Comments on: Favorite Jazz Ballad Vocal Performances?

By: Haystacks500

Haystacks500 — Fri, 25 Aug 2017 18:04:53 +0000

Don’t Explain by Helen Merrill. “Hush now” whisper-sung into a close Mike leaves by dead silent in listening rapture, and then Clifford Brown comes in with a solo that will make you weep for the day that this was put to wax. I have the crappiest original pressing, full of noisy scratches but will play it, and often, stylus be damned.

By: TC

TC — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 20:22:53 +0000

Before I upset anyone let me say I have all the Ella songbooks and every Sarah Vaughan album/CD but I’m goinbg to choose Lush Life by Donna Summer. Written by Billy Strayhorn who worked for Ellington when he was only about 18. Try it!

By: ceedee

ceedee — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:33:20 +0000

Nice one,Marmarosa! Now,how about that same tune”The Folks Who Live On The Hill” as done by David Allyn? Beautiful(if you can find it)!

By: Marmarosa

Marmarosa — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:33:52 +0000

“The folks who lived on the hill”..JO STAFFORD, (Album “Jo+Jazz”)

Best regards,

By: ceedee

ceedee — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:07:42 +0000

ALERT! Guys,don’t forget the theme-“favorite jazz ballad vocal performances”. Favorite LPS are another matter entirely(unless,of course,it’s a jazz VOCAL lp!) Incidentally,when I listed a few cuts I tried to avoid the perennial favorites like Coltrane/Hartman(in a class by itself). Ah,heck-here’s one more: “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life” Natalie Cole (Take A Look). A beautiful arrangement which has the added benefit of featuring Herbie Hancock on acoustic piano,John Clayton on bass,Jeff Hamilton on drums. This 1993 release is consistently rewarding-a keeper!

By: don-lucky

don-lucky — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:52:42 +0000

…Great call on Cannonball’s Somethin’ Else LP there Maarten ! It’s a worthy selection that’s for sure.

By: maarten kools

maarten kools — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:12:15 +0000

indeed ,what the hell, at one time or the other this topic is bound to come up..it must!
BN: Somethin’ Else
non-BN: art farmer-from sweden with love

By: don-lucky

don-lucky — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:19:42 +0000

Ahhhhh what the hell… I’m taking ‘Kind of Blue’ !!! I know its not a Blue Note, but with Miles, Coltrane, Cannonball and the rest of the lads how can you go wrong ?!

By: don-lucky

don-lucky — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:58:51 +0000

…This really leads us into that whole “What if you could only take one Jazz LP ?” debate as well Al ! (The phrase “All or nothing at all” comes to mind in these scenarios…) How do you choose on a moments notice after collecting and enjoying this music all your life ? The ballad debate got me thinking once I got home from the office and started looking through my own collection. I have a feeling I would probably keep something predictable like ‘Kind of Blue’ or ‘Blue Train’ despite my love affair with Lady Day… One of the albums that first lured me into to this wonderful music to begin with would probably end up as my keep-sake I suspect.

By: Al

Al — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:23:34 +0000

Yes, this was a bit of a silly assignment, I guess, but it’s kind of fun to think about these things once in a while. Of course I never weighed in with my favorites. I’m at a slight disadvantage not being home with my records, but I’ll choose a few off the top of my head:

Ray Charles and Betty Carter, Everytime We Say Goodbye (this was my wedding song)
Coltrane/Hartman, You Are Too Beautiful
Billie Holiday, Crazy He Calls Me
Sarah Vaughan, Jim, as previously mentioned
I’ll come up with something by Ella, probably from one of the Song Books (Rodgers and Hart, or Cole Porter perhaps), but I can’t think of one now. Rather, I can’t think of JUST one now.