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In Reply to: RE: Jazz Vocalist - Laufey posted by DaveT on September 25, 2023 at 14:41:28
I'm pretty cynical about new jazz singers relying on old formulae like standards and bossa nova rhythms. This is 2023 - the world has moved on in all possible ways, attitudes, lyrics, electronics, arrangements and production - just about everything.
I would much rather listen to the sounds of 2023 - young singer songwriters starting off their careers. Here's one I knew quite well when I was working at a rock academy. Just a young graduate, one of thousands making a statement about the world we now live in.
Follow Ups:
...or my cup of tea but if you like it that's great :-)
Edits: 10/24/23 10/25/23
I like some of Laufey's songs, but her music is not jazz as I understand
it--there is no swing, she sings on the beat, there is no improvisation (the brief scat singing in "From the Start") is the same in every performance. Also, sadly, there has been some obvious wear and tear on her voice in the last few months, if you listen on YouTube to multiple performances she's done of the same song.
Speaking more to Belle Jar which is really nothing close to jazz. At least the Laufey video, good or bad, was an attempt of Brazilian Jazz per the forum it's posted.
I listened to Belle Jar - Blue . I find the arrangement different, and one could say it is 21st century-ish. To me the arrangement, although limited in instrumentation it does not complement the vocalist. To my ear the arrangement is a distraction. I did note at the end of track that she may have more ability than was demonstrated in this particular selection.Not meaning to be hyper-critical, but the vocalist has limited range, and this particular selection does give me pause to hear more. One of the things Jazz artist have prided themselves on is the ability to perform the standards.
Lady Ga-Ga performed her own material (as have other pop performers) only to demonstrate the range of her vocal control and ability by singing a few standards. Oh so many pop performers have performed Jazz standards just to prove they have talent, range, and the ability improvise.
The 2 artist I suggested have range and control far out pacing any number of other vocalists. In my opinion, these 2 vocalists' abilities demonstrate range and control well beyond the "lounge singers" who have been pushed on the listening public. All too often female Jazz vocalists are photogenic and, in some cases, excellent musicians playing instruments, but are mediocre vocalist. This distinction is not only reserved to female performers. There are any number of male musicians who have offered mediocre Jazz vocalizations, as well.
Everyone has their tastes and preferences, and we don't all have to agree.
DaveT
Edits: 10/03/23
Who would I prefer to listen to - Ella Fitzgerald or Blossom Dearie?
Answer - Blossom Dearie. She has a squeaky voice but she has something to say. Not just clever notes.
Ella is a "vocalist". She has pretty much no feel whatever for the emotion in the songs she sings. She's not a songwriter either.
Give me the songwriters every time - Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, St. Vincent, Sara Bareilles, Cyndi Lauper and all the rest. The same with the guys. They create the songs. That's where the real talent lies.
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View YouTube Video
Gsquared
She does indeed have a beautiful voice and delivery. I listened to this track and the one supplied by Andy. This specific selection strikes me as a Jazz performance.
Although performers may select songs and arrangements from any number genres, Andy's submittal sounds more Folk than Jazz. That is not to say the performance is sub-par - it just does not sound like what "I" think of as Jazz.
I believe we are identifying females who give performances that appeal to us. They are all female vocalist/performers. Whatever strikes you strikes you, and nothing is to be gained by diminishing one over the other.
One of my favorite vocal performances by anyone is Eva Cassidy;s Over the Rainbow. This song is often thought to be a Jazz standard, however I am do not know where this performance would be classified. This performance is what Andy says expresses feeling and emotion. For whatever reason, every time I hear this performance it brings tears to my eyes. YMMV
DaveT
I've always resisted putting boundaries around jazz. Part of the beauty of jazz is openness of the art form.
Gsquared
I, wholeheartedly, agree that Jazz should be boundless. For the most part Jazz has branched out into various genres. The underlying theme of Jazz is improvisation.
DaveT
Sara Bareilles is not only a good musician, she writes really good songs and her lyrics are some way towards the kind of metaphors you get in poetry.Here's a favourite of mine. I love the lyrics....
"You've got a steel train touch and I'm just a track you lay
So I stay right here, underneath you
I'm just a basket case, it's what we do...."
Edits: 10/14/23 10/14/23
.
Gsquared
I much prefer Nina Simone and others with emotion in their voice. Then there are also other singers that sound like they are forcing the emotion. Not jazz, but Red House artist Greg Brown tries to sing with an increasingly deep voice on each new recording. I think he has finally bottomed out though.
My Man's Gone Now - George Gershwin
Ella:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ3kfDBAJWc
If there's any feeling in it, I can't feel it.
Sinead:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGhvFrzq7kQ
That hits the spot for me....
I don't agree regarding the two recordings.
To me, Ella's recording is more in the vein of the operatic performance as would be performed in a theater. Sinead's recording, to my ear, has less body. The arrangement or the recording is thin. Sinead's recording is underwhelming where Ells's recording is overwhelming.
Maybe it is just a matter of taste, but I don't hear any particular emotion in either recording.
In my experience, a live performance in an intimate setting is where one can sense the emotion. Whereas the recordings of all these artists provides us a glimpse of their talent. At best we like what we like, and we may disagree. Regardless, all the artist named in this thread are talented and I don't believe their performances are enhanced my technical gadgetry.
Overall, we can just "enjoy the music!"
DaveT
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