Guest youmustbe Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 I know who Jeri Southern was. Know soemthing about her personnal life but today is the first time I heard her. picked up her Meets Cole Porter lp. Anyone have any comments about her? Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 If that's the album I'm thinking of, you probably won't be inspired to pick up much else. IIRC, it has period arrangements by Billy May, and self-consciously takes a throwback approach. I LOVE everything else I've heard by her. My Dad had an LP on the Forum label that was really solid. I love her version of "Detour Ahead." For some reason, her LPs don't show up too often in used bins. Either people didn't buy them, or they don't want to let them go. Quote
AllenLowe Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 not every white lady singer is a genius - Quote
mjzee Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 The Very Thought Of You This is an excellent place to start. A thoughtful selection of her work during these years. Excellent sound, good presentation. Quote
jazzbo Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 The Very Thought Of You This is an excellent place to start. A thoughtful selection of her work during these years. Excellent sound, good presentation. I agree, this is an excellent place to start. I like the Decca period, and haven't really heard much else from her. Not much available domestically I'm afraid. Quote
Guest youmustbe Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 Thanks folks. Yeah the Porter is not overly exciting. But I love You're The Top...the last line..'I'm the bottom, you're the top'. He, he. I became interested from her photos. for my book on Birdland. I'm told she was very insecure, and became a lush. To each their own. But then again it must have been tough to be a woman on that circuit back then. Probably same today. I know when I had women in bands I toured with it was always difficult...The guys looking to get laid, the women having their periods, which we men never can undersatand. And so on. But I like her voice. Other than Billie in 30's to 41, the only jazz singer I can listen to is June Christy. Quote
ghost of miles Posted January 2, 2009 Report Posted January 2, 2009 I know who Jeri Southern was. Know something about her personal life but today is the first time I heard her. picked up her Meets Cole Porter lp. Anyone have any comments about her? YMB, you might want to check out the Night Lights show I did on JS several years ago: You Better Go Now: Jeri Southern It gives some background on her life and a musical overview of her career on record. Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted January 3, 2009 Report Posted January 3, 2009 David Garland interviewed her several years ago on "Spinning on Air." Not sure if it's archived or not. She talked about being very shy. Quote
Bluesnik Posted January 3, 2009 Report Posted January 3, 2009 i have her coffee and cigarettes album and i think another roulette album. i'd have to look it up now. there's one album with johnny smith, i think, which is good. i enjoy coffe and cigarettes, though it's a languid affair. kind of a romantic singer, a little bit in the June Christy vein. Quote
Randy Twizzle Posted January 3, 2009 Report Posted January 3, 2009 A column by some guy in 1953 who really liked J Southern Quote
dahlingheart Posted January 4, 2009 Report Posted January 4, 2009 David Garland interviewed her several years ago on "Spinning on Air." Not sure if it's archived or not. She talked about being very shy. Hello, I have just come across this forum via a Google alert. I have most of Jeri's recorded material, having become an admirer in the mid-1980s. Have also heard the David Garland interview recorded a couple of years before her death in 1991. It is a fascinating insight into her performing life and he did very well to coax her into granting it as she was indeed a very shy and private woman who never really enjoyed her public career because of her retiring personality. She was far happier coaching other singers and orchestrating/composing which became her second career. I had the privilege of occasionally corresponding with her in her later years and she was a very gracious, articulate and witty writer, very intelligent and well-read. Despite her nervous disposition, the Garland interview also reveals she had an appealing dry sense of humour. She is one of the underrated talents of 1950s (like Lucy Reed & others) but still highly appreciated here in England. For fellow-fans, here is a link to a website that should be of interest: http://uk.geocities.com/newmusic011/ Quote
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