Jazz History 9
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9. The Great Jazz Singers/ Review For For Midterm Midterm
For decades the questi on has been asked: What is a jazz singer? Some listeners claim that a vocalist has to scat like a horn (what do they consider Billie Holiday?) while others say that simply swinging is enough (do they include Tony Bennett and Jack Jones?)
jazz singer is a vocalist who brings his or her own interpretation to a song and improvises through words, sounds, notes and/or phrasing. The difference between a jazz and a pop singer is that a jazz vocalist is spontaneous in concert. The goal is not to duplicate a record, but rather to express how one feels at the moment. Respect can be or the original lyrics and melody, but if shown f or one is only duplicating the written music, the chances are that the singer falls into the cabaret area. A
Georges Top
10(ok, 17) Jazz Singers
1. Bessie Smith(April 15, 15, 1894 1894 September 26, 1937)
2. Louis Armstrong(August 4, 1901 1901 July 6, 6, 1971
3. Billie Holliday(April 7, 1915 1915 July 17, 1959 1959)
4. Ella Fitzgerald(April 25, 1917 1917 June 15, 1996)
5. Sarah Vaughn(March 27, 1924 April 3, 1990)
6. Nat King Cole(March 17, 1919 February 15, 1965)
7. Joe Williams(December 12, 1918 1918 March 29, 1999)
8. Dinah Washington(August 29, 29, 1924 1924 Dece December 14, 1963)
9. Nancy Wilson(born February 20, 1937)
10. Betty Carter(Ma May y 16, 1929 1929 September 26, 1998)
11. Shirley Horn((May (May 1, 1934 October 20, 2005)
12. Bobby McFerrin(born March 11, 1950)
13. Cassandra Wilson(born December 4, 1955)
14. Dianne Reeves(b orn October 23, 1956)
15. Carmen Lundy(born November 1, 1954)
16. Shelia Jordan (November 18, 1928,)
17. Nina Simone((February 21, 1933 April 21, 2003)
Jokes about Singers
1. How do you know there's a girl singer as a patient on the intensive care unit? She's the only one that asks f or or more echo on the monitor. 2. A chick singer is always calling tunes in strange keys. One day during a rehearsal the piano player in the band has had enough: Pianist: Why the heck do you want to sing the tune in D? Why not take it up a semitone and do it in Eb? Singer: Eb? Isn't that faster? 3. How does a singer change a light bulb? She stands on a chair, takes hold of the bulb, and waits f or or the whole world to revolve around her. 4. How can you tell when it's a chick singer knocking at your door? Because she can't find the key, and she doesn't know how to come in.
Bessie Smith
Bessie
Smith (April 15, 15, 189 1894 4 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Sometimes refe eferred to as The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930 1930s. s. She She is is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on subsequent jazz vocalists.
Bessie Smith-St. Louis Woman Bessie Smith-I'm Wild About That Thing By 1926 public enthusiasm for the blues is declining and Bessie's venues become less prestigious, prestigious, she begins using more suggestive lyrics in 1927 in an attempt to stem falling interest interest in her music and records 'Empty Bed Blues' in 1928 which becomes a big hit.
Bessie Smiths iths death death in 1937 were a major controversy; she was in a car accident and had lost a lot of blood. Some said she died because the white hospital would not admit her, but some say that they never would have have take taken her to a white hospital in the first place. Ah, the logic of racism..
Louis Armstrong
I f org orget who it was that once said that Louie Armstrong was the greatest singer in the world without a voice. And he was because what Louie did to a song, nobody else could do. -Billy Ecksti Eckstine
T he he question always arises: how could someone with an untrained untrained voice voice -- a voice voice with limited range and a gravelly quality have such a profound effect on the course of American jazz and popular song? T he he answer is found in Satchmo's disparate vocal influences.
As
or the a boy, Armstrong worked f or Karnofskys, a family of Jewish immigrants; their music impacted his singing
The Creole and Black bands of New Orleans impacted him He loved Bessie Smith, and also Enrico Caruso and Irish tenor John McCormick John McCormick-My Wild Irish Rose
Heebie Jeebies
La Vie En Rose
What A Wonderful World
Interesting
Bing Crosby sby,, a great admirer of Armstrong's, brought Louis' innovations into the world of pop music, first as part of the Rhythm Boys with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra and then as the premier "crooner" of the 1930s. rom Crosby's baritone voice saved the world f rom the many "boy tenors" who were threatening to dominate music of the late 1920s.
Crosby... was important in introducing into the mainstream of popular singing an Af ro ro-American concept of song as a lyrical extension of speech... His technique iquess - easi easing the weight of the breath on the vocal cords, passing into a head voice at a orward production to aid low register, using f or distinct enunciation, singing on consonants (a practice of black singers), and making discreet use of a f appoggiaturas as,, mordents ts,, and slurs to emphasiz hasize e the the tex textt - were emulated by nearly all later popular singers.
