So, let's have a go, shall we? Weigh in with your nominations for the best male and female jazz vocalists of the past century. My picks: Mel Torme and Ella Fitzgerald.

Cheers,

John Schmidt
"95% of everything is crud" - Theodore Sturgeon

I don't have any favourite male jazz vocalists, so I'll leave it there...

Giles

Thankfully, choosing "the best" is as unreal as being allowed just the one disc on that desert island. Among the Ladies, I would not want to be without Ella or Billie - but I tend to play more Abbey Lincoln than any other female jazz vocalist (sorry Hock). For example, try, When There is Love (with Hank Jones) and, A Turtle's Dream. I am also a Shirley Horn fan.

Male jazz vocalists: Mel Torme - well of course. But I really like Tony Bennett. His collaboration with Bill Evans, in particular. Even his Unplugged collection is often spun chez moi - of the many many (vocal) versions of Autumn Leaves, I think this is my favourite.

Stewart

Ross

Best female vocals: Ella.

Then Billie, then Lena. I rather enjoy Diane Reeves, as well.

Best male vocals: ? I'll go with Mel Torme, though.

Man, you have a good memory, Stewart!

Stewart is right -- I can't stand Abbey. I much prefer female jazz singers like Billie and Ella and not much else. The only male jazz singer I like is Sinatra and he's not strictly jazz.

I rather stick to instrumental jazz.

Hock

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So, let's have a go, shall we? Weigh in with your nominations for the best male and female jazz vocalists of the past century.

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Billie Holiday gets my vote for female jazz vocalist - I only have two albums 'Lady sings the blues' and 'Songs for Distingué Lovers', I love them both. 'Strange fruit' from 'Lady sings the blues' can knock you cold, incredibly powerful stuff. There is no filler on this album at all, and ok the recording technology is shall we say 'vintage' rather than classic, but it gets in the way surprisingly little.

'Songs for Distingué Lovers' is a far more technically polished affair, beautifully arranged and recorded, with a really great swing to the playing, it does however lack some of the real heart rendering conviction from the earlier album.

Can anyone recommend any others by Ms Holiday?

On a totally different level I really like Astrid Gilberto, whose work with Stan Getz, João Gilberto, and Antonio Carlos Jobim was often really cool. Leave any hope of conviction at the door, but the warm swing of this music is wonderful. Her later output was more 'lounge-core', suitable for lovers of good cheesy grooves (stop me before I get my Esquivel albums out…).

Tony.

However, here are some of my favourites:

Ella Fitzgerald:

good as the songbook series is I prefer here in small combos eg. 'Ella and Oscar' and her recordings with Joe Pass and Ellis Larkins

Sarah Vaughan:

a great singer but she has made very few really great recordings. She really needed a Norman Granz like figure to lead her in the right artistic direction as most of her recordings are very self-indulgent.

Billie Holiday:

I think she communicates like no other and I think she is frankly beyond criticism.

Carman Macrae;

A class act with great presence - a bit underrated

Mel Torme:

Yes, I think he is my favourite male singer, although I am also a fan of Sinatra. Some of his later recordings with George Shearing are fantastic, particularly the live stuff. As well as having an impeccable technique he really understands the words he's singing. In fact, he's the only singer I know that can 'do' punctuation in a lyric and heighten the meaning without it sounding pedantic or arch.

Gilberto/Getz:

Together they have made some great records (both Mr. and Mrs Gilberto) even though neither has a great voice. The combination though with Stan Getz is fantastic - and the sound quality is still top drawer.

John Pizzarelli:

he's my favourite amongst the modern crop, as I said in an earlier thread. A virtuoso guitarist with a very engaging vocal style. 'After Hours' and 'Kisses in the Rain' are both hugely enjoyable.

I also like Diana Krall, Carol Kidd, Anita O'Day and Rosemary Clooney (her later stuff).

There's more but that's quite enough!

Cheers,
Kevin

First came across this lot c/o Robert's demo set: he'd picked Blackbird up on a cruise to Norway and while everyone else was looking at waterfalls he went to the local recording studio instead... Very hard to find in the UK, I finally got my own copy a couple of summers ago waiting for the ferry in Bergen. Also got "Necessarily So", the followup, on the same shopping trip (though was disappointed that stock from "Free Records" had to be paid for, hey ho). The material is mainly standards based, but has an unusual two bass attack (one guitar, one upright), and plenty of swing. The recording and production quality on both discs is quite exceptionally good. Worth checking out.

Pete.

[This message was edited by John C on WEDNESDAY 22 November 2000 at 14:30.]9

[This message was edited by John C on WEDNESDAY 22 November 2000 at 14:36.]

Yes, John, I agree, she shouldn't be ignored.

And thanks Pete for the more esoteric recommendation.

On a tangent - has anyone heard Sade's new album?

Stewart

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On a tangent - has anyone heard Sade's new album?

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"Tangent" from good singing ;-)

Be careful Stewart, it has been revealed on the Mana forum that she is a user (in both senses of the word, actually). You don't want the barn animals after you.

I almost burst into laughter at an audio show when a punter asked the Linn man to put a disc into the CD12 and "Smooth Operator" started playing. I don't think the support has yet been invented which could save that one.

Vuk.

I thought mentioning Sade in such distinguished company may have been too conspicuous to get away with. But I have to honestly admit a soft spot (?Achilles heel) for her earlier output. Diamond Life, in particular, conjures fond memories. Many years and events since her last album, I confess more than passing interest.

Stewart.

Forgot to mention that I also like Tony Bennett, though I don't actually own any of his music--is the Bill Evans collaboration easy to find? Does it have a name?

What Mel Torme would you suggest or is everyone joking around with this? Or am I becoming too old to even want to know? I'd better spin some house records tonight to rejuvinate myself.

Vuk.

P.S. I got the Sade/Mana thing wrong in the previous post. Kate Bush uses Mana and Naim, Sade only the electronics.

It's called, The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album! Recorded in 1975 and as far as I know it is still available. If you're a Bill Evans neophyte, give that House stuff a rest and give him a try. Everybody digs Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby and Conversations With Myself, for example.

A Torme album to try might be Mel Torme Sings Fred Astaire; best when you have company.

Stewart.

Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby" and "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" are two of the greatest jazz recordings ever. (Both are also available on excellent vinyl reissues.)

Ross

Stewart.