My opinion on why a lot of "jazz" singers fail...

[AudioDoctor]

In my opinion Jazz needs to be played, sang, or performed with some sass, attitude, and an edge for it to be any good. So many of the performers today are playing music that sounds like they ran it through a machine to get rid of any attitude or offensive bits entirely. Soft Jazz, sucks.

 

As an example, I just tried listening to this and gave up after fast forwarding after half the first song, giving the second song a chance, and a few seconds of the 3rd song. She sounds like she has potential if someone told her the secret to singing Jazz.

 

Edit: When Stacey Kent has more edge and sass than you do, you have a problem.

[fas42]

And as a contrast, in 2018,

 

 

[kumakuma]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Edit: When Stacey Kent has more edge and sass than you do, you have a problem.

 

 

🤣

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

I think "jazz" has been mostly associated with something a bit lively, exuberant or edgy and ..."all that jazz", even sexual connotations. I quite like soft jazz for its more contemplative mood. That said, there is a style of female jazz singer that is almost obsequiously attentive to the letter of the music but not the spirit. A bit like a prudish Miss Prissy's idea of being naughty by fawning over Foghorn Leghorn

 

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"The word “jazz” probably derives from the slang word “jasm,”which originally meant energy, vitality, spirit, pep. The Oxford English Dictionary, the most reliable and complete record of the English language, traces “jasm” back to at least 1860:

J. G. Holland Miss Gilbert's Career xix. 350   ‘She's just like her mother... Oh! she's just as full of jasm!’.. ‘Now tell me what “jasm” is.’.. ‘If you'll take thunder and lightening, and a steamboat and a buzz-saw, and mix 'em up, and put 'em into a woman, that's jasm.’ "

Where Did 'Jazz,' the Word, Come From? Follow a Trail of .

[sphinxsix]

6 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Soft Jazz, sucks.

 

Everything smooth sucks. 

Except from smooth sounding audio systems, smooth tobacco and women.. 

 

[JoeWhip]

The original spelling of jazz was jass. One guess as to why it was changed. Btw, Stacey Kent is awesome. Have seen her live 6 times or so.

[AudioDoctor]

5 hours ago, JoeWhip said:

The original spelling of jazz was jass. One guess as to why it was changed. Btw, Stacey Kent is awesome. Have seen her live 6 times or so.

 

I agree, she is. She is, IMO, the only singer that can get away with her softer style.

[MarkusBarkus]

8 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

 

Everything smooth sucks. 

Except from smooth sounding audio systems, smooth tobacco and women.. 

 

I have some very smooth whiskey I would add to your non-sucky smooth things list...

[JoeWhip]

5 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I agree, she is. She is, IMO, the only singer that can get away with her softer style.

She is a real sweatheart too. Her husband Jim Tomlinson is a wonderful player. I have had a few great conversations with him at the bar. Good people.

[AudioDoctor]

21 minutes ago, JoeWhip said:

She is a real sweatheart too. Her husband Jim Tomlinson is a wonderful player. I have had a few great conversations with him at the bar. Good people.

 

I believe you too, her sweetness comes through in her singing, It's authentic. Which is why I think she can get away with a softer edge than some other singers.

 

edit: much like Kat Edmonson who I have met, and is also a sweetheart.

[DuckToller]

ECB -imho- sounds like the perfect antagonism to Nina Simone.

Nevertheless, she is a fine example of a self-empowered, white, female musician & singer, who controls every aspect in her line of business.

Her "Live in Tokyo" recording has a pristine sq in my opinion, however I have for long asked myself why I couldn't connect to anything else than the Nancy Sinatra cover .. and why the "are you ready boots" line always feels like she is asking for their spotlesness ...

Here is an interesting piece on her

https://artsfile.ca/the-business-of-being-emilie-claire-barlow/

[AudioDoctor]

8 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

ECB -imho- sounds like the perfect antagonism to Nina Simone.

Nevertheless, she is a fine example of a self-empowered, white, female musician & singer, who controls every aspect in her line of business.

