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Instrumentalists Vocalizing


paul secor

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I listened to Morning Fun, a CD by Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer yesterday, and Zoot sings "I Can't Get Started" on it. I tried to think of other instrumentalists who've sung on recordings and off the top of my head came up with Pres' "Two To Tango", Jimmy Rowles on The Peacocks, Archie Shepp, and Albert Ayler. There are always the usual suspects, mostly trumpeters (Louis, Clark Terry, Diz, K.D., Doc Cheatham, Lips Page), or pianists who sang along with their playing (Fats Waller, Jelly Roll, Jay McShann, and others), and a host of pianists who grunted along with their playing. Any others that anyone can add? There must be a lot that I and others have never heard.

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Freddie Green could sing, and did so nicely on a Prez cd I have.

Kurt Rosenwinkel sings along with his lines, which are quite complex and far ranging. I also heard an interview with Steve Masakowski in which he said that he does the same, to the point that he ends up with a sore throat by the end of the night.

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Bassists: Slam Stewart! Major Holley, too.

Avery Sharpe holds the torch Stewart and Holley ignited - there is a nice Sunnyside CD of his (Unspoken Words) with him singing along, one tune being called "A Major Slam in A Sharp(e)"!

Clifford Jordan did sing every now and then with nice results, Chris Anderson too - but I wouldn't recommend him ;) .

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During his period in Europe (1934-39), Hawk did some vocals. Well, at least I remember one, included in the Timeless release "Hawk in Europe 1934-39". Must check the song.

I'd forgotten about Hawk. I think that you're referring to "Love Cries", recorded in 1936 with a Swiss band. I have it on an Xanadu LP, Dutch Treat.

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The wildest thing I ever saw was Dizzy Gillespie (it must have been in the 80s) in a concert broadcast by the now defunct German "Jazz Club" on ZDF.

Gillespie did not only parade an outrageous blue leather suit, he also performed a totally wild (scat) vocal improvisation which I viewed so often that my VHS tape simply wore out until it was unplayable.

I did once ask ZDF to send me a tape of this concert years ago, but they wanted to have too much money for it.

If anyone has a video of this live date (and if you do, you know which one I mean) I'd be more than happy if I could have a copy.

As far as I heard (I never saw Dizzy live), he was prone to these kinds of numbers, and if you have ever seen one you know how damn good he was at them as well.

Cheers!

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