Obscure & Neglected Female Singers Of Jazz & Standards (1930s to 1960s)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Ridin'High, Sep 4, 2016.

  1. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    This one I just stumbled across on You Tube - Mabel Mercer. I have never heard of her before - apparently British-born but worked in America.

    Sounds mannered on this song, but a beautiful voice.

     
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  2. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    [​IMG]
    That's the cover of her LP on Bethlehem, a label which also featured her in their own "all-star" LP version of Porgy and Bess. (The previously mentioned Betty Roche is one of the various other singers who can also be heard in that set.)
    [​IMG]
    But the most eye-catching of Sallie's album covers in the one used for her LP on MGM Records.

    After acquiring some recognition following her win on a TV contest (singing "Cry me a River"), she was featured quite a bit in magazines spreads, particularly but not exclusively African-American ones, coming across as a singing pin-up:
    [​IMG]
    Promoted as a songstress in the mold of both Eartha Kitt and Josephine Baker, she too traveled abroad in search of increased fame.
    [​IMG]
    Yet once again, Fresh Sound has released her entire output on CD.
     
  3. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    The front covers of her four LPs are nice to look at. Here they are, as reproduced by a Public Domain label:
    [​IMG]

    Lurlean was, like a few other previously highlighted singers (Audrey Morris, Lucy Reed, etc.), a singer who primarily operated in the Chicago scene. Was very good friends with Carmen McRae. As was the case with a few other already mentioned singers (Annie Ross, Ethel Ennis, etc.), Lurlean had the honor of having her own nightclub, named after her.

    Once somewhat rare, all her LPs are by now relatively easy to find on CD from a variety of European and Japanese labels ... Her singing is never less than tasteful and skillful, which is why I wish I liked it a lot more than I actually do. She does do a good version of this wonderful song:

     
  4. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I imagine that somewhere in this forum there is a thread about other "shy" singers showing off their pussies? I am aware of quite a few of those show offs out there; some of them are even (gasp!) macho men.

    Her ending of the song is fun indeed. Good that you posted the clip: I have the album but did not remember how she sounded. It's the only one of hers that I own. My understanding is that she was more of a bubblegum pop singer, but certainly sang a share of standards, and thus qualify for inclusion in this thread.

    Well, I just looked her up, and was surprised to find out that her other albums consist almost entirely of standards. Until now, I had never seen any of them. Nice front covers, too:

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]

    I'm noticing that some of them are credited to RCA Canada. If they were originally released there, maybe that situation could partially explain why I have not come across them before. (Johnny B Good might finally have an advantage over those of us who are into these singers and live in the US!) Plus, the album not on RCA is on an obscure, minor label.

    In any case, many thanks for bringing her up, Nathan. We'll have to keep an eye for those other LPs!

    Incidentally, there are four or five other female singers out there who also bore the last name Carr, and who qualify for this thread as well -- some of 'em fine & obscure, some famous & awful, i.m.o.
     
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  5. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Wood by the Fire? Looks more like Psycho By the Fire to me! What nefarious, Norman Bates-like plans does she have in store for her poor poodle?? ... Why the mindless grin? Why the wicked stare while holding the unsuspecting pup atop these logs? .... All she needs is a Scream-like mask (of the same fire-engine color as the chimney, the dress, the wall, the floor) and she'll be set to go.

    Just kidding.

    Gloria Wood was sort of a female Mel Blanc: the voice of Minnie Mouse in cartoons, Tinker Bell in peanut butter TV commercials, Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer on record, Marilyn Monroe in film, etc., etc., etc. Miss Wood was Woody Woodpecker's singing voice at one point, too -- how could she not be?

    Before all that dubbing work, she had been a big band vocalist. Through much of her adult years as a voice actor/singer, she did further duty as a member of vocal groups. Had a big-selling hit, "Hey Bellboy," for which her duet partner Pete Candoli garnered more than half of the glory. The one curse of Gloria's career was that she was never quite able to become known as a name singer on her own. The nice album above was an unsuccessful attempt at rectifying the situation.

    [​IMG]

    To state the obvious: gifted with great vocal range.
     
  6. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Monica Lewis, not to be confused with Monica Lewinsky (one all for the marines, the other for the president).

    Ms. Lewis had a lasting if not famous career as both singer and actress, being one of the many stars of olden days who showed up in all those big-disaster films of the 1970s (Airport et al) and releasing several CDs in the 1990s. Passed away last year, though not before having just published her autobiography.