Her "Live in Tokyo" recording has a pristine sq in my opinion, however I have for long asked myself why I couldn't connect to anything else than the Nancy Sinatra cover .. and why the "are you ready boots" line always feels like she is asking for their spotlesness ...

Here is an interesting piece on her

https://artsfile.ca/the-business-of-being-emilie-claire-barlow/

 

You're right, the perfect antagonist to Nina Simone is a good description. I am sure she is a good person, business woman, empowered female, etc... I just can't like her music.

[JoeWhip]

The last track on the Live in Tokyo album by ECB Blame it on my Youth is superb. Best track on the album by far.

[sphinxsix]

1 hour ago, AudioDoctor said:

I believe you too, her sweetness comes through in her singing, It's authentic.

I agree, she sounds authentic.

 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

Stacey Kent is sweet and they make nice recordings. Her phrasing doesn't do a lot for me, especially in some songs where it almost becomes a hybrid of speaking and singing.

 

Kat Edmondson is a quirky little thing which I quite like but I think is probably an acquired taste. I like Lyle Lovett because he too is quite a quirky character with some off beat type songs (like fat babies have no pride)

 

Here's our duet of them

 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

I followed Holly Cole for many years. She is a bit of a chameleon in both her dramatically changing looks and somewhat changing music styles. She kinda mixes pop and jazz and bluesy notes, often with a darker sometimes edgier tone. She has a lovely sultry tone in her voice getting low, rich, and smoky at times.Her Tom Waits covers are some of her best. " I want you" is one of her smoother sweeter songs

 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

 

[sphinxsix]

Years ago an old friend of mine who owns his own recording studio (all vintage analogue and tube gear!) and a small, independent label, issuing let's say not music for everyone, said something like this: 'There must be something that doesn't quite "click" or even irritates me in a new music that I'm discovering to make me interested'.

While I don't need music to irritate me, I can understand him very well - I'd say it's the question of being ready to go out of one's comfort zone. Smooth jazz and similar genres can be in general IMO called 'comfort zone music'.

I have only one problem with them - they irritate me  

 

Enjoy (if you can )

 

 

 

[JoeWhip]

One of the joys of traveling as much as we have internationally over the past 20 years is discovering local jazz artists that are not really known outside their country. One is Zoe Francis who I had the pleasure of seeing at the 606 Club in West London. One of the dates she has played there has been released on CD and is available on Qobuz. Check it out when you have the chance. I am trying to snag the CD release of her Blossum Dearie tribute album. 
 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

14 hours ago, sphinxsix said:

'There must be something that doesn't quite "click" or even irritates me in a new music that I'm discovering to make me interested'.

 

I think sometimes, like many things, acquired tastes have to be 'worked on' a bit or nurtured. I wouldn't say "irritates" so much as perhaps doesn't quite make sense or fit the mold - a kind of dissonance maybe - like a paradox is maybe the truth standing on its head to attract attention to itself🤔

[AudioDoctor]

8 hours ago, JoeWhip said:

One of the joys of traveling as much as we have internationally over the past 20 years is discovering local jazz artists that are not really known outside their country. One is Zoe Francis who I had the pleasure of seeing at the 606 Club in West London. One of the dates she has played there has been released on CD and is available on Qobuz. Check it out when you have the chance. I am trying to snag the CD release of her Blossum Dearie tribute album. 
 

 

Listening now.

[BobSherman]

My favorite contemporary jazz singer by far is Cécile McLorin Salvant. She is at a totally different level compared to current singers imo.

 

[Audiophile Neuroscience]

4 hours ago, BobSherman said:

My favorite contemporary jazz singer by far is Cécile McLorin Salvant. She is at a totally different level compared to current singers imo.

 

She is so good, brilliant, thank you!

[sphinxsix]

As much as I like Cécile McLorin Salvant, Cassandra Wilson and some other contemporary female vocalists, when I actually think about it, I could probably just as well live with a handful of singers from the past - Billie, Ella, Sarah..

Actually there are moments when I think I could live with Billie alone  

 

A singer IMO deserving wider recognition.

 

 

 

[JoeWhip]

More British jazz vocals today.