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

Well, I'll be. I just took the LP off my turntable and the orchestra for this record is conducted by Nelson Riddle!

 

She was very good, of course. I also encourage people to listen to her early recordings (say before 1934, just for a number). You will be very surprised.

 

An interesting current documentary series with relevance to artists potentially on this thread

Tunes for Tyrants: Music and Power with Suzy Klein
BBC Four

In this ambitious three-part series, Suzy Klein explores how the power of music to rouse our emotions gave it a crucial role in some of the most turbulent years of the 20th century – from the Russian revolution and the dictatorships of Hitler and Stalin to WW2. “What fascinates me”, says Klein, “is music’s uncanny ability to stir us up, calm us down – to express every possible human emotion. It bypasses language and reason and aims instead directly for our souls. And that’s what makes music so incredibly powerful, and potentially incredibly dangerous.”

World War
S01E03 Mon 16 Oct 2017, 9 pm
Suzy explores the use, abuse and manipulation of music in the Second World War - from swinging jazz to film soundtracks and from mushy ballads to madcap ballets. The war wasn't just a military fight but an ideological battle where both sides used music as a weapon to secure their vision for civilisation. She reveals how the forces' sweetheart Vera Lynn was taken off air by the BBC's 'Dance Music Policy Committee' for fear her sentimental songs undermined the British war effort. But in Nazi Germany, screen siren Zarah Leander had a hit with a song remarkably like Vera's We'll Meet Again. Meanwhile, Nazi band Charlie and his Orchestra reworked Cole Porter classics by adding anti-British lyrics to weaken her morale. Though the Nazis banned jazz at home as 'degenerate', Suzy also explores Occupied Paris's incredible jazz scene. And the film revisits concerts given under extraordinary conditions - not least the performance of Wagner's Gotterdammerung' (Twilight of the Gods), which in April 1945 brought the curtain down on the Third Reich.

 

For Kate Smith I think this is some very good advice. It's also time as my 14-year old daughter often tells me to let go of my need for physical media and do some exploring.

I certainly enjoy this Vitaphone featurette from 1932 with Kate Smith singing Whistle and Blow Your Blues Away:



I also like the next two recordings with Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians:

Kate Smith and Guy Lombardo - River Stay 'Way From My Door (1932)
Kate Smith and Guy Lombardo - Too Late (1931)

and this one as well

Kate Smith The Song Bird Of the South with Her Swanee Music - Shine On, Harvest Moon (1931)

These are jazzier dance tunes and I imagine there's much, much more.

Kate Smith is actually pretty cool and here we grew up thinking she was square.

Thanks @Tribute

 

Early Jazz style of Kate Smith's childhood and youth deeply rooted in her heart.
I find her retro approach charming and simply fun, thus bought 2 CDs:

(River Stay ‘Way From My Door is my favorite from the first disc)


and that (both like new for less than 10 bucks):



(Still looking for a good copy of her Nelson Riddle stuff).

Kate Smith is my hero - she managed to go from there:



to here (not everyone can):
The Kate Smith Hour: An Informal Session

I would buy 3-4 CD set of her early songs with 40's and 50's versions as a bonus... It's the best and very neglected part of her heritage we have.

 

Lost Layer of Russian Culture

"The older you become, the more you need such melodies from the past." (comment)


From the words of the eyewitnesses Stalin knew and understood classics very well, "preferring the great Russian composers Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, and from Western ones - Bizet and Verdi. And he loved strong voices, male and female ... Enthusiastically spoke about some soloists of the Bolshoi Theater."

"Stalin personally defined the program of festive concerts in the Bolshoi Theater and at Kremlin receptions. At the cabin, he liked to receive guests and turned on a gramophone. The records were all labeled "excellent", "good". He chose and put. He started Georgian folk songs, ("Suliko", for example), as well as Russian folk songs, for example, "Moaning blue doves" or "Ah, you garden, my garden." Among the most beloved were the "Volga Burlatskaya", "Kalinka - Malinka", "In the Field Stood a Birch Tree," "I Traveled All the Universe". These songs were often performed on the radio."
"Stalin himself sang well with a high tenor ..."

Did the music make him a better person? He was too evil to be corrected, but I think he probably would kill much more people, otherwise.

In 30's Jazz bands were all over in Russia. The most famous was the jazz orchestra of Leonid Utesov from Odessa.


"The Heart" (I.Dunayevski - V.Lebedev-Kumach)
Soviet-Russian Tango: Leonid Utyosov - Serdce (Heart) 1935

Utyosov incorporated a lot of local Urban songs into Jazz named Odessa's Songs with specific Odessa humor.
Here is excerpt from the recent movie, where Stalin asked Utyosov to sing Odessa's songs:
Песня Леонида Утёсова. "С одесского кичмана" из сериала Орлова и Александров

Contemporary version of the same song:
Tatyana Kabanova "From Odessa's Kitchman"
Татьяна Кабанова. С одесского кичмана

Her version of the old Song "I Wouldn't Regret"
Татьяна Кабанова. Жалеть не стану.