    Married at least two producers. (No, not simultaneously.) Was one of record impresario Bob Thiele's three singing wives. (No, not a polygamist. Each married him at a different time of his life, with two separations ensuing. The aforementioned Teresa Brewer was the third wife.)

    This tribute clip by the always-worthy YouTube uploader Johnnyxxx200000 gives you a lot of pictures of Monica throughout her career.

     
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  7. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    For Lita Roza fans, this recent CD has gone out of print. CD2 has some tracks on other CDs. I just grabbed the last copy under $10

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    2008 expanded reissue of the vocalist's 1963 album featuring bonus tracks. In 1962, Lita signed with Ember Records, recording a single, a fine revival of Ruth Brown's 'Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean' (b/w '(He's My) Dreamboat') and an LP, Love Songs For Night People, the following year. Both were well-reviewed at the time of their release and are much sought-after artifacts by Lita's fans. Neither have previously appeared on CD, and a couple of studio outtakes have also been included, to complete a unique, collectable package. Acrobat.

    Track Listings
    Disc: 1
    1. How Did He Look
    2. Trust in Me
    3. This Is No Laughing Matter
    4. Misty
    5. I'll Close My Eyes
    6. Paradise
    7. Wild Is the Wind
    8. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
    9. But Beautiful
    10. Tenderly
    11. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
    12. They Say
    13. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean [Single Version][*]
    14. (He's My) Dreamboat [Single Version][*]
    15. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean [Alternate Take][*]
    16. (He's My) Dreamboat [Alternate Take][*]

    Disc: 2
    1. Allentown Jail
    2. It's All in the Game
    3. The Blacksmith Blues
    4. High Noon
    5. Oakie Boogie
    6. Blackpool Bounce
    7. Botch-A-Me
    8. Half as Much
    9. Walkin' to Missouri
    10. Why Don't You Believe Me?
    11. Hi Lili, Hi Lo
    12. (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
    13. Seven Lonely Days
    14. No One Will Ever Know
    15. Ebb Tide
    16. Changing Partners
    17. Just a Dream or Two Ago
    18. Bell Bottom Blues
    19. Make Love to Me
    20. Secret Love
    21. Young at Heart
    22. Smile
    23. Let Me Go Lover
    24. Make Yourself Comfortable
    25. Keep Me in Mind
    26. Hey There
    27. Hernando's Hideaway
    28. Jimmy Unknown
    29. Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them
     
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  8. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    As usual, her earlier recordings are her best. Some are rare.
     
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  9. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    This Teal Joy Lp must have been very popular in it's day. I cannot resist picking it up whenever I see it at a garage sale (quite often!). People in the 50's were attracted to anything exotic.
     
  10. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    This is common on CD, many copies for less than $2. Why pay a premium for vinyl? Most early Atlantic LPs are in poor condition and used poor materials anyway
     
  11. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    I still think you miss so much by avoiding CD. A great many superb vocal LPs are so extremely rare (and I mean many that never had more than 500-1,000 copies in the first place) that you will never find them. Many of them were pressed on poor materials. The singles (though not often the best songs) are usually trashed, even if you can find them (and many dealers want $10 for them). Many of the best vocal recordings were never issued commercially on any vinyl. Certainly, there are many titles that can still be found for $1 to $5 on LP, and it is great to get them. But by buying vinyl only, I would say you are missing well over 50% of the greatest vocal recordings of the 1940's-1970's, and probably over 90% of the great vocal recordings (in this style) of the past 25 years, which really is a second renaissance of singers.
     
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  12. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thanks for this one, too, including the music clip. Had not heard her before, and do not have the LP, which seems to be her only one. (I think I've come across the album quite a few times over the years, but have passed. Wrongly thinking somehow that she was a pianist only -- not a singer as well -- I would end up given priority to other options at hand.)

    Amazingly, she has her own extensive website, where I just learned that she she was married to director Mike Nichols for a couple of years. I'll quote a fun part from her bio page:

    "My first night in [Chicago] town I checked into a hotel, not knowing it was a haven for hookers. There were knocks on the door all night long! I checked out in a hurry the next morning, and, walking down the street, ran into Johnny (Frigo). He laughed about my choice of hotels, and guided me to a decent place to stay."

