Your opinion on good female vocalists?

[IssphitiKOzS]

[Didn't want to throw this into the RRR section.]

I'm new to the genre. It's always been in the background, only recently has it inevitably made its way to the forefront. I found Jazz via some songs featuring Yukimi Nagano, and I love female vocals.

Just wondering what your opinion on vocal jazz is, and who if any band do you consider top?

[jcam_44]

Gretchen Parlato

[Tenorman]

Start with the history

There are some good compilations out there with Ella, Billie, Nina, Dinah etc.

Then start looking for Carmen McRae, Anita O'Day, Etta Jones etc

Then the Big Band canaries, Peggy Lee, Julie London etc.

Then update to the modern singers

There's agood list here of the ones you should listen to

http://www.waer.org/50women.html

[page]

Originally Posted by IssphitiKOzS

Just wondering what your opinion on vocal jazz is, and who if any band do you consider top?

Ha, vocal jazz is great! That's my opinion.

We have had quite a few good threads on female vocals. You can use the search button above. One of them is called something like 'Female vocalists need love too'.

I'm with Tenorman, but if you want to know my favourite nowadays female singers, here are a few: Melody Gardot, Madeleine Peyroux, Barb Jungr, Fay Claassen.

Enjoy exploring and welcome to the forums.
regards, page

[good rhythms]

carmen lundy


elza soares

i love singers who are like instruments and dont get uptight if the band is too loud, they ride it like a wave and get in the tube and come out on the othere side

if a singers can negotiate changes and be in tune, if their phrasing is real groovy and rhythimical and can handle loud moments from the band, can scat...that is a singer who is like a musician

[Ber]

Women are my favourite vocalists and also love it when they creatively 'arrange' as well as sing no matter the quality/timbre of voice.

[Alino]

Originally Posted by Blacryder

Women are my favourite vocalists and also love it when they creatively 'arrange' as well as sing no matter the quality/timbre of voice.

Agree. I have a soft spot for some vocal jazz. Jazz singing is a sophisticated matter of interpretation (recitation, ability to tell a story), agility, spontaneous arrangement, TIMING then quality and vocal timbre too. My epitome in such is Carmen McRae.
The best contemporary, still little known ones for me may well be Tierney Sutton, Anita Wardell and the surprising Karen Marguth, who autoproduced her first 'jazz' cd (she is a country/folk performer and a coreographer, dancer and teacher) in 2009 with great reviews from Downbeat (four and 1/2 stars) and Jazz Journal. And I can say they were right!

[page]

Originally Posted by Alino

Agree. I have a soft spot for some vocal jazz. Jazz singing is a sophisticated matter of interpretation (recitation, ability to tell a story), agility, spontaneous arrangement, TIMING then quality and vocal timbre too. My epitome in such is Carmen McRae.

I do think that the vocal timbre is of great influence while telling the story since it helps bring the emotion. There is this matter of using that cry or whisper at the right time to make it real. I agree about Carmen McRae and I would recommend the album 'Bittersweet'.

[spitfirepete]

IMO Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Nancy Wilson are in a class by themselves, above all others

[Music997]

There are many talented female jazz vocalists.

Sarah Vaughn, Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, Esperanza Spalding and Nora Jones.