there's nothing more cringe worthy than a classical singer trying to sing jazz and completely missing the point.

However my selction would be Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Anita O'Day, Nina Simone, and early aretha franklin , pre queen of soul era, (imho the difinitive version of 'love for sale' is sung by her).

I can't think of anyone post 60s. There was no longer a need to use vocalists to make jazz pop by then so number of good vocal talents went elsewhere, see aretha switching to soul on moving labels and belting out soul classics. i can't think of any current jazz singers, except one i saw sing with herbie hancock who was just plain dull. then again with a few notable exceptions i can't think of many people currently pushing back the boundaries of jazz, or eving playing well in an old style, with a few notable exceptions of course.

― Ed, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Rachelle Farrell is probably more of an R&B singer than jazz, but she's still phenomenal. I have to ditto everyone who's praised Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald; they are IMPECCABLE, particularly Ms. Vaughn.

― Dan Perry, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I'd take Armstrong over every single other person so far mentioned. And Holiday ...
Eartha Kitt made a great jazz record (maybe more: I've only got one) — brilliant brilliant rhythmatist, no stupid bebop wibbling...

― mark s, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

What rubbish. Louis Armstrong was not only the single most important musician of the 20th Century, he was the most important and most influential singer as well. Just try to listen to pre-Satchmo pop vocalists with a straight face. He taught the world (pop world, anyway) how to sing. For sheer vocal genius, check out his versions of "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Lazy River," "Stardust," and so on and so on.

― Jim McGaw, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I didn't not mention him 'cause I don't like him, I just didn't mention him because WELL DUH, you know? BTW does anyone know, is that story true about him conning the Prez of the USA (mighta bin Nixon , can't remember) into carrying his bag containing his pot stash off the aeroplane & thru customs for him? prob'ly not but i hope so.

― duane, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Louis Armstrong was not only the single most important musician of the 20th Century

That's awfully "Ken Burns' Jazz", don't you think? Not to mention that I don't agree. Trying to create some sort of hierarchy of musical greatness or importance isn't particularly productive -- there are too many apples and oranges, for starters.

And even if the hierarchy were valuable, I probably wouldn't put Armstrong at the top, great as he was. If it had to be a jazz musician, I'd probably pick Miles Davis. But that's more a matter of opinion.

― Phil, Friday, 6 July 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...
Louis Armstrong was not only the single most important musician of the 20th Century ...

I stand by my statement. Awfully "Ken Burns"? You think Ken Burns was the first person to rank Louis Armstrong so highly? Saying Louis Armstrong is the most -- or at least one of the most -- musicians of the 20th century is so obvious it's almost redundant. Miles Davis? I love him, but by his own admission he wouldn't have had a career without Pops. Miles's influence was primarily on jazz only. while Armstrong's was on pop music in general. See the difference? And besides, we're talking about jazz SINGERS. Again, I challenge anyone who can find me a singer -- jazz or otherwise -- who has had such a dramatic impact on his art than Armstrong. No one knew HOW to sing pop music before his arrival.

― Jim McGaw, Wednesday, 3 October 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...
Billie Holiday is the only jazz vocalist I truly love, but I think I could grow to like others.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:07 (10 years ago) Permalink

it combines the worst aspects of jazz (sterility, necrophilia, stagnation) and pop (endless posturing and the fetishization of ignorance and incompetence)

this is a wild statement! care to expand upon this Phil?

does the description of pop here = jazzism?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:31 (10 years ago) Permalink

also, necrophilia?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 18:32 (10 years ago) Permalink

Jazz vocals can be wonderful, but I find it hard to stomach some of the more "clever" performers (like Bob Dorough and Dave Frishberg), people who seem to be able to make their mouths wink and nudge and give an unspoken subtext of "ISN'T THIS FUNNY??" Annie Ross used to do this, but not so much anymore since her voice deepened.