Just One More Chance
Now You Have Jazz
White Christmas
Billie Holliday
Ken Burns
Episode 6 49:38-52:54
Episode 7 1:10:49-1:15:51
Episode 8 1:28:49-1:32:30
Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan[1] April 7, 1915 1915 July July 17, 17, 195 1959 9) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her f riend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Billie
Critic John Bush wrote that Holiday "changed orever."She the art of American pop vocals f or co-wrote only a few songs, but several of them have become jazz standards ds,, notably "God Bless the Child", Child", "D "Don't Explain", "Fine and Mellow", and "Lady "Lady Sings the Blues". Blues". She or singing "Easy Living", also became fa famous f or "Good Morning Heartache tache", ", and "St "Strange Fruit uit", ", a protest song which became one of her standards and was made famous with her 1939 recording.
God
Bless The Child Good Morning Heartache Strange Fruit Strange Fruit " " Strange " is a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday , who released her first recording of it in 1939, the year she first sang it. Written by the teacher Abel Meeropol as Meeropol as a poem, it exposed American racism , particularly particularly the lynching of African African Americans. Americans. Such lynchings had occurred chiefly in the South but also in all other regions of the United States.
Lyrics to Strange Fruit
Southern trees bear strange f ruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange f ruit hanging f rom rom the popular trees Pastoral scene of the gallant south The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth Scent of magnolias, sweet and f resh Then the sudden smell of burning flesh Here is f ruit f or or the crows to pluck For the rain to gather, f or or the wind to suck For the sun to rot, f or or the trees to drop Here is a strange and bitter cry
Lynching,
the practice of killing people by extrajudicial mob action, occurred in the United States chiefly f rom rom the late 18th century through the 1960s. Lynchings took place most f requently in the South f rom rom 1890 to the 1920s, with a peak in the annual toll in 1892.
Ken Burns
Episode 6 1:19:29-1:26;56
Episode 9 1:08:44-1:13:14
Ella Fitzgerald
Ken Burns
Episode 6-1:10;58-1:19:24
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 25, 191 1917 7 June 15, 1996), also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was a n American jazz and song vocalist calist..[1] With a vocal range spanning or three octaves (Db3 to Db6), she was noted f or her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.
St. Louis Blues-with Chick Webb Orchestra
A
Tisket A Tasket-with Chick Webb
One Note Samba with Tommy Flanagan piano 1969 rom Cole Porter Songbook So In Love-f rom
Big Band Singers
During the Swing Era, every band had a singer, female and male. Sometimes, the singer was the bandleader(Bil (Billy ly Eckst ckstiine, Cab Calloway way). But this was an era when instrumentals were more popular than vocals. That changed partially due to the recording ban of 1942. Obviously usly, it it s rare that an instrumental song reaches any pop chart. Maybe there should be an American Instrumental Idol.
Recording ban/Musicians Strike ike of 1942-44
One unexpected result of the strike was the decline of the importance in popular music of the big bands of the 1930s and early 1940s. T he he strike was not the only cause of this decline, but it emphasized the shift from big bands with an accompanying vocalist to an emphasis on the vocalist, with the exclusion of the band. In the 1930s and prestrike 1940s, big bands dominated popular music; after the strike, vocalists dominated popular music.
Interesting.
It should should be pointed pointed out that before before the strik strike e began there were signs that the increasing popularity of singers was beginning to reshape the big bands. When Frank Sinatra joined Sinatra joined T ommy Dorsey 's 's band in 1940, most selections started with a T ommy Dorsey solo. By the time Sinatra left in 1942, his songs with the band began with his singing, followed by any solos by Dorsey or others.
Sarah Vaughn
Ken Burns
Episode 9 34:50-39:46
Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century." 1943 won a talent show at the Apollo Theater with a version of Body And Soul Sang with Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine Rose to Stardom in 1948 1954-recorded with Cliff or ord Brown Hit songs included Misty and Send In The Clowns Also an accomplished pianist
ord Brown-Lullabye Of Sarah Vaughn with Cliff or Birdland
Misty
I Got Rhythm
Theme From Peter Gunn
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel
Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist ist.. He owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used orm in big band and jazz genres. He to perf orm was one of the first black Americans to host a television variety show, and has maintained worldwide popularity since his death.
Nature Boy
When I Fall In Love
Joe Williams
Joe Williams (born Joseph Goreed; December 12, 12, 191 1918 8 March 29, 1999) was a well-known jazz vocalist, a baritone singing a mixture of blues,, ballads, popular songs, and jazz blues sta standards.
