who's jane fielding?

[Guest ariceffron]

yeah. and she has lou levy to boost! i wanna hear that album. all A-M-G sez about her is a lot of her sessions are un-issued. why is that? what the hell. she is to sexy to be an obscure jazz vocalist. whats up w/ her and is her stuff on cd

[couw]

I believe there are two japanese CDs available. This one with Levy and another one with Joe Maini (as) Ted Efantis (ts) Kenny Drew (p) Paul Chambers (b ) and Lawrence Marable (d) (Embers Glow). According to AMG that's all there is.

Haven't got a clue what the story is behind the non issued albums.

interesting tidbit from AMG (link):

"Two obscure singers are also on the album. Jane Fielding was a former ice skater who switched to singing jazz after a serious injury. Terry Morel is a bit more interesting, as she sounds as if she's spent more time working on her craft, though excessive reverb mars her performance of "What Is There to Say." Neither artist seems to have made much of an impact, as each of them only made a few other recordings."

Edited May 29, 2006 by couw

[Guest ariceffron]

exactly. you ghot that off the same site i did.

who also are sue childs and marylin moore. they are smokin.

[couw]

I have been listening to the above depicted album and I like it. Jane has a rather pleasant husky voice and lingers some behind the beat. Very pleasant in its laziness, but it does get in the way here and there, like on the Shorty Rogers original Summer Day. I rather like the sparse instrumentation here, voice, piano and bass. Same as on Beverly Kenney's Sings For Playboys from a few years later. Fielding is certainly not the bestest singer ever heard and the album suffers some from doubtful tune choices and colourless programming, but ey... the Claxton cover makes up for plenty!

[mikeweil]

I bought Japanese pressings of the two Jazz West LPs many years ago in a vinyl sellout and never regretted it. Those two together with some unissued material would make a nice Mosaic Select.

[couw]

it seems there have been plenty Japanese reissues of this (and comparable albums). Every new swoop from Japan had them. So how come no one reissues this "domestically"? (And indeed tag on some of those unreleased sessions.)

[mikeweil]

I can't help but think this has to do with the very limited number of releases on Jazz West and the completist attitudes of Japanese reissue producers. With less than a dozen you have the complete catalogue covered. Jane Fielding (2), Jack Sheldon (2), Kenny Drew, Art Pepper, Paul Chambers, Julius Wechter - except for the last I have them all in some form. Only the Fielding and Wechter sides were not reissued in the US.

[jazzman4133]

I believe there are two japanese CDs available. This one with Levy and another one with Joe Maini (as) Ted Efantis (ts) Kenny Drew (p) Paul Chambers (b ) and Lawrence Marable (d) (Embers Glow). According to AMG that's all there is.

Haven't got a clue what the story is behind the non issued albums.

interesting tidbit from AMG (link):

"Two obscure singers are also on the album. Jane Fielding was a former ice skater who switched to singing jazz after a serious injury. Terry Morel is a bit more interesting, as she sounds as if she's spent more time working on her craft, though excessive reverb mars her performance of "What Is There to Say." Neither artist seems to have made much of an impact, as each of them only made a few other recordings."

Marilyn Moore was at one time Al Cohn's wife. Her Bethlehem album, "Moody Marilyn Moore" is a winner.

[jazzbo]

Marilyn Moore was at one time Al Cohn's wife. Her Bethlehem album, "Moody Marilyn Moore" is a winner.

Do you really think this is a "winner"?Her slavish copying of Billie Holiday really unnerves me. Nice backup but. . . .

Edited May 29, 2006 by jazzbo

[Kalo]

Will Friedwald in his book Jazz Singing, claims that Marilyn Moore and Billie Holiday were close friends. "When Leonard Feather gave Moore's Bethlehem album a good review, Holiday said that if he hadn't, 'Id've knocked him on his butt.'"

I've never heard the album myself.

[jazzbo]

Will Friedwald in his book Jazz Singing, claims that Marilyn Moore and Billie Holiday were close friends. "When Leonard Feather gave Moore's Bethlehem album a good review, Holiday said that if he hadn't, 'Id've knocked him on his butt.'"

I've never heard the album myself.

Well, it sounds like imitation to me, loving imitation sure, but. . .well. . .I don't dig it. (And I love Billie!)

[Kalo]

Will Friedwald in his book Jazz Singing, claims that Marilyn Moore and Billie Holiday were close friends. "When Leonard Feather gave Moore's Bethlehem album a good review, Holiday said that if he hadn't, 'Id've knocked him on his butt.'"

I've never heard the album myself.

Well, it sounds like imitation to me, loving imitation sure, but. . .well. . .I don't dig it. (And I love Billie!)

As I said, I haven't heard the album, but I've never sought it out either, because I always assumed that I'd have the same reaction that you do. I do find it interesting that Billie didn't mind the imitation, which Friedwald wrote was so close to Billie that it fooled Jimmy Rushing!

