Jump to content

Helen Merrill on WKCR


Brad

Recommended Posts

On Wednesday night when I was driving home, WKCR played an interview that Schapp did with Helen Merrill from a few years ago during a Clifford Brown birthday broadcast. She got a last chance to talk and reminesce about the sessions with Brownie and I had never heard her talk before but she seemed like a person with a lot to say. She said that she didn't remember a lot of details because she was so nervous about the sessions but under some prodding from Schapp a lot of details came back to her. She sounded like a very interesting person and they played some of the music and she has a very beautiful voice. I've listened to the Brownie box but never really noticed before what a nice voice she had.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I've become a tremendous fan of Helen's. . . one real problem is that a lot of her very best works are just so hard to get! But I invite you to explore her work Brad, she's a unique talent . . . her interpretations of songs are both beautiful and deep.

I have three Helen's I really love to hear in my life: my first love who became my wife, Helen Elizabeth Haggerty, Helen Folesade Adu, and Helen Merrill. Two of them can really sing! ^_^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You've got the session with Brownie, right?

In some ways I view the CENTER of her work to be the albums with Dick Katz that Gitanes reissued in the last four or five years. . . try to find Chasin' the Bird, A Shade of Difference or The Feeling is Mutual. . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would agree with Lon's assessment -those Katz collaborations represent a pinnacle of Merrill's artistry and of jazz singing in general.

I also think her run on the Emarcy and affiliated Universal labels in the 80s through now has been pretty fantastic, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You've got the session with Brownie, right?

In some ways I view the CENTER of her work to be the albums with Dick Katz that Gitanes reissued in the last four or five years. . . try to find Chasin' the Bird, A Shade of Difference or The Feeling is Mutual. . . .

Thanks Lon. I've got a line on the one with Dick Katz and will look for the others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...