[Dixielandjazz] Vocalists

[Charlie Hooks]

on 2/4/03 12:22 PM, John Petters at jpettjazz at btinternet.com wrote:

> Sinatra in '50s was a great jazz performer, but to my ears he was a late
> developer.


I'm sure you're right, John.

My memory (I don't have the disks, either) is that the early Sinatra (of the
"Somewhere a Voice is Calling" period, when he was called "The Voice") was
primarily a ballad singer, and that there came a time when he lost that
"voice."  Mafiosoed his way into the movies, proved to be a more than
competent actor, and began to record swinging up-beat tunes.  The word was
that he he decided to swing because he could no longer croon; if that's so,
then losing his "voice" was the best thing that ever happened to him.  More
proof that you don't need a "Voice" to sing: just your own voice.

Charlie