My favorite jazz vocalist: Eddie Jefferson.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:14 (10 years ago) Permalink

shiiiiiiiiit, most of the jazz i listen to has vocals. more of the late 60s - 70s spiritual vibe

leon thomas is one of my favorites. all of his Flying Dutchman albums are great, as are everything he recorded with pharoah sanders. there are some dud songs (the bad calypso track) and the Full Circle album is kinda weak.

pharoh has a few albums w/vocals but w/o leon that are great "Village of the Pharoahs" with Seditarius Brown and "Wisdom Through Music". both beautiful Impulse albums

Max Roach has done wonderful things with vocals. his wife Abbey Lincoln sang on a few beautiful albums, "Freedom Now Suite" is wonderful. and he's done a bunch of stuff with jazz choruses. they're arranged so strangely. check out "It's Time" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (the second one is more gospel mixed with jazz).

Very similar to the Roach album "It's time" with weirdly arranged chorus is Bobby Hutcherson's "Now". one of my all time favorite albums. Eugene McDaniels is featured singer. the album almost sounds like a musical or something, but it's firmly rooted in a dark jazz sound.

another great jazz singer is Andy Bey. he's appeared on Roach's "Members, Don't Git Weary" and on solo albums.

Don Cherry sings occasionally, and his Codona (COllin walcott, DOn cherry, and NAna vasconcelos) albums are a wonderful mix of vocals, jazz and world music.

two more husband wife jazz player/singers are Michal Urbaniak and his wife Urszula Dudziak (fusion-y) and Doug Carn and his wife Jean (soulful, funky jazz)

and last but not least is Patty Waters who recorded an album for ESP on recomendation of Albert Ayler. the first half is smokey bar room ballads, and the second half is freaked out fucked up free jazz where her vocals compare to Yoko Ono and Linda Sharrock

― JasonD, Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

SOme that are definitely classic: Anita O'Day, Blossom Dearie, Johnny Hartman, Chet Baker, Astrud Gilberto (if you wanna consider her as jazz)

― g (graysonlane), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:20 (10 years ago) Permalink

June Christy isn;t bad either.

― g (graysonlane), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:26 (10 years ago) Permalink

Johnny Hartman

What a voice.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:28 (10 years ago) Permalink

Jimmy Scott

Having recently gotten the reissue of Falling in Love is Wonderful from Rhino, all I can say is that the man is a national treasure.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 23 October 2002 19:46 (10 years ago) Permalink

Flora Purim and Fontella Bass.

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Thursday, 24 October 2002 05:23 (10 years ago) Permalink

favourite jazz vocalist: linda sharrock! (though i'll be gettin patty waters soon so we'll see).

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 24 October 2002 08:13 (10 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 54 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Liked her live performance better than the record of hers that I bought, but haven't heard the latest.

― the clones of tldr funkenstein (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 02:05 (3 years ago) Permalink

I watched 2 youtube videos--one where she was going for a Brazilian bossa feel and one where she sang in a quicker tempo than I'm used to for jazz vocals. Haven't made up my mind yet

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 January 2010 14:16 (3 years ago) Permalink

I like that fact that she sings Brazilian numbers in the original Portuguese.

― the clones of tldr funkenstein (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 27 January 2010 14:51 (3 years ago) Permalink

Yep that's good, although maybe some Brazilians might be picky about her accent.

Also worth mentioning on this thread (or maybe she has one of her own) is that I received a copy of the new Nina Simone bio, "Princess Noire: the Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone," done by the author of a Dinah Washington bio (and other books including one on Chess Records) Nadine Cohodas. She lives in DC but I've never seen any mention of her doing any readings/appearances for any of her books (George Pelecanos does them all the time). I've never actually read any of her books but would like too. Not sure why kind of reviews she gets.

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 January 2010 15:04 (3 years ago) Permalink

Not sure what kind of reviews she gets

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 January 2010 15:05 (3 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

RIP Abbey Lincoln: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/arts/music/15lincoln.html

― _Rudipherous_, Sunday, 15 August 2010 14:04 (2 years ago) Permalink

Awww, that's sad. She had a unique style that I liked. Damn, jazz photographer Herman Leonard just died, conjunto accordionist Esteban Jordan, and Lincoln. A tough series of days for the music world.

