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Post by Admin on May 2, 2013 9:24:31 GMT -5
 ETTA JAMES Born in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938, Etta James was a gospel prodigy. In 1954, she moved to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower." Her career had begun to soar by 1960, due in no small part to songs like "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "At Last." Despite her continued drug problems, she earned a Grammy Award nomination for her 1973 eponymous album. In 2006, she released the album All the Way. James died in Riverside, California, on January 20, 2012, Quotes "My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that." – Etta James Early Life Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to a 14-year-old mother, Dorothy Hawkins, who encouraged her daughter's singing career. James would later say, "My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that." James never knew her father. By the age of 5, James was known as a gospel prodigy, gaining fame by singing in her church choir and on the radio. At age 12, she moved north to San Francisco, where she formed a trio and was soon working for bandleader Johnny Otis. Four years later, in 1954, she moved to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower" (a tamer title for the then-risqué "Roll with Me Henry") with the Otis band. It was that year that the young singer became Etta James (an shortened version of her first name) and her vocal group was dubbed "the Peaches" (also Etta's nickname). Soon after, James launched her solo career with such hits as "Good Rockin' Daddy" in 1955. Mid-career After signing with Chicago's Chess Records in 1960, James's career began to soar. Chart toppers included duets with then-boyfriend Harvey Fuqua, the heart-breaking ballad "All I Could Do Was Cry," "At Last" and "Trust in Me." But James's talents weren't reserved for powerful ballads. She knew how to rock a house, and did so with such gospel-charged tunes as "Something's Got a Hold On Me" in 1962, "In The Basement" in 1966 and "I'd Rather Go Blind" in 1968. James continued to work with Chess throughout the 1960s and early '70s. Sadly, heroin addiction affected both her personal and professional life, but despite her continued drug problems she persisted in making new albums. In 1967, James recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band in the Fame studios, and the collaboration resulted in the triumphant Tell Mama album. James's work gained positive attention from critics as well as fans, and her 1973 album Etta James earned a Grammy nomination, in part for its creative combination of rock and funk sounds. After completing her contract with Chess in 1977, James signed on with Warner Brothers Records. A renewed public profile followed her appearance at the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Subsequent albums, including Deep In The Night and Seven Year Itch, received high critical acclaim. Etta James was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993, prior to her signing a new recording contract with Private Records. Later Career With suggestive stage antics and a sassy attitude, James continued to perform and record well into the 1990s. Always soulful, her extraordinary voice was showcased to great effect on her recent private releases, including Blue Gardenia, which rose to the top of the Billboard jazz chart. In 2003, James underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost over 200 pounds. The dramatic weight loss had an impact on her voice, as she told Ebony magazine that year. "I can sing lower, higher and louder, That same year, Etta James released Let's Roll, which won the Grammy Award for best contemporary blues album. Her sons, Donto and Sametto James, served as producers on the recording, along with Josh Sklair. This team regrouped for her next effort, Blues to the Bone (2004), which brought James her third Grammy Award—this time for best traditional blues album. In 2006, James released the album All the Way, which featured cover versions of songs by Prince, Marvin Gaye and James Brown. She participated in a tribute album the following year for jazz great Ella Fitzgerald, called We Love Ella. Controversy with Beyoncé The story of the early days of Chess Records was brought to the big screen as Cadillac Records in 2008, with singer Beyoncè Knowles playing Etta James in the film. Beyoncè also recorded her own version of James's signature song, "At Last" for the soundtrack. While James publicly supported the film, she was reportedly miffed when Beyoncè sang the song at President Barack Obama's inaugural ball in January 2009. James allegedly told concert-goers in Seattle in February that Beyoncè "had no business ... singing my song that I been singing forever." Despite some media attention over her comments, James was unfazed by the incident, and pressed on with her busy performing schedule. Recent Years As she entered her 70s, Etta James began struggling with health issues. She was hospitalized in 2010 for a blood infection, along with other ailments. It was later revealed that the legendary singer suffered from dementia, and was receiving treatment for leukemia. Her medical problems came to light in court papers filed by her husband, Artis Mills. Mills sought to gain control over $1 million of James's money, but he was challenged by James's two sons, Donto and Sametto. The two parties later worked out an agreement. James released her latest studio album, The Dreamer, in November 2011, which received warm reviews. A few weeks later, James's doctor announced that the singer was terminally ill. "She's in the final stages of leukemia. She has also been diagnosed with dementia and Hepatitis C," Dr. Elaine James (not related to the singer) told a local newspaper. James's sons also acknowledged that Etta's health was declining and was receiving care at her Riverside, California, home. Etta James died at her home in Riverside, California, on January 20, 2012. Today, she continues to be is considered one of music's most dynamic singers. © 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved. |
