Who is the female vocalist equivalent to Frank Sinatra (on his ballad albums)?*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Richard--W, Jan 18, 2018.

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  1. Radio

    Radio Forum Resident

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    Good points. I always remember Judy complaining on the live at Carnegie Hall album that “they” won’t let me sing jazz.
     
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  2. ribonucleic

    ribonucleic Forum Resident

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    Mine too. But upon consideration, I find more "art" in her approach.

    There really isn't a close analog. But Rosemary Clooney comes closer than I first thought.
     
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  3. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

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    Streisand was never one who sung in a jazz style or swung hard. She IS a song interpreter who has done the Great American Songbook, but one question, are you looking for an equivalent singer who has gone through the jazz and song styling variety of Sinatra. Streisand would never be paired up with a Count Basie or Quincy Jones. That's just not her style of singing. If you're merely looking at singers who have sung Broadway songs and the Great American Songbook, there are a myriad of singers who have done that. But their styles are more in the cabaret style of intimate singing and personalizing the songs.

    I'm still looking at Sarah Vaughan as someone who has had the breadth of production in both the crooning styles as well as the big band and/or severe swinging styles. She has gone from the album sets of interpreting Gershwin with string orchestra accompaniment, to hot jazz sets with trios led by Tommy Flanagan, to being accompanied by jazz big bands and orchestras.
     
  4. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

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    A young 1960s Barbra Streisand.
    Her take on many of the same standards Sinatra recorded are the only other versions of those songs I listen to.
    It's hard to select one 60s album to compare because none are quite as thematic as Wee Small Hours, but her first three self titled albums and her fourth People are all great examples of her unique phrasing and style.
    Simply Streisand is another.
    But in 1974 she recorded an album, The Way We Were (Not to be confused with the film soundtrack)
    That regardless of so so reviews, remains for me, an album of such depth and great performances that I rate it as high as my favorite three Frank albums, Wee Small Hours, Sings For Only the Lonely and September of My Years.
    But she also covered various genres very successfully.
    Jazz, Show tunes, standards, Pop and Disco.
    From 1963 to 1985 she was amazing.
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2018
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  5. Rickchick

    Rickchick Forum Resident

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    Rosemary Clooney, in particular the recordings she made for Concord Jazz, late seventies through the turn of the century.
     
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  6. AnalogJ

    AnalogJ Hearing In Stereo Since 1959

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    Clooney is a nice choice, one worth exploring by the OP, but she wasn't the leader and pioneer that Sarah Vaughan was and that Sinatra was.
     
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  7. bluejimbop

    bluejimbop Thumb Toe Heel Toe

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    Ain’t none.
     
  8. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    absolutely Doris Day is a great contender.
    if given the chance to approach blues and jazz, Patsy Cline.
    the best ever.
     
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  9. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

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    Streisand did indeed record jazzy swing songs on her early albums.
    "Down With Love"
    "Lover Come Back To Me" and
    "Love's A Bore" come to mind.
    And Streisand covered convincingly many genres.
    Jazz, Pop, Show Tunes, Standards, Disco and was far more convincing with mainstream music of her day than Frank ever was, while still having the ability to nail more traditional styles.
    There's a reason for her global sales figures.
     
    Last edited: Jan 18, 2018
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  10. ribonucleic

    ribonucleic Forum Resident

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    What makes it an interesting question is the many different ways one could define "a Sinatra". There were so many facets to the original - including being a style icon.

    The choice of Clooney resonated with me due to her working class ethnic background and "meat and potatoes" approach to interpreting a lyric.
     
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  11. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I was thinking of Patsy Cline, too.
    Not for jazz or swing, but as a vocalist who explored emotional depths.
    Not all of her songs were country; she did a lot of cross-over songs but not in a country style.
    I think of Patsy Cline more as a pop vocalist. She was a first-rate technician in terms of phrasing and sustaining a note, she hit the highs and lows equally, and none of her songs -- not even the relatively cheerful ones -- sound very happy. The theme of disillusion runs through her work, both in musical sound and in vocal delivery.
     
  12. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident Thread Starter

    We're talking about a female vocalist who recorded an equivalent to Sinatra's ballad albums. Equivalent on every level. Or, at worst, some levels.
     
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  13. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

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    Right, and I chose to define it as someone who was fairly prolific and was important in both pop and jazz (I realize that those lines are blurred, especially in the '40s and '50s), but both Frank and Sarah performed both more mainstream popular songs and traditional jazz standards. I suppose that Rosemary did also, but I'm less familiar with here catalog.
     
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  14. Mr Bass

    Mr Bass Chevelle Ma Belle

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    Julie London and a few others did do concept albums. Julie's were Calendar Girl, Swing Me and Around Midnight with possible additions of Make Love To Me and Love On The Rocks. As fine as Julie was in interpreting a lyric she doesn't convey the wide emotional range of Sinatra. Rosemary Clooney mentioned above is a reasonable choice. However I think we have to admit that women artists in those decades simply weren't given the same support as the men to achieve consistent excellence if they had that motivation.
     
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  15. gorangers

    gorangers Forum Resident

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    Not sure if there is a female equivalent to Frank, but I have some very early Babs on vinyl and in some ways she reminds me of Sinatra, especially the way she styles. She makes a song her own....like Frank did.
     
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  16. ribonucleic

    ribonucleic Forum Resident

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    In that case, Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin.

    Also checks the boxes for "equal stature as a vocalist" and "style icon".
     
  17. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

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    Sarah V., Morgana King, Judy.

    In Jazz/Standards, there isn't just one.
     
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  18. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

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    Not even close to your opening post explained.
    It seems now you have raised the bar on the criteria so than no other male or female can qualify
     
  19. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I'm looking for a female version of In the Wee Small Hours, Where Are You?, Only the Lonely and /or No One Cares that comes close to achieving Sinatra's vocal and emotional expression.
     
  20. ribonucleic

    ribonucleic Forum Resident

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    Nominees must also have associations with organized crime. :)
     
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  21. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Wiseguy.

    Just because Sinatra had fans who were in organized crime doesn't mean he himself was involved in organized crime.

    Back on point --

    Perhaps my question could have been worded more clearly. My initial post was cut out of a Sinatra discussion by the mod and pasted in its own thread, which is good.
     
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  22. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
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    Morgana King - It's A Quiet Thing - all ballads - on Reprise.

    Frank must have dug it and her.
     
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  23. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Morgana King, really? Mrs. Corleone? Okay I'll go look her up.
     
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  24. Richard--W

    Richard--W Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Did Sarah Vaughn or Judy record a concept album or a record a live performance that does what Sinatra's ballad albums? Or are you referring to various songs on various records they did?
     
  25. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC USA
    They have one or two all-ballad albums each.
     
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