Female Vocalist W/Trio

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

I see alot of names popping up on eBay these days (Keely Smith, Helen Forrest, Teddy King, Beverly Kenney, Chris Connor, Maria Cole, Helen Grayco, Esther Philips, etc...) and realized that I have less than a handful of cds w/female vocalists and know next to nothing about the vast majority of them. Some of the cds I've seen on eBay featuring the above named have them singing with an orchestra -- but I'm really not interested (for the time being) in accompanying strings or larger groups and would rather hear some mid-late 50's through 60's 'live' or studio dates w/the singer and a trio or quartet. Any suggestions?

[Nate Dorward]

Connor's 2LP (now 2CD) set of Gershwin for Atlantic is a great album--small groups, though not usually pared back to just a trio or quartet (there are usually saxes & trombones & flutes in various combinations filling out the front line). Her last album for Bethelem with JJ & Kai is excellent too, though only 29 minutes!

[GA Russell]

From that era, my favorite is Blossom Dearie. A few of her Verves are available from BMG/Your Music. My favorite is her first for that label, just called Blossom Dearie.

I also like among the contemporaries Dena DeRose. Her voice is a little thin, but I like her trio's general style and song selection.

[JSngry]

Don't think you're a Betty Carter type guy (many aren't), but if you want to take a chance...

[jazzbo]

Yes, I was going to recommend BetCar but I'm not sure Rolf would dig.

I'll toss out Carmen McRae, those albums with the Ray Bryant Trio may be just the thing. I'm more and more under Carmen's spell.

Also Helen Merrill . . . those albums recently reissued on Gitanes are so wonderful on the surface. . . and so deep.

[jazzbo]

I haven't heard that Benjamin one Jim, but the one on Enja that Duke produced with the Dollar Brand (hubby) Trio behind her is fantastic! But I don't think it's Rolf's cup of tea.

Edited September 12, 2006 by jazzbo

[couw]

- Ruth Price Sings with The Johnny Smith Quartet (Roost)

- Beverly Kenney Sings for Johnny Smith (Roost)

- Jeri Southern Meets Johnny Smith (Roulette)

- Beverly Kenney Sings for Playboys (Decca), with a piano/bass duo

- Jane Fielding w/ Lou Levy and Red Mitchell - Jazz Trio (Jazz West)

- Peggy Lee/George Shearing - Beauty and the Beat (Capitol/BN)

- George Shearing with Dakota Staton - In the Night (Capitol/BN)

- George Shearing with Nancy Wilson - The Swingin's Mutual (Capitol/BN)

- Nancy Wilson - Something Wonderful (Capitol/BN)

- Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley (Capitol/BN)

- Nancy Wilson - Today, Tomorrow, Forever (Capitol/BN)

- Peggy Lee - Trav'lin' Light (Capitol/BN), lifted from the Lee/Christy Mosaic

and more...

[Larry Kart]

Lee Wiley -- Night in Manhattan, etc. (Collectors' Choice)

-- Sings Gershwin and Cole Porter (Audiophile)

-- As Time Goes By (RCA)

Peggy Lee -- Mink Jazz (Capitol)

Ruth Price w/ Shelly Manne & His Men (OJC)

None of the above is trio stuff, but the settings are small-group jazz.

I also endorse much that's been mentioned already. If you try Jeri Southern and like her, ask me about Audrey Morris.

[BFrank]

Doesn't get much better than these.

[marcello]

I'll throw out some Carmen. This is great:

Edited September 13, 2006 by marcello

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

One of my favourites is Chris Connor. In addition to the ones mentioned earlier, there are:

Chris in Person - live at the VV with a quartet featuring K Burrell

A jazz date with Chris Connor - basic vibes, p, g, b, d plus ocasional latin perc, and the odd contrib from Joe Wlder, Sam Most, Al Cohn & Lucky Thompson.

Chris Craft - p, g, b, d plus flute, English horn or bass clt on some tracks.

The last 2 were, and maybe still are, available on one CD from Rhino.

There is some great Della Reese on ABC with small groups. Best is Della Reese Live - (done in a studio) with Bobby Bryant, Bill Doggett, Gerry Wiggins, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis & Shelley Manne. Actually, Della's 5 ABC albums (plus unissued) would make a great Mosaic Select.

I just got a couple of weeks ago Confessin' the blues by Billie Poole. A very nice album with Burrell, Mance, Cranshaw & Roker - on OJC.

Almost all Etta Jones' albums are with small groups. Almost all are very great indeed.

Then there is the fabulous Irene Reid - who is perhaps the most typical of all Soul Jazz singers. She made 3 for Savant with Charles Earland's band, all featuring Eric Alexander:

Million dollar secret

Ain't doin' too bad

The uptown lowdown

After Earland died, she made two more with Bobby Forrester on organ:

Movin' out

One monkey don't stop no show

But since Forrester died, she hasn't recorded.

MG

[king ubu]

I think Mr. Weizen should enjoy a few of the ones that have been mentioned, in particular:

- Chris Connor (last Bethlehem, see above, and earliest Atlantics)

- Lee Wiley (almost anything!)