    "I was singing at the Streamliner, which was a popular jazz club where musicians would stop in to jam. Bill Evans, on leave from the army on weekends, would perform his magic on piano. Anita O'Day dropped in once in a while. Moody lady - you never knew if she'd greet you with a smile or tell you to bug off. I think she said 'bug'."

    [​IMG]
     
  13. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    She was one of the pre-eminent influences on all 20th century jazz-popular singers, up there with Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. Her influence was to get singers to understand and interpret the lyrics.

    Sinatra often claimed her as his inspiration. A quote from the web: "Among those who frequently attended Mercer's shows was Frank Sinatra, who made no secret of his emulating her phrasing and story-telling techniques." Another "Mabel Mercer taught me everything I know --Frank Sinatra"

    I met her in her later years, after she retired, as she lived nearby. Her main influence was through live performance (especially in her younger years), as she did not record much at all until she was well over 50.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2016
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  14. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    An American singer who moved to the United Kingdom after marrying a British bandleader (Laurie Holloway). Just like previously mentioned Connie/Connee Boswell, she too made a change in her name, from Marian to Marion. Connee claimed that she had done so for business/marketing reasons. Marion did it out of superstitious belief. She thought that the change would bring her lots of luck.

    Nice voice that got smokier as the years went by, and good singing skills. But, as an interpreter, she generally seems to be only just as good as the people who were accompanying and/or advising her. Some of her numbers, especially in later years, are just all over the place, or suggest that she was trying too hard. The early albums on Capitol are fine, and so are some duet LPs which she made with composer-pianist Sir Richard Rodney Bennett in the 1970s.

    We must never pass up an opportunity to post a Scopitone video (even if this one, featuring a pseudo-blues number, is not quite as hilarious as some of the others out there)!

     
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  15. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    I don't criticize any great singer who had to bear up through the absolutely terrible arrangements and tunes (or stupid lyrics) foisted on them during the 1960's and 1970's. It was either do as they were told or do nothing at all. Even Sinatra went along with it. Some said screw it and quit. I wish more singers had held up until later years when they were given a little more freedom to select songs and arrangements. If only more singers had the opportunity to just sit down with a piano player and record. Outside of a small handful of recordings, very few could do that until the last 10-15 years.
     
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  16. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    This diminutive singer with a big, vibrato-heavy voice spent her 48 years fighting a terrible, debilitating disease, lupus. It didn't stop her from having a sizable music career. As Hugh Hefner says in one of the Playbo's Penthouse clips, she even traveled and performed with George Shearing. Recorded with him, too. Later on, she "took up" with Marian McPartland as well:

    [​IMG]

    Just about her entire discography (which is not small, and which covers a variety of labels) has made it to CD within the last two or three decades.

    That album which you posted is a tribute to male singers. She sings, for instance, "Unforgettable" in honor of Nat, "This Love of Mine" in honor of Frank, "Flamingo" in honor of Herb Jeffries, and so forth. "When It's Sleepy Time" honors Satchmo. My favorite album of hers could he considered a counterpart to that one, at least insofar as its title and concept goes:

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2016
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  17. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    One thing is for sure: she was never lacking for energy.

    I too think of her as primarily an actress-comedienne -- though a multi-talented one who could most certainly act, dance and sing ... There is indeed something to be said about the fact that the number of actresses who sang well is not small: they could be handily discussed in their own separate thread. However, since we have already mentioned a fair share of them in this thread, we might as well continue to do so, as long as they went to the studio to record jazz and/or standards.

    It is true that Betty did not record jazz per se, but she did record standards for Capitol, even turning some of them into major hits (e.g. "I Wish I Didn't Love You So," "It Had to Be You"). Her music career was actually substantial, especially in the 1940s. Betty does have, then, the qualifications to be part of this thread.

    ToiletDoctor has already provided us with examples of her ballad work. Hence I will move on to providing evidence of her crimes:



    Her crimes against people with straight serious faces, that is! If you enjoyed that clip (as I totally do), try also the live/film versions of hits such as Betty Hutton - Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief » and Betty Hutton - I'm Just a Square (In a Social Circle) » .
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2016
  18. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Ray Charles was the producer of this 1969 album, released on his Tangerine label. She became one of his Raelettes. Still performing to date.