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Post by Admin on May 2, 2013 9:24:56 GMT -5
ETTA JAMES Born in Los Angeles, California, on January 25, 1938, Etta James was a gospel prodigy. In 1954, she moved to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower." Her career had begun to soar by 1960, due in no small part to songs like "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "At Last." Despite her continued drug problems, she earned a Grammy Award nomination for her 1973 eponymous album. In 2006, she released the album All the Way. James died in Riverside, California, on January 20, 2012, Contents Synopsis Early Life Mid-career Later Career Controversy with Beyoncé Recent Years Quotes "My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that." – Etta James « prev1 / 2next » and continues to be is considered one of the most dynamic singers in music. Early Life Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938, in Los Angeles, California, to a 14-year-old mother, Dorothy Hawkins, who encouraged her daughter's singing career. James would later say, "My mother always told me, even if a song has been done a thousand times, you can still bring something of your own to it. I'd like to think I did that." James never knew her father. By the age of 5, James was known as a gospel prodigy, gaining fame by singing in her church choir and on the radio. At age 12, she moved north to San Francisco, where she formed a trio and was soon working for bandleader Johnny Otis. Four years later, in 1954, she moved to Los Angeles to record "The Wallflower" (a tamer title for the then-risqué "Roll with Me Henry") with the Otis band. It was that year that the young singer became Etta James (an shortened version of her first name) and her vocal group was dubbed "the Peaches" (also Etta's nickname). Soon after, James launched her solo career with such hits as "Good Rockin' Daddy" in 1955. Mid-career After signing with Chicago's Chess Records in 1960, James's career began to soar. Chart toppers included duets with then-boyfriend Harvey Fuqua, the heart-breaking ballad "All I Could Do Was Cry," "At Last" and "Trust in Me." But James's talents weren't reserved for powerful ballads. She knew how to rock a house, and did so with such gospel-charged tunes as "Something's Got a Hold On Me" in 1962, "In The Basement" in 1966 and "I'd Rather Go Blind" in 1968. James continued to work with Chess throughout the 1960s and early '70s. Sadly, heroin addiction affected both her personal and professional life, but despite her continued drug problems she persisted in making new albums. In 1967, James recorded with the Muscle Shoals house band in the Fame studios, and the collaboration resulted in the triumphant Tell Mama album. James's work gained positive attention from critics as well as fans, and her 1973 album Etta James earned a Grammy nomination, in part for its creative combination of rock and funk sounds. After completing her contract with Chess in 1977, James signed on with Warner Brothers Records. A renewed public profile followed her appearance at the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Subsequent albums, including Deep In The Night and Seven Year Itch, received high critical acclaim. Etta James was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993, prior to her signing a new recording contract with Private Records. Later Career With suggestive stage antics and a sassy attitude, James continued to perform and record well into the 1990s. Always soulful, her extraordinary voice was showcased to great effect on her recent private releases, including Blue Gardenia, which rose to the top of the Billboard jazz chart. In 2003, James underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost over 200 pounds. The dramatic weight loss had an impact on her voice, as she told Ebony magazine that year. "I can sing lower, higher and louder, Contents Synopsis Early Life Mid-career Later Career Controversy with Beyoncé Recent Years " James explained. That same year, Etta James released Let's Roll, which won the Grammy Award for best contemporary blues album. Her sons, Donto and Sametto James, served as producers on the recording, along with Josh Sklair. This team regrouped for her next effort, Blues to the Bone (2004), which brought James her third Grammy Award—this time for best traditional blues album. In 2006, James released the album All the Way, which featured cover versions of songs by Prince, Marvin Gaye and James Brown. She participated in a tribute album the following year for jazz great Ella Fitzgerald, called We Love Ella. Controversy with Beyoncé The story of the early days of Chess Records was brought to the big screen as Cadillac Records in 2008, with singer Beyoncè Knowles playing Etta James in the film. Beyoncè also recorded her own version of James's signature song, "At Last" for the soundtrack. While James publicly supported the film, she was reportedly miffed when Beyoncè sang the song at President Barack Obama's inaugural ball in January 2009. James allegedly told concert-goers in Seattle in February that Beyoncè "had no business ... singing my song that I been singing forever." Despite some media attention over her comments, James was unfazed by the incident, and pressed on with her busy performing schedule. Recent Years As she entered her 70s, Etta James began struggling with health issues. She was hospitalized in 2010 for a blood infection, along with other