Re: What makes a good jazz singer?

Posted by suretyguy (A) on November 11, 2002 at 13:58:20

In Reply to: What makes a good jazz singer? posted by jazz1 on November 9, 2002 at 23:24:15:

Former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said of pornography that he couldn't define it, but knew it when he saw it. I think something similar could be applied to "jazz singer", a term which could readily be applied to the likes of Louis Armstrong, Red Allen, Jack Teagarden, Doc Cheatham, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan, Jimmy Rushing, Joe Williams, Shirley Horne, Mark Murphy, Jackie Paris, Chris Connor, Helen Merrill, Anita O'Day, Sheila Jordan, Carole Sloane, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Mary Stallings, Betty Carter, etc., etc., etc. (Not being included in this list does not mean I don't think others qualify.) Although not all of them were/are jazz singers all the time-some crossed over to popular music on occasion, others to the blues-it would be difficult to say these were not great jazz singers. And then there is another group, headed by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Bobby Short, Blossom Dearie, Jackie & Roy, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, et al, who are in my humble view primarily great interpreters of great American popular songs, but who often blur(red) the line between pop and jazz. Frankly I could listen to all or any of them all day long without worrying too much about categories. Among current singers, or at least those who seem to get the most attention, I find some of them far too mannered too much of the time for my taste (Patricia Barber, Cassandra Wilson, Dena Derose, Diane Schuur), but I do like Karrin Allyson, Diana Krall (at times), Dee Dee Bridgewater (when she's not overdoing it). Unfortunately I'm not familiar with a couple of those you mention, but I should check them out.

Out of curiosity is there a reason why you mentioned only women? And I'm not so sure I'd rate "scat" anywhere close the need to swing and to interpret lyrics in a personal way.

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - What makes a good jazz singer? - jazz1 23:24:15 11/09/02 (21)

Re: What makes a good jazz singer? - suretyguy 13:58:20 11/11/02 (0)

Re: What makes a good jazz singer? - middleground 13:20:51 11/11/02 (0)

Re: What makes a good jazz singer? - Mike M. 07:44:40 11/11/02 (1)

Re: What makes a good jazz singer? - jazz1 08:15:32 11/11/02 (0)

The should sound good nt - Matthew G. 20:59:36 11/10/02 (0)

a lot of things - hifitommy 09:50:52 11/10/02 (1)

Re: a lot of things - jazz1 01:26:14 11/11/02 (0)

Karrin Allyson... - Sound 07:50:22 11/10/02 (10)

Re: Karrin Allyson... - jazz1 08:18:03 11/10/02 (9)

Re: Karrin Allyson... - Sound 09:11:59 11/10/02 (8)

Re: Karrin Allyson... - jazz1 09:34:49 11/10/02 (7)

Re: Karrin Allyson... WARNING! Snob alert. nt - frank 01:58:12 11/11/02 (6)

What snob? - dvb 09:14:33 11/11/02 (5)

Re: What snob? - frank 14:16:44 11/11/02 (4)

Re: What snob?. Do you enjoy Britney Spears? - jazz1 05:10:54 11/12/02 (3)

different singers - hifitommy 13:56:40 11/16/02 (0)

Re: What snob?. Do you enjoy Britney Spears? - groovenoter 04:31:06 11/14/02 (0)

Re: What snob?. Do you enjoy Britney Spears? - frank 08:29:46 11/12/02 (0)

I think that there would be more of them... - SE 05:50:56 11/10/02 (2)

Re: I think that there would be more of them... - jazz1 03:42:16 11/11/02 (1)

I meant "cultural"... - SE 04:15:22 11/11/02 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: What makes a good jazz singer? - suretyguy 13:58:20 11/11/02 (0)

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