    Nancy Wilson style: yeah. You hear it at the end of every line in this number and in many of the other ones, yet not on all of them. "Charade," for instance, has very little of Nancy in this LP's version, and even less in a live performance with Harry James, from just a couple of years later, available in YouTube. So, it could be that she was strongly influenced by Nancy, but it could also be that she and her handlers were trying to attract an audience with a proven, already good-selling commercial sound.

    Something else that she likes to do in the album is end its numbers with a sensual speaking voice.
     
  19. Mylene

    Mylene Senior Member

    With Mason Williams she wrote Cinderella Rockefella one of the most hated songs of the 1960s
     
  20. Nathan Aaron

    Nathan Aaron Forum Resident

    - Love that video! I've seen it so many times! I mean, her mannerisms are just so awesome!
     
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  21. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    According to the liner notes from one of her two albums, Joy Bryan's biggest vocal influences were Marion Anderson and Joe Williams. Kudos to her, for having such out-of-the-box influences.

    Ruth Price is (was?) yet another vocalist who owns or manages a jazz club. And, like Teal Joy, another professional dancer who became a singer. For a couple of years, she was married to a well-known musician, Dave Grusin.

    Nearly half of the songs in Honi Gordon's 1962 album were written by her father. Along with two brothers, they are said to have been part of a group called The Gordons. According to the liner notes, this debut album of hers grew out of that family venture.

    For me (strictly for me), the two things that these three singers have in common is that (a) I don't enjoy their singing a whole lot and (b) they are surrounded by excellent musicians (many of them from the cool jazz school) who make their albums very palatable. In other words, I could listen to the albums over and over if they were instrumental pieces.

    The musicians in Joy Bryan's two albums are especially great. But, alas, I don't like her timbre. At all. Nor do I enjoy Joy's stylistic tendency to shift from her normally thin head tone to a throaty, affectedly husky voice. At times, it is almost painful to my ears -- especially in the Make The Man Love album. The other album (from which that version of "My Funny Valentine" was taken) is more tolerable to me, probably because she is trying to sing in more of a cool, June Christy - Chris Connor continuum. (But I still have trouble listening to some of it, too.)

    I dislike Ruth Price's voice as well, despite the fact that I have three of her albums (not the one above, though). I've tried and tried. But, as I said before, we can't like 'em all. In addition to great musicians, Ruth picked excellent songs for most of her albums.

    The one voice that I actually like is Honi Gordon's. However, her interpretations leave me feeling like I'm listening to a wannabe, rather than a fully formed singer. I keep getting the sense that she is affecting a tone of voice that does not come naturally to her. Moreover, I can't help but feel that I have heard much better singers do the same songs in similar style ... Maybe what I'm trying to say is that she was still a bit too green and young, although I do not know how old she was when she did this album. I do think that the performance of "Why Try to Change Me Now" showed promise, being her very best one in the entire album.
     
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  22. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    How would Doris Day sound if she were a singer from the cool school of jazz? Lucy Ann Polk is the answer.



    This is an excellent vocalist who had already had lots of professional experience and was not even 30 when she retired from the business, in the mid-1950s. Lucy Ann's immediate reason for quitting: she had recently had her home's front yard landscaped, and she wanted to keep tending to it!

    Luckily, hers was a semi-retirement. At least one of her albums, Lucky Lucy Ann, was recorded after the mid-1950s.
     
  23. Ridin'High

    Ridin'High Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Another of the many female singers in the cool school mold -- all of them influenced by June Christy, Chris Connor, and/or Anita O'Day.
    Also, one more singer backed by Marty Paich, following the handful who has been recently mentioned (Lucy Ann Polk, Joy Bryan, Mavis Rivers, Toni Harper, etc). She was primarily an actress, with lots of TV credits, but her singing is nothing to sneeze at. Very cool indeed.

    Here was have yet again a CD lover's oasis: Fresh Sound has gathered this singer's entire (known) discographical output, consisting of the above-seen LP with Marty Paich and a few singles with Henry Mancini.

    [​IMG]
     
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  24. .crystalised.

    .crystalised. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Edmonton
    That looks like it would be a nice collection. I'd be especially curious to hear the singles arranged by Mancini. It seems rare that he arranged for a solo vocalist. And with Art Pepper and Bud Shank? Oasis indeed!
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2016
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  25. Nathan Aaron

    Nathan Aaron Forum Resident

    - Argh! ;) Thanks a lot! Now I've just spend an hour of my day watching the Betty Hutton Youtube rabbit hole! LOL So many great videos!
     
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