ailments. It was later revealed that the legendary singer suffered from dementia, and was receiving treatment for leukemia. Her medical problems came to light in court papers filed by her husband, Artis Mills. Mills sought to gain control over $1 million of James's money, but he was challenged by James's two sons, Donto and Sametto. The two parties later worked out an agreement. James released her latest studio album, The Dreamer, in November 2011, which received warm reviews. A few weeks later, James's doctor announced that the singer was terminally ill. "She's in the final stages of leukemia. She has also been diagnosed with dementia and Hepatitis C," Dr. Elaine James (not related to the singer) told a local newspaper. James's sons also acknowledged that Etta's health was declining and was receiving care at her Riverside, California, home. Etta James died at her home in Riverside, California, on January 20, 2012. Today, she continues to be is considered one of music's most dynamic singers. © 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved. |
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Post by Admin on May 4, 2013 10:50:25 GMT -5
Helen Forrest  Helen ForrestSinger Born: April 12, 1918 in Atlantic City, New JerseyDied: July 11, 1999 in Los Angeles, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Star of the Big Band Era Copyright © 1999 www.jazzhouse.org/gone/lastpost2.php3?edit=932023561 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Scotsman, 1999 Helen Forrest will always be associated with a string of wartime hits with the Harry James band which captured the spirit of the times in America. If her ability to evoke the loneliness of women left behind as their men went off to fight in poignant jazz-tinged pop ballads made the most powerful impact, she was equally adept at peppy, upbeat morale building material. She was born Helen Fogel, and began performing while still a child on the New York City radio station WNEW. That exposure led to an engagement on CBS Radio, singing with the jazz trumpeter Bunny Berigan. Her real breakthrough arrived in 1938, when clarinetist Artie Shaw invited her to join his band. Shaw already had a singer, and not just any singer, but Billie Holiday was growing weary of the racial slights and humiliations involved in touring with a white band, and Shaw was under pressure from bookers to front his band with a white girl. The two singers worked together in the band briefly, before Holiday quit and left the stage to the newcomer. White girl singers -- they were always described as "girls", regardless of age -- were de rigeur additions to the big bands of the swing era, but Forrest had genuine musical qualities which many of her contemporaries lacked, and her relaxed delivery and techncial accuracy endeared her to fans and musicians alike. She enjoyed several hits with Shaw, including 'All The Things You Are', 'Any Old Time' and 'I'm in Love With the Honorable So and So', and acquired a great deal of experience in a short time on the road with this successful outfit. When Shaw temporarily disbanded the group in 1939, she moved to the even more stellar Benny Goodman band, where she enjoyed a string of further hits, and a typically fractious relationship with its leader, who was not noted for either tact or liking singers. The hits included 'Taking A Chance On Love', 'The Man I Love' and 'More Than You Know', and she also made a notable breakthrough in 1940 when she broke with convention and recorded 'I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You' with the black bandleader Lionel Hampton. She later declared that her 20 months with Goodman "felt like 20 years", and her disputes with the clarinetist finally came to a head during an engagement at the Sherman Hotel in Chicago in 1941, when she delivered an ultimatum to the bandleader that he should find himself a new singer, and do so fast. Goodman did just that, and Forrest moved on, to be replaced by the 19 year old Peggy Lee. It was the prelude to her greatest success. She joined the band led by trumpeter Harry James, and their combination of her rich, warm, comforting voice with James's soaring trumpet (and often the addition of strings) struck a chord with the mood of the times that was not surpassed by any other American performers of the wartime era. Their hits together included 'I've Heard That Song Before', 'I Don't Want to Walk Without You', 'He's 1-A In The Army And He's A-1 In My Heart', 'But Not For Me', 'Skylark', and the song which became her signature, 'I Had the Craziest Dream', a title she used when she published an autobiography in 1982. Her relationship with James continued off the bandstand as well, but came to an abrupt end when the trumpeter met Betty Grable while all three were shooting the film Springtime In The Rockies (James later married the actress). Forrest left the band in 1944, and began singing duets with Dick Haymes, a pleasant but unremarkable crooner who had also featured with the James Band. The duo lasted until 1948, and they secured several hits in that format, including 'It Had to Be You', 'I'll Buy That Dream', and 'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows', and also starred in a popular weekly radio show. Forrest had featured in several short films with Artie Shaw, and in cinema feature films with Harry James, including Private Buckaroo , in which she sang one of their biggest hits, 'You Made Me Love You', and also Bathing Beauty and Best Foot Forward . The gradual winding down of the big band era left her somewhat stranded, and she was never able to turn that big band background into a successful solo career in the manner of an Ella Fitzgerald or her replacement in the Goodman band, Peggy Lee. She played the cabaret club circuit for a time in the 1950s, and made intermittant reappearances in the subsequent decades for nostalgic reunion tours, including a show with Harry James and Dick Haymes as The Big Broadcast of 1944 , and occasional recordings, the last of which was released in 1983. Rheumatoid arthritis eventually obliged her to give up singing entirely. She died of heart failure at the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Los Angeles. She was married and divorced three times, and is survived by her only son, Michael Feinman. |