Started with Jimmy Noone in 1938
Worked with Lionel Hampton in 1942
Worked steadily with the C ount Basie Band throughout the 1950s 1950s
Everyday I Have The Blues-C ount Basie
Here's To Life
Dinah Washington
Dinah
Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones (August 29, 1924 December 14, 1963), was an American blues blues,, R&B and jazz singer. She has bee n cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", a nd called "The Quee n of the Blues". Won talent contest at age 15, started in Chicago clubs in 1941
1943-worked with Lionel Hampton
Between 1948 and 55 had 27 t op 10 R and B hits
What a Diffe rence a Day Makes was #4 on the Pop charts in 1959
From Allmusic guide:
"[ She] She] was at once one of the most beloved and controversial controversial singers singers of the mid-20th century century - beloved to her fans, devotees, and fellow singers; controversial to critics who still accuse her of selling out her art to commerce and bad taste. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop - and she probably would would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. Hers was a gritty, gritty, salty, high-pitched voice, marked by absolute clarity of diction and clipped, bluesy phrasing... "
What A Difference A Day Makes
Teach Me Tonight
Nancy Wilson
Nancy
Wilson (born February 20, 1937) is an American singer with more than 70 albums, and three Grammy Awards ds.. She has been labeled a singer of blues f blues,, jazz jazz,, cabaret and pop; a "consummate actress"; and "the complete entertainer." The title she prefe efers, however, is song styli stylist st.. She has has received many nicknames including "Sweet Nancy", "The Baby", "Fancy Miss Nancy" and "The Girl With the Honey-Coated Voice".
Nancys debut single, "Guess Who I Saw Today", was so successful that between April 1960 and July 1962 Capitol Records released five Nancy Wilson albums. Her first album, Like in Love, displayed her talent in Rhythm and Blues, Blues, with the hit R&B s ong "Save your Love f or or Me." Adderley suggested that she sh ould steer away f rom rom her original pop style and gear her music toward jazz and ballad ballads. s. In 1962, they collaborated and produced an album Nancy Wilson/Cannonball which propelled her to national prominence.
Guess
Save Your Love For Me
Who I Saw Today
rom Nancy Wilson and Happy Talk-f rom Cannonball Adderly
The Old Country
Betty Carter
Betty Carter
(born Lillie Mae Jones, May 16, 1929[1] September 26, 1998) was an or her American jazz singer known f or improvisational technique. Vocalist Carmen McRae once claimed that "there's really only one jazz singer - only one: Betty Carter."[2]
All
Or Nothing At All-with Dave Holland
How High The Moon
Shirley Horn
(May 1, 1934 in Shirley Valerie Horn (May Washington, D.C. October 20, 2005) was an American jazz singer and pianist ist.. Did her first recordings in 1960, went back to D.C. to raise her family Was Redisc Rediscovered in 1981, gaining much notoriety f or or 1991-You Wont Forget Me Used the same rhythm section(Charles Abels on bass guitar and Steve Williams on drums) or 25 years f or
rom Loads Of Love Wild Is Love f rom
Here's To Life-arr Johhny Mandel 1992
Bobby McFerrin
Robert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is a virtuoso American vocalist and or his 1988 hit conductor. He is best known f or song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a tentime Grammy Award winner. He is well known or his unique vocal techniques and singing f or styles.
Blackbird
with Chick Corea-Blue Bossa
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson (born December 4, 1955)is an American jazz musician, vocalist, rom Jackson, songwriter, and producer f rom Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and f olk music into her work, Wilson has won two ds.. Grammy Awards
rom Sine Die with Steve "Destination" f rom Coleman-1992
You Don't Know What Love Is
Dianne Reeves
Dianne
Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado. Born to musical family in Detroit, raised in Denver Keyboardist George Duke is her cousin Moved to LA in 1976, toured with Harry onte in the 80s Belaf on Signed to Blue Note in 1987
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
Speak Low
Carmen Lundy
Carmen Lundy (born November 1, 1954) is an American jazz singer, composer, songwriter, orming actress ess,, and painter. She has been perf orm or three decades, with a f ocus on original f or material. ial. She has been positively compared with Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.[2] She is also the sister of bassist Curtis Lundy dy..
In Love Again
Better Days
Shelia Jordan
Sheila Jordan (b. Sheila Jeanette Dawson; November 18, 1928, Detroit it,, Michigan is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Jordan has recorded as a session musician with an array of critically acclaimed artists in addition to a notable solo career. Although her mainstream success has been somewhat limited, Jordan's music has earned praise f rom rom many critics, particularly f or or her ability to improvise entire lyrics ics;; Scott Yanow describes her as "[o]ne of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers."
Falling IN Love With Love-Portrait of Sheila 1962 Anthropology
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 April 21, 2003), better known by her stage name Nina Simone ,was an American singer, songwriter, pianist ist,, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz with jazz music. Simone aspired to become a classical pianist while working in a broad range of styles including classical classical,, jazz jazz,, blues blues,, f olk lk,, R&B R&B,, gospel el,, and pop.
Ain't Got
No
Mississippi Goddamn
Four Women
It pains me to leave f our of my favorite singers, Al Jarreau, Chaka Khan, Jon Hendricks and Sammy Davis Jr. off of the list. Im guessing we are way over time at this point. Anyway here are 4 links:
AL
Chaka Khan-High Wire(Chick Corea)
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross -Airegin
Jarreau-Spain by Chick Corea
Sammy Davis Jr. 1963 I've Got You Under My Skin
Review For Midterm
The Midterm will be multiple choice questions. You will have u ntil 11:50 to complete the test. If you can not be at the scheduled midterm, please see or email me or Marc Hutchinson.
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