― curmudgeon, Sunday, 15 August 2010 17:06 (2 years ago) Permalink

abbeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

― zorn_bond.mp3, Sunday, 15 August 2010 19:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

singer, writer, actress, painter and more...an impressive life

― curmudgeon, Monday, 16 August 2010 00:39 (2 years ago) Permalink

rip
listened to her quite a bit recently, always intriguing, agitated in a great way

― dont wear sh@q without the fu (tremendoid), Monday, 16 August 2010 01:04 (2 years ago) Permalink

I need to add to my Abbey Lincoln collection (and see "Girl Can't Help It" again).

― curmudgeon, Monday, 16 August 2010 14:47 (2 years ago) Permalink

Likewise. I don't know enough about her earlier stuff, but this one from the 90s has gotten a lot of play at my house:

― All 10 songs permeate the organs (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 August 2010 15:16 (2 years ago) Permalink

7 months pass...

Gretchen Parlato's new album sounds pretty good; she's amazing live and, when she's in tandem with Lionel Loueke, essential
http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=134795606&m=134799491

― slight even by tweet standards (forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 March 2011 21:46 (2 years ago) Permalink

Was wondering about that. Friend posted link to her Facebook page which broke my computer. Well, shut the tab in the browser, is all.

― Phred "Psonic" Psmith (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 28 March 2011 21:52 (2 years ago) Permalink

It's really nice, i'm on second listen.

― slight even by tweet standards (forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 March 2011 21:53 (2 years ago) Permalink

ahhhh robert glasper is the producer; explains quite a bit.

― slight even by tweet standards (forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 March 2011 22:08 (2 years ago) Permalink

great cover of "All That I Can Say" on here... and a solid Simply Red cover too!

― slight even by tweet standards (forksclovetofu), Monday, 28 March 2011 22:09 (2 years ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Gonna have to miss her tonight and tomorrow in DC at Bohemian Caverns. Here's a kinda interesting interview with her

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2011/04/15/its-more-than-a-whisper-a-conversation-with-gretchen-parlato/

― curmudgeon, Saturday, 16 April 2011 01:10 (2 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-10-03/entertainment/30256192_1_wynton-marsalis-bed-stuy-grammy

Gregory Porter c/d?

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 25 October 2011 15:15 (1 year ago) Permalink

ANDY MOTHERFUCKING BEY by the way will be playing at Lincoln Center Jazz this Friday and I am really looking forward to it.
Also gonna be a full performance of Coltrane's Africa/Brass

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Tuesday, 25 October 2011 22:38 (1 year ago) Permalink

The first post in this thread is insane

― I'm not going leftfield on you... (hypehat), Tuesday, 25 October 2011 22:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

Yes

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 14:27 (1 year ago) Permalink

Who else is on the Andy Bey gig? I saw him once but I'd really like to see him with this guitar player who plays with him a lot, Paul Meyers, who was also up at Lincoln Center last month with Jon Hendricks for Jon's ninetieth birthday.

Been meaning to check out Gregory Porter. He played at the excellent North Square Jazz Brunch http://northsquarejazz.com/ a few times but I never made it. This guy who usually plays bass with him, Aaron James, is really good, like second coming of Paul Chambers.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 15:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

OH I see. Impulse Records at 50.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 15:18 (1 year ago) Permalink

The first post in this thread is insane
His second comment even more so:
But Louis Armstrong, I find it very hard to take him seriously as a vocalist. In any sense.
I mean, I don't think pop singing was taken seriously UNTIL Armstrong's first vocal recordings in the 1920s. Then it became high art.

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 15:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

Lots of people have trouble with lots of jazz vocalist but singling out those three was bananas.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 16:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

i saw that jon hendricks show; it was a greeeeeaaaaat time

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 17:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

Oh no, you didn't. Did you? Did he sing "Crepuscule With Nellie?" Did you get in on a forks discount?

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 17:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

A little greased-lightning vocalese from Mr. Hendricks. I actually prefer a different version which is slower, but I couldn't find it.

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 18:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

Any suggestions for a good place to start with Dinah Washington?

― o. nate, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 18:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

First Issue: the Dinah Washington Story is a pretty good 2-CD overview, while the The Definitive Dinah Washington keeps things to one disc.
Other good studio albums includes After Hours with Miss D, Dinah Jams and Dinah!

