ruth olay

[alocispepraluger102]

listening to a nice ruth olay(a singer i like very much) abc recording with herb ellis, ray brown, victor feldman, and al hendrickson.

here is an interview with ruth:

http://www.ehrensteinland.com/htmls/library/rutholay.html

[Chuck Nessa]

I think my wife buys her oil.

[Christiern]

Haven't heard Ruth Olay's voice in about 40 years, but I recall it being an unusual one. I also seem to recallan Olay album on which all the songs had something to do with coffee. Do I remember correctly?

[alocispepraluger102]

Haven't heard Ruth Olay's voice in about 40 years, but I recall it being an unusual one. I also seem to recallan Olay album on which all the songs had something to do with coffee. Do I remember correctly?

reminds one of teddi king's voice with considerable billie influence.

dont know the coffee one, but i liked her work with bob thompson.

Edited October 29, 2007 by alocispepraluger102

[Larry Kart]

Here's Olay with Ellington from a 1959 Timex Jazz Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOynOuc84KM

It is an unusual voice -- that prominent, plush vibrato, for one thing. Also, she certainly looks the way she sounds.

[alocispepraluger102]

Here's Olay with Ellington from a 1959 Timex Jazz Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOynOuc84KM

It is an unusual voice -- that prominent, plush vibrato, for one thing. Also, she certainly looks the way she sounds.

thanks.

[JSngry]

...she certainly looks the way she sounds.

A disturbing proposition either way!

[JSngry]

She looks and sounds less frightening here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbxdli39ff4

I realise that the album the Merv holds up is one that I bought about a year-and-a-half ago, back in the tail end of my buying-stuff-that-even-tangentally-suggested-"jazz"-in-hopes-of-finding-some-lost-pseudo-treasure-for-life-in-the-cave-that-I-knew-I'd-never-in-hell-get-around-to-listening-to days, and sure enough, I still haven't listened to it yet.

[Joe G]

back in the tail end of my buying-stuff-that-even-tangentally-suggested-"jazz"-in-hopes-of-finding-some-lost-pseudo-treasure-for-life-in-the-cave-that-I-knew-I'd-never-in-hell-get-around-to-listening-to days,

Ah yes. Those were the days!

[Chuck Nessa]

This

makes one wonder why songwriters bother with melodies.

[Jim Alfredson]

That's some wild vibrato. Holy smokes!

[Chuck Nessa]

That's some wild vibrato. Holy smokes!

Not really wild, just weird.

[Larry Kart]

This

makes one wonder why songwriters bother with melodies.

Half woman, half Theremin. On the other hand, Benny Carter was a big fan and hired her to sing with his big band. But then, now that I think about it, and though Carter is one of my favorites, there were times when his vibrato and Olay's were somewhat similiar.

[alocispepraluger102]

This

makes one wonder why songwriters bother with melodies.

Half woman, half Theremin. On the other hand, Benny Carter was a big fan and hired her to sing with his big band. But then, now that I think about it, and though Carter is one of my favorites, there were times when his vibrato and Olay's were somewhat similiar.

i think you may be right.

[JSngry]

This

Who's that host? So familiar, and yet I can't come up with a name...

[Christiern]

That's the weird vibrato I recall. Theramin is a good comparison, Larry.

I, too, recognize, but cannot identify, the host.

[Randy Twizzle]

This

Who's that host? So familiar, and yet I can't come up with a name...

I think it's Peter Lind Hayes who hosted the Tonight Show on May 28, 1962 on which Olay appeared.

[Chas]

Haven't heard Ruth Olay's voice in about 40 years, but I recall it being an unusual one. I also seem to recallan Olay album on which all the songs had something to do with coffee. Do I remember correctly?

Her first lp on Zephyr 'It's About Time' , is made up of tunes containing 'time' in the title , and contains a tune called 'Coffee Time' , so I think that explains your recollection . Given that era's propensity for punning titles, it's a wonder there isn't a record matching your recollection titled , "Café Olay' .

[Christiern]

That is exactly what I had in mind (albeit somewhat distorted by time, as it were). Thanks for giving me clarity.

[paul secor]

Her singing isn't to my taste - I'd never heard her before, and will probably never listen to her again - but at least she had a somewhat unique vocal style - more than can be said for many singers.