Male vox tunes recommendations

[Donjon]

Hi,

I wonder whether you guys could offer me some suggestions. I need some new vocal numbers and I was wondering whether I could seek your collective advice?

I would like some nice but not massively well known numbers, somewhat like this little beauty which I've recently learned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKL98BxsAMg

I'd also like some early jazz/New Orleans vocals suggestions....


Thanks in advance!

[Donjon]

Bump

[krooner]

Hi, Dj,
I take it the songs are for a female vocalist; re your title-" Male vox tunes recommendations". Anyway, here's a couple of tunes that may suit :-

'I'll Take Romance'
'Too Close For Comfort'

Cheers.
Kj

[Donjon]

Thanks a lot Crooner, I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic about the female vox thing.....just to clarify, it's for a male...


It says you're in the UK, where are you based?

[krooner]

No, I honestly wasn't being sarcastic. What confused me was the youtube link to Anita O'Day, and also to Gemma Tilley, female vocalist with Kabuki.

BTW, I live in Sheffield.

Cheers
Kj

[Donjon]

No it's for me, Whisper Not is one of my new favourite tunes, and I always tend to enjoy listening to the ladies than the guys!

Sheffield, cool. I'm based in Leeds atm, I'm originally from Doncaster though. What venues promoters do you recommend out your way?

What bands do you sing with, any online stuff?

[page]

Hi Donjon,
I believe there aren't that many songs that are particularly just male or female but when you think one is you could always change the lyrics to somewhat more suitable. I have f.e., with the song 'The way you look tonight'.
Songs that aren't sung that often on performances but which are lovely f.e.:
- The meaning of the blues
- She was too good to me
- I'm a fool to want you
- O Cantador (Like a lover)
- (Odio l')Estate
- Call me
- Blue prelude

for the style from New Orleans I'd think of
- Ain't misbehavin' - Fats Waller (although he was from Harlem, but I think you can do it in that style)
- Farewell to Storyville - Louis Armstrong & Billie Holiday

This is a nice documentary about that period: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE7k9D5I5a0
Have fun!
regards, page

[krooner]

Originally Posted by Donjon

No it's for me, Whisper Not is one of my new favourite tunes, and I always tend to enjoy listening to the ladies than the guys!

Sheffield, cool. I'm based in Leeds atm, I'm originally from Doncaster though. What venues promoters do you recommend out your way?

What bands do you sing with, any online stuff?

I retired from singing in the mid-90's, so as for recommending promoters, I can't be of much help. Almost all the gigs involving the type of material you're interested in was by word of mouth; dinner dances, weddings, etc. My main income derived from WMCs, [singing pops & ballads]through the various club agencies, so I really can't be of much help. The best I can suggest is that you find out by going on the internet, which agencies handle the type of artist you like, and try contacting them.

Good luck!
Kj

[Donjon]

Thanks for the suggestions.


Paige, I'm just having a listen through the tunes you've mentioned. Building repertoire is hard work!

[page]

Yep, you got that right, but it is fun too.

You don't have to pick these songs but you asked for not massive well known, so these were my suggestions.

There are English lyrics available for O'Cantador as well as Estate, so you don't have to sing those in the original languages (Portuguese and Italian).
I do love to use at least part of the originals myself but you are right that it requires some effort and it can be a challenge. Not quite there myself. I sing Estate partly in Italian. I want to write another translation for O'Cantador myself since the original lyrics are much more beautiful than the English lyrics 'Like a lover'.
The advantage of choosing less well known songs is that people will remember and ask you for them later.

[duane massey]

Pick up (or order) a copy of "The Real Book", vocal edition. Best place to start, AND it will give you something to share with the musicians playing with you.

[page]

The RB isn't really written for vocals although the songs are more in a male key than a female key. I would advise to look which of the RB songs have a good key for you and learn those when you like them. When you are willing to bring your own charts in C-, Bb- and Eb-parts you could pick your own key on any song. Be sure to look which keys the other instruments get, some keys bring too many sharps or flats to play. In a band you can agree on which key, on a session that would be more of a problem, but like I"ve mentioned you can bring your own clear sheets with the right key. By 'clear' I mean 'good to read' in font and measures (usually 4 bars in a line) and a clear form on the sheet. That will be appreciated by the musicians.