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Post by Admin on May 4, 2013 15:44:46 GMT -5
Thanks for shaking up my memory! I had forgotten all about Helen Forrest! Funny thing - I had her mixed up with Doris Day for a while. |
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Post by Admin on May 6, 2013 7:58:43 GMT -5
 Arguably the most adventurous female jazz singer of all time, Betty Carter was an idiosyncratic stylist and a restless improviser who pushed the limits of melody and harmony as much as any bebop horn player. The husky-voiced Carter was capable of radical, off-the-cuff reworkings of whatever she sang, abruptly changing tempos and dynamics, or rearranging the lyrics into distinctive, off-the-beat rhythmic patterns. She could solo for 20 minutes, scat at lightning speed, or drive home an emotion with wordless, bluesy moans and sighs. She wasn't quite avant-garde, but she was definitely "out." Yet as much as Carter was fascinated by pure, abstract sound, she was also a sensitive lyric interpreter when she chose, a tender and sensual ballad singer sometimes given to suggestive asides. Her wild unpredictability kept her marginalized for much of her career, and she never achieved the renown of peers like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, or Carmen McRae. What was more, her exacting musical standards and assertive independence limited her recorded output somewhat. But Carter stuck around long enough to receive her proper due; her unwillingness to compromise eventually earned her the respect of the wider jazz audience, and many critics regarded her as perhaps the purest jazz singer active in the '80s and '90s. Additionally, Carter took an active role in developing new talent, and was a tireless advocate for the music and the freedom she found in it, right up to her death in 1998. Betty Carter was born Lillie Mae Jones in Flint, MI, on May 16, 1930 (though some sources list 1929 instead). She grew up in Detroit, where her father worked as a church musical director, and she started studying piano at the Detroit Conservatory of Music as a child. In high school, she got hooked on bebop, and at 16 years old, she sat in with Charlie Parker during the saxophonist's Detroit gig. She won a talent contest and became a regular on the local club circuit, singing and playing piano, and also performed with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, and Billy Eckstine when they passed through Detroit. When Lionel Hampton came to town in 1948, he hired her as a featured vocalist. Initially billed as Lorraine Carter, she was soon dubbed "Betty Bebop" by Hampton, whose more traditional repertoire didn't always mesh with her imaginative flights of improvisation. In fact, according to legend, Hampton fired Carter seven times in two and a half years, rehiring her each time at the behest of his wife Gladys. Although the Betty Bebop nickname started out as a criticism, it stuck, and eventually Carter grew accustomed to it, enough to permanently alter her stage name. Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant Carter and Hampton parted ways for good in 1951, and she hit the jazz scene in New York City, singing with several different groups over the next few years. She made a few appearances at the Apollo, performing with bop legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach, and cut her first album for Columbia in 1955 with pianist Ray Bryant (the aptly titled Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant). A 1956 session with Gigi Gryce went unissued until 1980, and in 1958 she cut two albums, I Can't Help It and Out There, that failed to attract much notice. She spent 1958 and 1959 on the road with Miles Davis, who later recommended her as a duet partner to Ray Charles. Carter signed with ABC-Paramount and recorded The Modern Sound of Betty Carter in 1960, but it wasn't until she teamed up with Charles in 1961 for the legendary duet album Ray Charles and Betty Carter that she finally caught the public's ear. A hit with critics and record buyers alike, Ray Charles and Betty Carter spawned a classic single in their sexy duet version of "Baby, It's Cold Outside," and even though the album spent years out of print, it only grew in stature as a result. Inside Betty Carter Oddly, in the wake of her breakthrough success, Carter effectively retired from music for much of the '60s in order to concentrate on raising her two sons. She did return briefly to recording in 1963 with the Atco album 'Round Midnight, which proved too challenging for critics expecting the smoothness of her work with Charles, and again in 1965 with the brief United Artists album Inside Betty Carter. Other than those efforts, Carter played only sporadic gigs around New York, and was mostly forgotten. She attempted a comeback in 1969 with the live Roulette album Finally; a second album, confusingly also titled 'Round Midnight, was released from the same concert. These two records provided the first indications of what her fully developed style sounded like, and it wasn't commercial in the least. At the Village Vanguard Unable to interest any record companies, Carter founded her own label, Bet-Car, and released her music on her own for nearly two decades. At the Village Vanguard, a live recording made in 1970, is generally acknowledged as