[Dixielandjazz] Vocalists

[Richard Broadie]

Frank's phrasing and timing was always exceptional, even with the early big
band recordings and only got better as he aged.  And with age, he sold the
story lines of his songs brilliantly.

Some loved Billie Holiday's early recordings when her voice was really quite
beautiful.  I personally get just as much enjoyment from her last recordings
when her voice was not nearly the instrument it once was.  Again, it goes
back to the story telling aspect.  Her stories were much more convincing
with age and her tragic life experiences.

Sure glad that the quality of my singing doesn't require such suffering to
succeed.  Those who've heard me sing will likely say that they've already
suffered enough!

With Sarah Vaughn,  the opposite seems to be true.  She swung like crazy
when she was young, but in her later years spent so much time demonstrating
her incredable "chops" that the music and the story became somewhat
secondary.   At least that's my not very humble opinion.

Wanna fight?  :-)   Dick Broadie

Dick Broadie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Hooks" <charliehooks at earthlink.net>
To: "DJML Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 2:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Vocalists


> 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
>
>
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