Happy 91 Helen Merrill.

[Hardbopjazz]

I enjoy her singing. She turned 91 today. Be quite honest I didn’t even know she was still with us.  

happy 91. 

[JSngry]

Hope she's doing well, I'm a fan!

[jazzbo]

I'm a fan too. Hope she has a great one.

This week Japan just reissued on cd a '96 Japan live appearence recording.

Edited July 22, 2021 by jazzbo

[Ken Dryden]

I had a chance encounter with her during a Denny Zeiltin gig at Kitano, probably in 2011. I think that I took a picture of her with another vocalist whose name is escaping me at the moment. I've admired the recordings of hers that I have purchased.

[Chuck Nessa]

When I moved back to Chicago in 1975 Don DeMichael invited me to join the board of the newly revived Jazz Institute of Chicago and Helen was also on the board. She left the city after a couple of years and I never really got to know her.

[JSngry]

I like her singing better the older she got...to me, that's part of being a real singer...or human in general. Know what you got, know what you don't got and then make the best/truest that you can with it. If that means having less to do less (but better to yourself)...perfect. Bodies are not meant to last forever, especially voices.

 

[medjuck]

Saw her sit in with the Gil Evans memorial band (or whatever it's called) at the Jazz Standard a few years ago. 

[randyhersom]

The What's New with Clifford Brown is magnificent.

[danasgoodstuff]

3 hours ago, randyhersom said:

The What's New with Clifford Brown is magnificent.

It most certainly is, but only a small slice of her work.

22 hours ago, JSngry said:

I like her singing better the older she got...to me, that's part of being a real singer...or human in general. Know what you got, know what you don't got and then make the best/truest that you can with it. If that means having less to do less (but better to yourself)...perfect. Bodies are not meant to last forever, especially voices.

 

That goes right up t the line of melodrama, but not over it for me, YMMV, etc.  Interesting, if not entirely successful - as if it was in a Kurt Weil musical.

[JSngry]

Not a lot of her later records on YT, for some reason. If it was there, I would have posted the "Willow Weep For Me" with her and Wayne. That one is 100% zone  Or the later 'I'm A Fool To Want You" with Gil, same thing.

[HutchFan]

One of my favorites:

[ghost of miles]

A happy 94th today to Helen Merrill. 

[Peter Friedman]

While I liked her earlier recordings, over the many years my enjoyment of her singing has increased.

[soulpope]

A wonderful singer .... 🎂❤️🎂 ....