Teasing the Korean Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 Regarding the classic jazz and pop song stylists who sang the Great American Songbook: When it comes to female vocalists, there are so many that I love - Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Ella, June Christy, Julie London, Anita O'Day, Dinah, Jo Stafford, the list goes on. There are so many good ones that it is hard if not impossible for me to rank them in any kind of meaningful order. However, when it comes to male vocalists, I easily place Frank at the VERY top, and think there is a really steep drop until you hit the next level. I don't mean to knock any of the other male singers; I love Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, many others, but I think Frank is in a class all by himself. Some would say Tony is a close second. I think he's nearly as good at the rhythmic, uptempo stuff, but as a ballad singer, I don't think he's half as great as Frank. Not trying to create a let's-trash-male-vocalists thread; I just think this is an interesting dichotomy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 My list has Bing Crosby at the top, followed by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Mel Torme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 Louis - and going another way, Johnny Hartman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 Add to the list: Jackie Paris in the late 40s/early 50s. Johnny Desmond with the Glen Miller AAF band. Ray Charles. Billy Eckstine, under the right circumstances (both his and mine) Dick Haymes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big gord Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 this for me is easy,1 mark murphy, 2 frank sinatra, 3 buddy greco, 1 anita o'day 2 ella fitzgerald, 3 mildred bailey. jerumonk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I have no person in a favorite "stylists" list. I have a few in my "jazz singer" list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) red mckenzie? actually, better are Bobby Troup and Johnny Mercer. of course we all forgot the best, LOUIS ARMSTRONG. Edited December 22, 2011 by AllenLowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) I love most everyone who has been mentioned (I don't know a few), but I still think Sinatra is tops among male singers. Edited December 22, 2011 by Teasing the Korean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 the word "stylist" seems creepy to me and seems little to do with "artistry". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Hildegarde! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim R Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 of course we all forgot the best, LOUIS ARMSTRONG. I think Paul was referring to Armstrong when he mentioned Louis FOUR POSTS ABOVE YOURS... unless he was talking about Louis Prima, of course. I kind of get the premise here, but it's really all too subjective, and I became slightly disoriented when I saw Julie London and Jo Stafford mentioned before Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae. But I know you weren't really doing a serious ranking, so... Props to Joe Williams, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Regarding the classic jazz and pop song stylists who sang the Great American Songbook: When it comes to female vocalists, there are so many that I love - Billie Holiday, Peggy Lee, Ella, June Christy, Julie London, Anita O'Day, Dinah, Jo Stafford, the list goes on. There are so many good ones that it is hard if not impossible for me to rank them in any kind of meaningful order. However, when it comes to male vocalists, I easily place Frank at the VERY top, and think there is a really steep drop until you hit the next level. I don't mean to knock any of the other male singers; I love Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, many others, but I think Frank is in a class all by himself. Some would say Tony is a close second. I think he's nearly as good at the rhythmic, uptempo stuff, but as a ballad singer, I don't think he's half as great as Frank. Not trying to create a let's-trash-male-vocalists thread; I just think this is an interesting dichotomy. Completely agree TTK. So many great female vocalists while on the male side Sinatra really is in a class of his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Storer Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) In the either/or/both jazz+pop category, let's not forget Nat King Cole! <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bCln5vLI_zw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Hmmm... the embed from YouTube doesn't seem to have worked. No idea why. Try here. Edited December 22, 2011 by Tom Storer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Most jazz listeners are male. I suspect that's why female jazz singers attract more interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I get kicks out of the male and female stylists. They have all been mentioned here (except Al Hibbler, a personal favorite). A recent 'discovery' is Bing Crosby whom I enjoy more and more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I don't recall seeing any female jazz singers of note, but am pleased I managed to catch Jimmy Rushing, Joe Williams, Jimmy Witherspoon, Joe Turner and Mark Murphy - all in the UK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 I'm not very big on vocalists, male or female. The only one represented in my collection by more than a handful of tracks or one cd is Helen Merrill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 sorry, I thought he meant Jerry Louis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_UUxcBgJvU&feature=related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 For me its Joe Williams, followed by Armstrong and Sinatra, and on the female side it begins and ends with Ella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Storer Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) Here's an exceptional performance by Tony Bennett: Edited December 22, 2011 by Tom Storer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) In the either/or/both jazz+pop category, let's not forget Nat King Cole! <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bCln5vLI_zw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Hmmm... the embed from YouTube doesn't seem to have worked. No idea why. Try here. Fixed that embed for you, TStor! Edited December 22, 2011 by Noj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John L Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole were certainly in the top elite singers of the American songbook (IMO), but it would appear that not as many males sang the songbook as females. That doesn't mean that we have a shortage of great male singers. No love for Rod Stewart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) Scrappy Lambert. Roy Rogers. Buddy Jones. Edited December 22, 2011 by AllenLowe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noj Posted December 22, 2011 Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 No love for Rod Stewart? I know a certain old JC poster who would hunt you down where you live for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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