[jazzbo]

Will Friedwald in his book Jazz Singing, claims that Marilyn Moore and Billie Holiday were close friends. "When Leonard Feather gave Moore's Bethlehem album a good review, Holiday said that if he hadn't, 'Id've knocked him on his butt.'"

I've never heard the album myself.

Well, it sounds like imitation to me, loving imitation sure, but. . .well. . .I don't dig it. (And I love Billie!)

As I said, I haven't heard the album, but I've never sought it out either, because I always assumed that I'd have the same reaction that you do. I do find it interesting that Billie didn't mind the imitation, which Friedwald wrote was so close to Billie that it fooled Jimmy Rushing!

Wild!

Didn't fool me.

[tjluke68]

I have a Jazz Soundtrack LP from "Oh Captain" with Marilyn Moore and Jackie Paris (and Osie Johnson on 1 song) and I don't hear the similiarities between Marilyn and Billie. I highly recommend this LP as it has Tony Scott, Dick Hyman, Harry Edison, Coleman Hawkins and the highlight for me is Osie Johnson singing Hey Madame!

[couw]

Not that I mind some good ole tangents, but what is the connection between Jane Fielding and Marilyn Moore?

[jazzbo]

Not that I mind some good ole tangents, but what is the connection between Jane Fielding and Marilyn Moore?

Isn't it obvious? Jane Fielding and Terry Morel were both mentioned in the same review from allmusic. And both Terry Morel and Marilyn Moore had albums on Bethlehem! So that's the painfully obvious connection!

Not only that but if you have four Margaritas from Jorge's in you, and either say or read "Terry Morel" really fast. . . it can read or sound somewhat like "Marilyn Moore". . .

That's interesting about that other Marilyn Moore record appearance because on "Moody" she is definitely wearing Billie Holiday on her sleeve and everywhere!

[couw]

thanks Lon, I should drink more in order to sharpen my logic abilities I guess... :rsly:

[Bright Moments]

yeah. and she has lou levy to boost! i wanna hear that album. all A-M-G sez about her is a lot of her sessions are un-issued. why is that? what the hell. she is to sexy to be an obscure jazz vocalist. whats up w/ her and is her stuff on cd

Well, Jane was sexy when she shared a duplex with me in 1955-56, in L.A. But since she's an old lady now, as I am, I doubt very much if she's still sexy. But who knows?

Hello everyone. I'm Bonnie (aka Aurorawolf) and Jane Fielding was my best friend, as was her family. I lost track of her after leaving California, so I have no idea what's she's up to these days.

I have both of her LPs in my collection, given to me in person. (One was cut on red vinyl.)

The story behind those two recordings is that they were demos, paid for by a friend. They're also unedited, which is why you hear a few imperfections in Jane's singing.

In addition, I was also friends with Jane's boyfriend at the time, Ted Efantis, the tenor sax player on Embers Glow.

Jane married after I left California, had two children, then they divorced. I've been trying to find her without any luck, since it's possible she remarried and is going by a different name. I would love to hear from her again and relive old times. We had a lot of fun and she even introduced me to some of her jazz musician friends.

I'm a little confused about her being a former ice skater who turned to singing after being injured. To my knowledge, she wasn't a skater. (I could be wrong about that.) But she did claim to have done high-fashion modeling when she lived in Miami. As you can see by her photo, she was simply gorgeous. Her hair was Clairol dark red. . . . (She might hate me for that! )

So anyway, that's the Jane Fielding I remember.

http://my.athenet.net/~aurorawolf

hello bonnie and welcome to the board!!!

[jazzbo]

Yes, Welcome! Thanks for the information and the sharing of memories!

[gslade]

thanks for the Info Bonnie

welcome

[sheldonm]

....funny stuff, thanks for sharing Bonnie! Nice site as well.....I think my niece may have a copy or two of your books, they look familiar....I'll check this weekend!

Mark~

[Guy Berger]

Thanks for the big welcome, everyone! Nice to be here.

I might tell you some stories about my friend--that's one way to make her contact me if she reads this bord.

Such as the time she and a friend wanted to go prospecting for tungston at Twenty-Nine Palms. I went to a supply store of some kind with her, and she asked them if she could "borrow" a geiger counter.

I'm afraid to ask, Bonnie, but why Tungsten?

Guy

[bertrand]

I think Ted Efantis lives in the DC area. I remember him sitting in at a jam session and being announced by Butch Warren about 2 years ago.

Would he still be in touch with Jane, or did they have a bitter break-up?

I could try to ask around; I don't think Butch could help much, though.

Bertrand.

Edited January 20, 2007 by bertrand

[bertrand]

OK, there's two guys with that name in the DC suburbs.

If you want to try to contact him (again assuming he doesn't mind bringing up these memories), I'll PM you the phone numbers. I just did a yahoo people search for Ted Efantis in Virginia.

Bertrand.

[bertrand]

Just checking your site...

Did you know that one of your book titles contains the title of not one but two Wayne Shorter compositions? Makes me want to check 'em out! Would they be appropriate for a 7-year old?

Bertrand.

Edited January 20, 2007 by bertrand