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This program is a departure from our usual format. It is an excerpt from a guest lecture* I presented in a community college course earlier this year. In this hour, we will explore female singers who bridged the gap between being a popular entertainer that was just a pretty face in front of a large ensemble and that of a full-fledged “instrumentalist” member of the band. Given the cultural imperatives of the time, the former was better received in the marketplace. However, jazz players were often pushing the conventional envelope musically while simultaneously piercing social norms. Let's spend some time learning about some great musicians who just happened to be female singers and the lasting impact their contributions have had on jazz, and music in general.
Artist | Track | Album |
Ella Fitzgerald | How High the Moon | Something to Live for |
Jo Stafford | Old Devil Moon | Swingin’ down Broadway |
Miles Davis | That Old Devil Moon | Blue Haze |
Anita O'Day | Old Devil Moon | Anita Sings the Most |
Michèle Hendricks | Old Devil Moon | Carryin' On |
Sarah Vaughan | All of Me | Swingin' Easy |
Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington | It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got that Swing) | Ed Sullivan Show |
Fats Navarro | Nostalgia | Nostalgia |
Samara Joy | Nostalgia (The Day I Knew) | Linger Awhile |
Joni Mitchell | Twisted | Court & Spark |
Samara Joy | Can't Get out of this Mood | Linger Awhile |
*The Study Guide for the class is available here.