- Love her! Thanks for sharing (hadn't heard of her before!) Whoa, her albums are pricey! Even the reissues!
Interesting observation about Bailey's early recordings. I think Billie Holiday's early records sound girlish too. Perhaps the technical differences between acoustic vs. electrical recordings colour our perception of these artists' earlier offerings.
Some possibly interesting details about Audrey Morris ... She is not only a singer but also a pianist. Moreover, she is one out of very few (about a handful) classic pop/jazz female singers who owned their own record labels! ... Seems to be a smart and intellectual lady, too. About the album The Voice of Audrey Morris, I agree with you; it has various exquisite performances. You uploaded one of its very best cuts, "It's Always You." (Sadly, that particular clip does not play in the United States. But, luckily, there is more than one clip version in YouTube. For anyone curious who might have run into a problem similar to mine, check if the one below plays.) Vocally, I like Audrey best in that album and the other one that she made in the 1950s (her first two). But her later ones are good as well, and have interesting concepts. Case in point: Being a film buff, Audrey came up with this fascinating CD, consisting entirely of songs that were written for and/or used on noir films. Hence you get her interpretations of numbers that can also be heard in movies such as Kiss Me Deadly ("I'd Rather Have the Blues Than What I've Got," interpreted by Nat King Cole) and Blue Gardenia (titular song, Nat again).
Actually, you hadn't missed it. I had submitted the post, but it was in Newbie Moderation Limbo when you and rararabbits subsequently mentioned her, then my message was approved and posted later. No worries - when it comes to Ethel Ennis, too much is never enough.
- Ah, I was wondering! I was like "how did that appear BEFORE my post?! I swear that wasn't there!" I've had a post go into "limbo" also, so weird!
Sue Raney. (Love the title word play on this album! Another great singer I had forgotten I had! I just found this one a month or so ago. Unfortuately, the jacket was beyond saving, but the music lives on as the LP was in pretty nice shape!)
Annie Ross. (Here's a second one that I don't actually own. I have to admit she's not "hit" me yet. She's of "Lambert, Hendricks & Ross" fame.)
Went to the movies one night with my girl. The pic., was the original HOTEL with Carl Malden and Rod Taylor. (1965 ish). I remember a singer had a spot in the move singing at a piano and the singer was Carmen Mcrae, i have been hooked ever since.
- You posed for Playboy, too!? Whoa! Just a' joking, just joking! (I couldn't resist, given your wording.)
Another little know singer is Bonnie Guitar. She had a huge hit in the 50s with DARK MOON. I first heard it in the 1970s on an LP of re-recordings by various artists, and even then it was obvious why it was such a big hit. Of course the orginal version is now easy to find. There are actually a few Bear Family disks of her recordings. I'd call it pop, not jazz, but it is very easy on the ears. This track is not on those disks unfortunately and is apparently from the late 60s. It is 'country' but a lot of the artist who are mentioned in this thread did not shy away from country. I only heard it recently thanks to Forum member Mel Stapler.
OP - Thanks for the thread. Been listening to the girls again. Did my Ella's and the went to a Patricia Barber Live LP. Just discovered Melody Gardot and have an itch for more.