ranking among her best; other '70s albums included The Betty Carter Album and Now It's My Turn. Carter spent most of the decade touring extensively to help make ends meet, maintaining a trio that evolved into a training ground for young jazz musicians; she preferred to hunt for and develop new talent as a way of keeping her own music fresh and vital. Over the years, her groups included musicians like pianists Jacky Terrasson, Cyrus Chestnut, Benny Green, John Hicks, Stephen Scott, and Mulgrew Miller; bassists Dave Holland, Buster Williams, Curtis Lundy, and Ira Coleman; and drummers Jack DeJohnette, Lewis Nash, Kenny Washington, and Greg Hutchinson. The Audience with Betty Carter Carter delivered standout performances at the Newport Jazz Festival in both 1977 and 1978, setting her on the road to a comeback. In 1979, she recorded The Audience With Betty Carter, regarded by many as her finest album and even as a landmark of vocal jazz. 1982 brought a live album with orchestra backing, Whatever Happened to Love?, and five years later, she recorded a live duets album with Carmen McRae at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall. She continued to tour as well, and when Polygram's reactivated Verve label started signing underappreciated veterans (Abbey Lincoln, Shirley Horn, Nina Simone, etc.), they gave Carter her first major-label record deal since the '60s. Verve reissued much of her Bet-Car output, giving those records far better distribution than they'd ever enjoyed, and Carter entered the studio to record a brand-new album, Look What I Got, which was released to excellent reviews in 1988. It also won Carter her first Grammy, signaling that critics and audiences alike had finally caught up to her advanced, challenging style. Droppin' Things Over the next few years, Carter continued to turn out acclaimed albums for Verve, winning numerous reader's polls with recordings like 1990's Droppin' Things, 1992's It's Not About the Melody, 1994's live Feed the Fire, and 1996's I'm Yours, You're Mine. Additionally, she expanded her interest in developing new jazz talent through her Jazz Ahead program, which began in 1993 and offered young musicians the chance to workshop with her at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She also gave presentations on jazz to students of all ages, and remained an outspoken critic of the watered-down quality of much contemporary jazz. She performed at the Lincoln Center in 1993, and the following year for President Clinton at the White House; three years later, he presented her with a National Medal of Arts. Carter lost a battle with pancreatic cancer on September 26, 1998, passing away at her home in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. |
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Post by Admin on May 12, 2013 15:13:07 GMT -5
Little Esther Phillips  Esther Phillips was perhaps too versatile for her own good, at least commercially speaking; while she was adept at singing blues, early R&B, gritty soul, jazz, straight-up pop, disco, and even country, her record companies often lacked a clear idea of how to market her, which prevented her from reaching as wide an audience as she otherwise might have. An acquired taste for some, Phillips' voice had an idiosyncratic, nasal quality that often earned comparisons to Nina Simone, although she herself counted Dinah Washington as a chief inspiration. Phillips' career began when she was very young and by some accounts, she was already battling drug addiction during her teenage years; whenever her problems took root, the lasting impact on her health claimed her life before the age of 50. Esther Phillips was born Esther Mae Jones in Galveston, TX, on December 23, 1935, and began singing in church as a young child. When her parents divorced, she split time between her father in Houston and her mother in the Watts area of Los Angeles. It was while she was living in Los Angeles in 1949 that her sister entered her in a talent show at a nightclub belonging to bluesman Johnny Otis. So impressed was Otis with the 13-year-old that he brought her into the studio for a recording session with Modern Records and added her to his live revue. Billed as Little Esther, she scored her first success when she was teamed with the vocal quartet the Robins (who later evolved into the Coasters) on the Savoy single "Double Crossin' Blues." It was a massive hit, topping the R&B charts in early 1950 and paving the way for a series of successful singles bearing Little Esther's name: "Mistrustin' Blues," "Misery," "Cupid Boogie," and "Deceivin' Blues." In 1951, Little Esther moved from Savoy to Federal after a dispute over royalties, but despite being the brightest female star in Otis' revue, she was unable to duplicate her impressive string of hits. Furthermore, she and Otis had a falling out, reportedly over money, which led to her departure from his show; she remained with Federal for a time, then moved to Decca in 1953, again with little success. In 1954, she returned to Houston to live with her father, having already developed a fondness for the temptations of life on the road; by the late '50s, her experiments with hard drugs had developed into a definite addiction to heroin. She re-signed with Savoy in 1956, to little avail, and went on to cut sides for Federal and (in 1960) Warwick, which went largely ignored. Short on money, Little Esther worked in small nightclubs around the South, punctuated by periodic hospital stays in Lexington, KY, stemming from her addiction. In 1962, she was rediscovered while singing at a Houston club by future country star Kenny Rogers, who got her signed to his brother's Lenox label. Too old to be called Little Esther, she re-christened herself Esther Phillips, choosing her last name from a nearby Phillips gas