― Jazzbo, Wednesday, 26 October 2011 18:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

In The Land of HiFi is pretty great.

There is a really cool medley of "Cloudburst" and a Stephen Sondheim song "Getting Married Today" by John Pizzarelli and his wife Jessica Molaskey.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 18:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol, i did get in on a forks discount actually.
no nellie, but he did "in walked bud" among plenty other stuff.
seeing hendricks and bobby mcferrin freestyle together was a great bucket list moment
Diane Reeves ripping up Social Call didn't hurt either.
And the second act full length big band set from Jimmy Heath weren't too shabby!
great night
i actually got to meet and talk with Hendricks when he played the blue note earlier this year. what a passionate, vivacious, powerhouse of a guy. If that's ninety, I can't wait to feel and look that good. He spent a lot of time talking about astrology!

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 21:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wait, are you saying you went that show he played with Annie Ross?

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah, were you at that one?
i waited upstairs to talk to both of them and annie came out distracted and i took her hand with both of mine and gave her a real serious heartfelt "thank you" and she stopped and we had a super minor for her very major for me moment of her looking me over and then saying "you're welcome honey" and she went down the stairs and was gone

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

No, I thought about going but couldn't make it and don't really like to go to the Blue Note too much. I've seen Annie before at the Metropolitan Room a few times. Actually what I did do was the weekend before that show, Annie's piano player had a gig at Smalls so I went down there and my long shot came in when Jon showed up dressed in his captain's whites. I talked to him for a second and got to see him sing a few numbers including "Crepuscule with Nellie," which he said he never recorded because Nellie wouldn't let him because it was too personal and "In Walked Bud." Now that I think about it I've also seen Andy Bey sing that last one.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:11 (1 year ago) Permalink

i've seen bey twice before; both times in small rooms and i was blown away by his voice
been listening to experience and judgment a lot lately and finding it to be like reading rumi

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

JRatB, we likely wobble in the same circles.

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

We need to get Hurting to come out more and close the loop.

I never got around to listening to AB's records, only saw him once and I didn't like the band he had that night so much but I liked some of what he was doing, especially a song about the blues with all these elaborate lyrics about the different specific meanings the word "blues" has in music. I need to listen to more.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

no time like the present:


― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

Thanks. Complete derail, but you weren't at Drom for this event, were you?

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 01:48 (1 year ago) Permalink

no. looks like a good time tho. i've done some work with the drom cats.

― loads of personality, loved to chase chickens (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 27 October 2011 02:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

It was pretty cool especially later when some other cats joined in. I remember watching that show and gradually calming down after having gotten into some beef on an early loutallica thread.

Back to the topic, sort of: When I went to see Annie Ross the second time she remembered me from the time before because I had requested a song so I was pretty happy but then after the show I overstayed my welcome a little on the receiving line and somebody, Warren Vaché, maybe, gave me the back off look so I got out of there.

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 02:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

umm.

― Popture, Friday, 28 October 2011 11:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

RIP Chuck Brown. Your album with Eva Cassidy nicely mixed blues and jazz

http://www.evacassidy.org/eva/citypaper.htm

― curmudgeon, Thursday, 17 May 2012 04:16 (1 year ago) Permalink

aw man, that sucks

― (Name Withheld to Avoid Hassle) (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 17 May 2012 05:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

I just can't get into Kurt Elling's voice. Listening on Spotify to his new "1619 Broadway:The Brill Building Project" cd.

― curmudgeon, Monday, 29 October 2012 18:42 (6 months ago) Permalink

Washington Post reviewer just raved about his live show highlighting that album. Ehh. I'll stick with old-schoolers.

― curmudgeon, Wednesday, 31 October 2012 14:05 (6 months ago) Permalink

Other than a song or two here or there (I like his over the top version of "Nature Boy") he's too showoffy and too much for me too.

― Sex Kitten mind control slave (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 15:46 (6 months ago) Permalink

I have more time for him than you guys do

― 50 Skidillion Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 23:11 (6 months ago) Permalink


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