- Helen Merrill (anything you can find! the one with Brownie is terrific, so are the recent Gitanes albums)

[paul secor]

Sheila Jordan: Portrait of Sheila

and

Three by Meredith d'Ambrosio, a fine but overlooked singer:

- Little Jazz Bird

-Lost in His Arms

- It's Your Dance

[GA Russell]

I don't know if it's still in print, but my favorite Helen Merrill is an album she recorded in the mid-50s for Leonard Feather which Verve released on CD entitled You've Got a Date with the Blues.

[Tom Storer]

I'm more of a Betty Carter/Sheila Jordan man myself, but Rosemary Clooney has made some lovely records on Concord.

[Larry Kart]

Teri Thornton's "Devil May Care" is a beaut:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000I8Z...0979942?ie=UTF8

She had a gorgeous voice, deeper than most female singers (reminiscent in this of her Chicago predecessor Lurlean Hunter, whose work is also worth checking out if you can find any), fantastic time, and no "hip jazzy" mannerisms, even though she could reshape a melody at will.

I would avoid the "comeback" album Thornton made before her death. Based on what I've heard, it was sadly too late.

[jazzbo]

I don't know if it's still in print, but my favorite Helen Merrill is an album she recorded in the mid-50s for Leonard Feather which Verve released on CD entitled You've Got a Date with the Blues.

Sadly, long out of print. Excellent session.

[jazzbo]

I actually like that comeback album, and have been lucky to hear more from the session. It's a shame she didn't have time to follow up. . . and follow up. . .and follow up.

[Larry Kart]

Here's a good Hunter album, from about 1960, with charts by Jimmy Giuffre and a band that includes Harry Edison, Bud Freeman, and Jim Hall:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...04WJZR?v=glance

There's another earlier Hunter on RCA, "Night Life," with charts by Manny Albam and I think Al Cohn, from about three years earlier that's a jot better as I recall, but I believe you'd have to pay a prohibitive price for that one.

BTW, the first Hunter album is shared with one Betty Bennett, Andre Previn's first wife, who is not unlike Jeri Southern in vocal quality and manner, though more girlish than worldy-wise. Good West Coast players behind her.

[Larry Kart]

2 LPs on 1 CD: Betty Bennett/NOBODY ELSE BUT ME (1956)/Lurlean Hunter/BLUE & SENTIMENTAL (1960). NOBODY ELSE BUT ME: Personnel includes: Betty Bennett (vocals); Shorty Rogers (arranger, trumpet, flugelhorn); Andre Previn (arranger, piano); Jimmy Giuffre (baritone saxophone); Barney Kessel (guitar); Ralph Pena (bass); Shelly Manne (drums). Originally released on Atlantic (1226). BLUE & SENTIMENTAL: Personnel includes: Lurlean Hunter (vocals); Jimmy Giuffre (arranger); Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Harry Edison (trumpet); Rudy Rutherford (clarinet); Jimmy Jones (piano); Jim Hall (guitar); George Duvivier, Trigger Alpert (bass); Don Lamond (drums). Originally released on Atlantic (1344).

[Niko]

i don't have much vocal jazz either but like this one a lot:

dinah washington - for those in love

yes, it's not a quartet/trio... but you can't have anything against (iirc) clark terry, jimmy cleveland, paul quinichette, cecil payne, barry galbraith, wynton kelly, keter betts, jimmy cobb arranged by quincy jones...

[Larry Kart]

As further testimony to Teri Thornton's genuine hipness, a composition by her ("Teri's Tune") can be heard on Johnny Griffin's "Way Out" (OJC).

[paul secor]

Teri Thornton's "Devil May Care" is a beaut:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000I8Z...0979942?ie=UTF8

She had a gorgeous voice, deeper than most female singers (reminiscent in this of her Chicago predecessor Lurlean Hunter, whose work is also worth checking out if you can find any), fantastic time, and no "hip jazzy" mannerisms, even though she could reshape a melody at will.

I would avoid the "comeback" album Thornton made before her death. Based on what I've heard, it was sadly too late.

I've always enjoyed Earl Warren's stylistically out of place intro to "Dancing in the Dark" on this record. I remember playing it for a musician friend who laughed at how corny it sounded. I had to agree, but I still like it, perhaps because it does sound so out of place (and corny).

[Larry Kart]

Paul, I know that Earl Warren intro, and I think it's being puritanical to call it "corny." For one thing, Warren's '30s lead alto timbre and time-feel work perfectly in the context of the arrangement IMO, in terms of setting up what follows. I doubt that's an accident. I think of Warren's intro as a salute to the vintage of the tune itself and its ballroom dance team associations before Thornton and the band swing it so damn hard. BTW, isn't it great how much rhythm momentum she develops while IIRC never deviating from the long-meter format?

[paul secor]

Larry - I agree with what you say, and I love that intro with it's intimations of "Back in Your Own Backyard". "Corny" was my musician friend's reaction, and that's probably not a good word to describe Warren's intro. Perhaps satirical - with a lot of love included, as he no doubt heard his share of ballroom dance bands, and maybe even liked some of them. I've always been impressed by his facility on those four bars (think that it's four, anyway).