station. Phillips recorded a country-soul reading of the soon-to-be standard "Release Me," which was released as a single late in the year. In the wake of Ray Charles' groundbreaking country-soul hit "I Can't Stop Loving You," "Release Me" was a smash, topping the R&B charts and hitting the Top Ten on both the pop and country charts. Back in the public eye, Phillips recorded a country-soul album of the same name, but Lenox went bankrupt in 1963. Thanks to her recent success, Phillips was able to catch on with R&B giant Atlantic, which initially recorded her in a variety of musical settings to see what niche she might fill best. It was eventually decided to play up her more sophisticated side and accordingly, Phillips cut a blues-tinged album of jazz and pop standards; her string-laden remake of the Beatles song "And I Love Him" (naturally, with the gender changed) nearly made the R&B Top Ten in 1965 and the Beatles flew her to the U.K. for her first overseas performances. Encouraged, Atlantic pushed her into even jazzier territory for her next album, Esther Phillips Sings; however, it didn't generate much response and was somewhat eclipsed by her soul reading of Percy Sledge's "When a Woman Loves a Man" (again, with the gender changed), which made the R&B charts. Nonplussed, Atlantic returned to their former tactic of recording Phillips in as many different styles as possible, but none of the resulting singles really caught on and the label dropped her in late 1967. From a Whisper to a Scream With her addiction worsening, Phillips checked into a rehab facility; while undergoing treatment, she cut some sides for Roulette in 1969 and upon her release, she moved to Los Angeles and re-signed with Atlantic. A late-1969 live gig at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper club produced the album Burnin', which was acclaimed as one of the best, most cohesive works of Phillips' career. Despite that success, Atlantic still wanted her to record pop tunes with less grit and when their next attempts failed to catch on, Phillips was let go a second time. In 1971, she signed with producer Creed Taylor's Kudu label, a subsidiary of his hugely successful jazz fusion imprint CTI. Her label debut, From a Whisper to a Scream, was released in 1972 to strong sales and highly positive reviews, particularly for her performance of Gil Scott-Heron's wrenching heroin-addiction tale "Home Is Where the Hatred Is." Phillips recorded several more albums for Kudu over the next few years and enjoyed some of the most prolonged popularity of her career, performing in high-profile venues and numerous international jazz festivals. In 1975, she scored her biggest hit single since "Release Me" with a disco-fied update of Dinah Washington's "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" (Top Ten R&B, Top 20 pop), and the accompanying album of the same name became her biggest seller yet. In 1977, Phillips left Kudu for Mercury, landing a deal that promised her the greatest creative control of her career. She recorded four albums for the label, but none matched the commercial success of her Kudu output and after 1981's A Good Black Is Hard to Crack, she found herself without a record deal. Her last R&B chart single was 1983's "Turn Me Out," a one-off for the small Winning label; unfortunately, her health soon began to fail, the culmination of her previous years of addiction combined with a more recent flirtation with the bottle. Phillips died in Los Angeles on August 7, 1984, of liver and kidney failure. |
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Post by Admin on Aug 24, 2013 10:54:07 GMT -5
Mildred Bailey with Roy Eldridge Mildred Rinker Bailey (February 27, 1907 – December 12, 1951) was a popular and influential American jazz singer during the 1930s, known as "The Queen of Swing", "The Rockin' Chair Lady" and "Mrs. Swing". Some of her best known hits are "It's So Peaceful in the Country", "Trust In Me", "Where Are You", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "Small Fry", "Please Be Kind", "Darn That Dream", "Rockin' Chair", "Blame It On My Last Affair", and "Says My Heart".  More from NPR here |
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Post by Admin on Aug 27, 2013 8:03:47 GMT -5
Johnny Hartman  John Maurice Hartman (b. 7/3/23, d. 9/15/83) was a critically acclaimed baritone singer who specialized in ballads of the Great American Songbook. Born in Louisiana but raised in Chicago, he began singing and playing the piano by age eight. In 1940, Hartman graduated from DuSable High School where he studied music under Walter Dyett before receiving a scholarship to Chicago Musical College. He sang as an Army private during WWII but his first professional work came in September 1946 when he won a singing contest awarding him a one-week engagement with Earl Hines at Chicago's El Grotto nightclub. Seeing potential in the singer, Hines hired him for the next year. Although Hartman’s first recordings were with Marl Young in February 1947, it was the collaboration with Hines that provided notable exposure. After the Hines orchestra broke up, Dizzy Gillespie invited Hartman to join his big band in 1948 during an eight-week tour in California. Dropped from the band about one year later, Hartman worked for a short time with pianist Erroll Garner before going solo by early 1950. After recording several pop-oriented singles for Apollo Records and RCA Victor, Hartman finally released his first solo album, Songs from the Heart, with a jazz quartet for Bethlehem Records in 1955. After releasing two more albums and a handful of singles with small labels, Hartman got a career-altering offer in 1963 to record with John Coltrane. The saxophonist likely remembered Hartman from a bill they shared at the Apollo Theater in 1950 and later said, “I