Hardbopjazz Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 What set these two great bands apart were the vocalists. Both band had great soloists throughout their years, but Basie always had great vocalists in his band. Joe Williams, Billy Eckstine, Jimmy Rushing and Sarah Vaughan, just to name some. Any great vocalists come out of Ellington’s band? Quote
jazzbo Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 Two words: Ivie Anderson! I think Joya Sherrill is a great vocalist, and she had several stints with the band. I also think Ray Nance is a fantastic vocalist, and he was with the band as trumpeter, violinist and vocalist (and dancer too!) A fantastic all around musician! On the balance, I think that Basie had wonderful singers as well, possibly more successful and band singers in general, and a few quite long-lasting with the band. . . . Quote
jazzbo Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 By the way: Sara and Billy weren't really, to my knowledge, ever full time members of the Basie band. They did projects together, live and in the studio, but calling them "Basie Band Singers" is really stretching it. . . . Billie Holiday, yes, for a spell, Helen Humes for longer, Joe Williams for a long time. . . . Quote
John L Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 I never really understood Duke's taste in vocalists. I would listen to my Classics Ellington CDs much more often if it wasn't for Irving Mills and the like. Ivie Anderson was pleasant enough to listen to, but no Helen Humes (IMO). Quote
jazzbo Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 Hmmm. . . I know what you mean about his taste in vocalists, but. . . I would do the reverse in that instance: I like Helen Humes, but she's no Ivie Anderson! B) Vive la difference! Quote
John L Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 Well, maybe sometime you'll swap me your Helen for my Ivie? Quote
jazzbo Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 My wife, Helen Elizabeth Haggerty, tells me I have to keep my Helens! What do y'all think of sometime Ellington (and so much more) vocalist Alice Babs? Quote
jazzbo Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 (edited) Okay, I decided NOT to mention Al Hibbler as we've done the back and forth on Al lately. But .. .. .. yeah. .. Al. . . I dig that guy. A lot! (So did Charlie Parker!) "I Love the Sunrise". . .YEAH. B) Edited April 12, 2004 by jazzbo Quote
agriffith Posted April 12, 2004 Report Posted April 12, 2004 Gotta add Milt Grayson & Betty Roche to the list as well. I dig both of them. And, Lon, in response to the Alice Babs query: I like her! I especially like the way Duke used her in his sacred concerts; beautiful stuff! On the swing stuff she's ........ well. I like the way he used Kay Davis and Adelaide Hall also. Quote
JSngry Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Two words: Ivie Anderson! Two more words: Ray Nance! Quote
LAL Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Helen Humes is One Duke singer I cannot get is Kay Davis, whose opera-style singing doesn't quite fit in with the music, IMO. On Betty Roche, its unfortunate she had few chances to sing with Duke's band (wonder why). The few that she had in the 40s were generally let down by poor choice of songs. Quote
JSngry Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 How come nobody ever mentions Jimmy Grissom whenever we have this discussion? Quote
JSngry Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 I think that both bands usually had vocalists well-suited to what the bandleader wanted. Quote
Pete C Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Betty Roche was quite underrated. Her two Prestige albums are excellent. Humes was great with Basie, greater in her late-50s comeback, and arguably even greater in her final 1970s comeback (when I saw her at Barney Josephson's Cookery). Too bad her great Columbia album "Talk of the Town" (1975) never made it to disc. Quote
EKE BBB Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 To answer the initial question, I´d say that a band who had Jimmie Rushing, Joe Williams and Billie Holiday (& Helen Humes) can´t be surpassed.... and this assertion comes from a die-hard Ellington fanatic! Quote
EKE BBB Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 This previous thread, started by mmilovan, is focused on Ellington vocalists: One for Ellington fans - the vocalists Quote
king ubu Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 To answer the initial question, I´d say that a band who had Jimmie Rushing, Joe Williams and Billie Holiday (& Helen Humes) can´t be surpassed.... and this assertion comes from a die-hard Ellington fanatic! Hey you forgot to list our perennial favourite... Earle Warren... ubu Quote
king ubu Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 Betty Roche was quite underrated. Her two Prestige albums are excellent. I only have her Bethlehem album, I love it! But then, anything with Eddie Costa is good for me! ubu Quote
EKE BBB Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 To answer the initial question, I´d say that a band who had Jimmie Rushing, Joe Williams and Billie Holiday (& Helen Humes) can´t be surpassed.... and this assertion comes from a die-hard Ellington fanatic! Hey you forgot to list our perennial favourite... Earle Warren... How could I? He´s as good as Johnny Hartman on ballads, you know! Quote
king ubu Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 To answer the initial question, I´d say that a band who had Jimmie Rushing, Joe Williams and Billie Holiday (& Helen Humes) can´t be surpassed.... and this assertion comes from a die-hard Ellington fanatic! Hey you forgot to list our perennial favourite... Earle Warren... How could I? He´s as good as Johnny Hartman on ballads, you know! I did not discuss that with our dear friend about that one, but that was one of the best laughs I had lately! ubu Quote
EKE BBB Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 To answer the initial question, I´d say that a band who had Jimmie Rushing, Joe Williams and Billie Holiday (& Helen Humes) can´t be surpassed.... and this assertion comes from a die-hard Ellington fanatic! Hey you forgot to list our perennial favourite... Earle Warren... How could I? He´s as good as Johnny Hartman on ballads, you know! I did not discuss that with our dear friend about that one, but that was one of the best laughs I had lately! ubu I wouldn´t discuss a word Milan may say: I appreciate and respect him too much... but had a good laugh too with that Satanic Verses! Quote
king ubu Posted April 13, 2004 Report Posted April 13, 2004 ... that Satanic Verses! I don't know Hartman too well, but I grew to like him pretty well on the album he made with Coltrane - I'll send Milan a copy of that one. ubu Quote
mmilovan Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 (edited) Nah, people - these verses that looks so laughable must be taken with few grains of salt. Edited April 14, 2004 by mmilovan Quote
mikeweil Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 If you'd assemble a list of great jazz vocal solists, Jimmy Rushing, Joe Williams or Helen Humes are likely to score a place, but I doubt Al Hibbler or Betty Roché would make that list. I find them to be as individual and great as Basie's singers, but the totally different band concepts required a different type of singers. Just as the type of instrumental soloits with Basie was different - can you imagine Hodges in the Basie Band? BTW: How many were in both bands? I know Paul Gonsalves spent a short time with Basie before joining Ellington, but who else? Quote
EKE BBB Posted April 14, 2004 Report Posted April 14, 2004 Clark Terry! Louie Bellson Quentin Jackson Al Killian Rufus Jones Willie Cook Gerald Wilson Money Johnson Quote
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