JSngry Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 I'm also surprised that one of my other faves Abbey Lincoln hasn't come up yet.. Can't do the "all-time favorites" thing, but - three who I've followed very closely with much love over the years and who haven't been given much love here so far are: Abbey LincolnShirley HornJimmy Scott She's here! Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 Shirley Horn is a late love of mine...really like the time she takes to unfold things. Quote
Pete C Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 I always thought a recording of Porgy and Bess with Carrie Smith and Jimmy Scott would have been great. Smith as Porgy, Scott as Bess. Quote
JSngry Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 Jimmy Scott & Shirley Horn both take tempos about as slow as they can be taken and still be felt as such...as with Gil Evans and a very few others, you take things that slow and hold it, all sorts of things start to open up in terms of possibilities & implications, and there's no room for error, not one bit. Ssssllllooooooooooowwwwww tempos, I'm a sucker for them as much if not more than anything, but only if done well. Quote
jazzbo Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 (edited) Female Helen Merrill? Humes? Forrest? Ward? O'Connell? Reddy? I'm assuming it's one of the first two. It's Merrill. The only Helen (jazz singer) I hold that high in esteem. Other important Helens in my life: my late wife, and Helen Folesade Adu. I guessed Merrill... but I am wondering who Jackson is? I guess I should have said "Weldon Leo". . . that would have been clearer. I did originally mean to put female vocalists but I forgot. These responses are interesting in that... a) Billie is up there for a lot of people, b) Ella is not and c) very few contemporary singers... I do like Karrin Allyson a lot (and Tierney Sutton). I'm also surprised that one of my other faves Abbey Lincoln hasn't come up yet.. BTW... For those of you who have some pull over at Mosaic... can you PLEASE get them to do my Betty Carter Select??? I might be mistaken, but I don't think that there's anyone here that has any pull at Mosaic. Most of Betty's stuff is not that hard to find. . . I got on the boat late and got all I wanted easily and cheaply enough. I think if it weren't "top three" and were say "top ten" there'd be a lot more Abby and Ella and maybe (maybe) contemporary singers mentioned. Edited March 2, 2012 by jazzbo Quote
Pete C Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 (edited) Shirley Horn is a late love of mine...really like the time she takes to unfold things. Jimmy Scott & Shirley Horn both take tempos about as slow as they can be taken and still be felt as such...as with Gil Evans and a very few others, you take things that slow and hold it, all sorts of things start to open up in terms of possibilities & implications, and there's no room for error, not one bit. Ssssllllooooooooooowwwwww tempos, I'm a sucker for them as much if not more than anything, but only if done well. I don't remember what critic said this, maybe 15 or so years ago, maybe Giddins, but someone commented that that Horn, Scott and Andy Bey could have had a contest for the slowest singer in jazz at the time. The ability to swing at a snail's pace is true magic. Bey is one of my favorite singers. I also loved Leon Thomas and Joe Lee Wilson. Edited March 2, 2012 by Pete C Quote
jazzbo Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 The ability to swing at a snail's pace is true magic. Bey is one of my favorite singers. I also loved Leon Thomas and Joe Lee Wilson. I agree that a snail's pace or very slow groove is really magic, really hard to pull off. And I love those three singers! Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 Yes, I like Bey too. Male jazz singers don't affect me a great deal but Andy Bey I really like. Quote
jazzbo Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 He's excellent at accompanying himself on the piano. Not everyone does that with the skill he does. Quote
Pete C Posted March 2, 2012 Report Posted March 2, 2012 (edited) While I don't think her Decca recordings generally rate among her best studio dates (with some notable exceptions, especially the versions with trio of I Loves You Porgy & My Man from 1948), I think Billie Holiday was in her best form in this period, having passed through youthful insouciance into gravitas before time and the "elements" took their toll. The Summer of '49 airchecks are among my favorites http://product.half.ebay.com/Summer-of-49-by-Billie-Holiday-CD-Dec-1995-Band-Stand-import/3362380&tg=info as well as the JATP recordings http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Philharmonic-Billie-Holiday-Story/dp/B0000046SY Edited March 2, 2012 by Pete C Quote
brownie Posted March 3, 2012 Report Posted March 3, 2012 Billie Holiday Dinah Washington Anita O'Day Quote
king ubu Posted March 3, 2012 Report Posted March 3, 2012 Billie Holiday Anita O'Day Helen Merrill and plenty of others, too... Ella, Lee Wiley, Sheila Jordan, Shirley Horn, June Christy, Chris Connor, Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan, Beverly Kenney, Carmen McRae, Peggy Lee, Betty Roché... Male would be more difficult... Jack Teagarden, Hoagy... Andy Bey, sure, Jimmy Scott, on some days Johnny Hartman (or some of his recordings), Mose Allison... Guess I still forgot plenty. Quote
king ubu Posted March 3, 2012 Report Posted March 3, 2012 Yeah, it was a tough call between her and Helen Merrill, really - but in the end I reach for Merrill more often. Quote
bigtiny Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 I hate trying to pick 'x' number of favorites, and three is just impossible! I'll do 10, not in any particular order. Oh, and I reserve the right to call who I want a 'jazz' singer!!! =:-) Anita O'day Betty Carter Ella Fitzgerald Mel Torme Frank Sinatra Nat Cole Jon Hendriks Sarah Vaughn Elis Regina Billie Holiday bigtiny Quote
Pete C Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 I reserve the right to call who I want a 'jazz' singer!!! =:-) Nonetheless, I wouldn't call Elis Regina a jazz singer. Leny Andrade, yes. Quote
StarThrower Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 Jon Hendricks Mark Murphy Eddie Jefferson Dinah Washington Carmen McRae Annie Ross Quote
A Lark Ascending Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 Linda Ronstadt Rod Stewart Kiri Te Kanawa Quote
Bright Moments Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 Linda Ronstadt Rod Stewart Kiri Te Kanawa Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted March 5, 2012 Report Posted March 5, 2012 Since it is women I say Billie, Bessie and Shirley. Quote
Pete C Posted March 5, 2012 Report Posted March 5, 2012 Since it is women I say Billie, Bessie and Shirley. I didn't know Shirley Horn before 1991, when I saw her at this star-studded event: http://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/27/arts/jazz-festival-some-friends-pay-tribute-to-sarah-vaughan.html She was the highlight, and blew me away. I saw her many times after that. Quote
JSngry Posted March 5, 2012 Report Posted March 5, 2012 Linda Ronstadt Rod Stewart Kiri Te Kanawa Lingua en cheekus, I'm sure. Quote
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