just felt something about him, I don’t know what it was. I like his sound, I thought there was something there I had to hear so I looked him up and did that album.” Featuring all ballads, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman is considered a classic. This led to recording four more albums with Impulse! and parent label ABC-Paramount, all produced by Bob Thiele. With the 1970s being difficult for singers clinging to pre-rock song styles, Hartman turned to playing cocktail lounges in New York and Chicago. Recording again with small labels like Perception and Musicor, Hartman produced music of mixed quality as he attempted to be viewed as an all-around vocalist. Referring to his approach for interpreting a song, Hartman said, “Well, to me a lyric is a story, almost like talking, telling somebody a story, try to make it believable.” Returning to the jazz combo format of his earlier albums, Hartman recorded Once in Every Life for Bee Hive, earning him a 1981 Grammy nomination for Best Male Jazz Vocalist. This was soon followed by his last album of newly recorded material titled This One’s for Tedi as a tribute to his wife. In the early 1980s, Hartman gave several performances for jazz festivals, television, and radio before succumbing to lung cancer at age sixty. His reputation grew considerably in 1995 when the soundtrack to Clint Eastwood’s The Bridges of Madison County featured several songs from the then out-of-print Bee Hive album. With the renewed public interest in his deep-voiced, romantically charged ballads, all the music from Hartman’s solo albums and many of his earlier singles have since been reissued. Considering the nearly unanimous critical praise Hartman received during his life, it is mystifying that greater popularity always seemed to escape him. As Tony Bennett said in 2011, "Johnny Hartman is one of the great singers of all time." ~Gregg Akkerman (Sources for quotes are cited in The Last Balladeer: The Johnny Hartman Story. If this bio looks at all like the one at Wikipedia it's because someone copied what I wrote here or elsewhere to that page, not the other way around) *The above photo was taken by Shirley Ford at the dedication of Hartman Plaza in Harlem on Sep. 8, 1984. |
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Post by Admin on Oct 18, 2013 10:29:45 GMT -5
Rest in Peace Julie London. Your voice lives on!
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Post by jaw on Oct 20, 2013 18:24:29 GMT -5
We lost Julie London? This is a tragic loss indeed - the sexiest voice, ever!!! Julie London died in 2000, 13 years ago. In my view she was a pop singer, not a jazz vocalist. |
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Post by Admin on Oct 20, 2013 20:46:23 GMT -5
We lost Julie London? This is a tragic loss indeed - the sexiest voice, ever!!! Julie London died in 2000, 13 years ago. In my view she was a pop singer, not a jazz vocalist. I know - that was posted on the anniversary of her death. And I know a lot of us feel Julie London was indeed a Jazz singer, but I can respect your opinion JAW. I know many who feel Frank Sinatra wasn't jazz either. |
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Post by jaw on Oct 21, 2013 12:05:30 GMT -5
Julie London died in 2000, 13 years ago. In my view she was a pop singer, not a jazz vocalist. I know - that was posted on the anniversary of her death. And I know a lot of us feel Julie London was indeed a Jazz singer, but I can respect your opinion JAW. I know many who feel Frank Sinatra wasn't jazz either. And I'm one of them. Both Julie London and Frank Sinatra were pop singers, there was nothing "jazz" about their vocal styles.
By the way, I responded to Herb's post; he didn't seem to know Ms London died years ago.
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2013 8:42:07 GMT -5
Etta Jones From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 - October 16, 2001) was an American jazz singer. She is not to be confused with the more popular singer Etta James nor her namesake, a member of the Dandridge Sisters, who recorded with Jimmy Lunceford and was Gerald Wilson's first wife. Her best known recordings were "Don't Go To Strangers" and "Save Your Love For Me". Jones variously worked with Buddy Johnson, Oliver Nelson, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Cedar Walton, and the saxophonist Houston Person. discography |
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Post by Admin on Dec 18, 2013 11:06:02 GMT -5
A great Tennessee voice www.dinahshorefanclub.com/dsbio2.htmDINAH SHORE BIOGRAPHY Dinah Shore was born Frances Rose Shore on February 29, 1916 in Winchester, Tennessee. Her parents, Solomon and Anna Stein Shore were Russian Jewish immigrants. Her sister Bessie was several years older. Solomon owned a dry goods store. When Dinah was almost two years old she contracted polio, the dreaded disease of the time. Fortunately her family was able to obtain excellent care and she recovered, though left with a slightly deformed foot and limp. Through extensive therapy and encouragement from her mother she eventually lost the limp. As a small child she loved to sing encouraged by her mother a contralto with operatic aspirations. Her father would often take her to his store where she would do impromptu songs for the customers. When Fanny was about eight years old the family moved to Nashville, where her father opened a department store. Shy because of her limp she began to participate in sports and other activities. Fanny Rose developed a strong will to succeed and be the best in everything. She attended Hume Fogg High School where she continued in music, sports, cheerleading and dramatics. Her love for singing became her focus. She even tried to perform at a night club as an early teen. She hung out at the "Grand Ol' Opry" and eventually got a job on the local radio station WSM. During this time her mother died suddenly of a heart attack. Her sister Bessie who had married Maurice Seligman by this time stepped in to help her in this trying time. Solomon wanted her to forget about singing and pursue her education. She entered Vanderbilt University where she continued her many activities. She graduated in 1938 with a degree in sociology. Fanny Rose's determination to become a singer led her to New York where she auditioned for orchestras and radio stations. She was hired to sing on radio station WNEW along with another upcoming young singer, Frank Sinatra. In the course of her auditions she sang the song, "Dinah". Martin Block, a New York disc jockey, couldn't remember her name and called her the "Dinah girl" and the name stuck. She sang with Xavier Cugat's orchestra and recorded with him. Soon Dinah had a recording contract of her own with RCA Victor records on their Bluebird label. Her first hit recording was "Yes, My Darling Daughter." Dinah's singing came to the attention of Eddie Cantor and he signed her as a regular on his popular radio show, "Time to Smile" in 1940. Dinah credits him for teaching her self-confidence comedic timing, and the ways of connecting with an audience. With her recording and radio career taking off Dinah soon became a popular favorite. In 1943 she was signed to host her own radio show, "Call to Music." That same year her first movie, "Thank Your Lucky Stars" starring Eddie Cantor with guest appearances by many Warner Brothers stars, was released. By this time the nation was well into World War II and Dinah became a popular favorite of the troops. Along with stars like Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, she did many Command Performances for the armed forces radio network. Her records rose to the top of the charts. "Blues in the Night" was her first #1 hit. Dinah traveled to Europe to entertain the troops enduring the many hardships and making fans of the troops everywhere. A bridge in France was named for her. She entertained at the Hollywood Canteen of the USO. There she met a young actor about to go into the service, George Montgomery. They married December 5, 1943. When George returned from service they settled in the San Fernando Valley. On Jan. 4, 1948 their daughter Melissa was born. In March of 1954 they adopted a son, John David. Dinah's popularity continued with her radio shows and recordings such as "Shoofly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy", "The Gypsy", "Buttons and Bows". She became a regular with Jack Smith on the CBS "Oxydol Show" (later the "Tide Show". She made a few more movies and moved to the Columbia Record label. In 1950 Dinah made her television debut on the Ed Wynn Show and a guest appearance on Bob Hope's first show. It wasn't long before Dinah was signed to host her own television show. On Nov. 27, 1951 Dinah began her shows for Chevrolet on NBC, two fifteen minute shows a week. She became immensely popular and won her first Emmy in 1955.In 1956 she did two hour Shows for Chevrolet which led to a regular spot on Sunday nights with the Dinah Shore Chevy Show, a musical variety show with many famous guests. These continued until 1960 for that sponsor and two more years for other sponsors. Many honors and awards including more Emmys and the Peabody Award came her way. In the 60's Dinah did various TV specials and guest appearances. She also continued playing nightclubs in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe as well as concerts in cities across the country. She changed to the Capitol Record label and made many albums. Her marriage ended in divorce in 1962. In 1970 Dinah returned to regular television with a daytime half hour on NBC called "Dinah's Place. Besides her music Dinah had guests talking and singing, did cooking, offered homemaking hints and fun. She won another Emmy for this show. This show continued until 1974 when NBC canceled. Later that year she returned to a 90 minute daily show called "Dinah!" for CBS. Continuing the basic format with talk, music and cooking she continued her popularity with the audience. This show ended in 1980. Dinah's many interests included photography, painting, cooking. She became well known among friends for cooking and entertaining. This led to her writing three cookbooks, Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah, The Dinah Shore Cookbook, and Dinah Shore's American Kitchen. From childhood Dinah had a love for sports and for many years was a popular celebrity participant in charity tennis tournaments. When Colgate approached her about hosting a golf tournament for lady golfers, Dinah accepted with enthusiasm and took up the game in earnest. The Colgate (and now Nabisco) Dinah Shore Tournament has been held at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage, California near Palm Springs since 1972. Dinah returned to television in 1989 with "Conversation with Dinah" on The Nashville Network cable. Again she was hostess to many top celebrities who came to interesting conversations with her. In 1992 Dinah was inducted into the TV Hall of Fame of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Orlando, Florida. She continued to do concerts and charity appearances as well as host her golf tournament. Dinah Shore passed away on February 24, 1994 after a brief battle with cancer. Her resting spot is marked with these words. "Dinah Shore - loved by all who knew her and millions who never did ."  |
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Post by Admin on Jun 10, 2014 21:28:33 GMT -5
Bessie Smith. Even though she recorded with jazz groups, many consider Bessie pure blues. What is your opinion? Blues or Jazzz.
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