Many, many recordings and many records were lost during the War.

The most popular style was Tango. I would say, Russia was, probably, second country after Argentina by the Tango's popularity at the time.

Yana Gray "Tired Sun" - Polish-Russian Tango (1937).
Polish music (Eji Petersburgski), Russian lyrics and American recording artist. There are 3 Russian versions of the song with different names and lyrics. All were recorded in Moscow in 30's.
Утомленное солнце-русское-польское танго- Яна Грей-романс -Yana Gray

(another version)
Klavdiya Shulzhenko Song of the South (1938)
Клавдия Шульженко - Песня о Юге - Klavdiya Shulzhenko - 1938

Two more her songs.
"Do You Remember Our Dates and the Evening, So Blue"
Ты помнишь наши встречи и вечер голубой Old Russian Tango

"Sochi"
Клавдия Шульженко Сочи Tango "Sochi" Klavdiya Shulzhenko

Ivan Shmelyov "I'm Infinitely Sorry" (1944)
Иван Шмелёв "Мне бесконечно жаль" Ivan Shmeljov

Vadim Kozin wrought these two songs with lyricist Elena Belogorsky (1939):
(from the comment)
"Unfortunately, the life of a talented singer and poet ended tragically.
When the evacuation began from Moscow in connection with the threat of capture, Belogorsky traveled to the Caucasus, in Kislovodsk, but almost immediately the Germans entered the town. And Belogorsky, knowing what she expects for her origin (she was Jewish) committed suicide."
[In Russia, there is no family in which someone did not die during this war].
Autumn
Вадим Козин "Осень"/Vadim Kozin "Autumn"

Forgotten Tango
Вадим Козин Забытое танго Vadim Kozin Forgotten Tango

Pyotr Leshchenko "Tell, Why"
(from the comment)
"Music and lyrics by Oskar Strok. On the photos there is an actress Anna Sten.
Anna Sten (1908 - 1993) - her real name was Anna Petrovna Fesak, an American actress of Ukrainian origin. Until 1929, she was filmed in the USSR, then emigrated and continued her career in Europe and the United States."
Пётр ЛЕЩЕНКО - Скажите, почему

Russian Communists banned Jazz, as the pernicious influence of the West, in a few years after the War. However, Tango survived:
Old Russian tango "Here, Under The Strangers' Sky" (1954)
Old Russian tango_-_Здесь, под небом чужим... (1954).avi

Yana Gray's version - "Crains"
(from the comment)
"In the early 50's (after the death of Stalin) so-called "on the ribs" or simply "ribs" were widely used in the USSR (homemade LPs of used thick X-ray film). You laterally could see human ribs there. They sold on flea markets - it was a "people's response" to the government's campaign against so called "formalism in art": in those years, romances, jazz, foxtrot, etc. were officially banned and did not go out on state records. "Ribs" could withstand a maximum of 20-30 playbacks."
Журавли - Русское танго- Яна Грей- Yana Gray- Russian Тango

Specific genre - Romance was a big part of Russian musical life in the beginning of the 20th century.
Russian romance was based on the Russian-Gypsy romance the same way like American blues songs were adapted from the black American Folk Blues songs.

Yana Gray's version of "By the Long Road"
Русский романс - Дорогой длинною-Those Were The Days- Original Russian song - Yana Gray- Яна Грей

Mari Hopkins English Versions 1968 named "Those Were The Days" became big Int'l hit:
Mary Hopkin - Those Were The Days(往日情怀) 自带英文歌词

Here is famous Russian "Candy-Bagels"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc8mYqKT3Rk

Russian singer with extremely unique voice Anna German sings very old Russian romance "Burn, Burn My Star":
Анна Герман - Гори, гори, моя звезда...

Romance is still popular in Russia. Here is one romance, written right after the fall of USSR:
My favorite Russian singer Tatyana Bulanova "So Pity" (Kak Zhal').
Как жаль- Таня Буланова (1992)

Tanya, probably, the most soulful singer alive. One more her romantic ballade "Only You".
Только ты - Т.Буланова (Клип 1994)

Sorry, but I have to post one more song of this great singer, who often get so emotional during the singing so tears naturally drop from her eyes even now... believe or not, but all audience was crying together with her "Snow" (Sneg) 2014:
Снег - Татьяна Буланова (2014)

Now, Russians artists often try to recreate those days in the movies or in a special music contests. Here is a winner of such a contest with old Yiddish-Russian song:
Elena Vorobey "Papirocen". [Each contestant have one week to prepare his theatrical number and that was going on for a few months].

(conmment)
"Written by Herman Yablokoff. Author was inspired to write this song after seeing children peddlers during German occupation of Grodno in WWI. Current version is in Yiddish and Russian and incorporates new lyrics that have been added during WWII. It describes the daily life of a blind jewish orphan boy, who has to sell cigarettes and matches to stay alive..."
Елена Воробей "Купите папиросы" - YouTube

Old Romance "White Night" from the movie "Liquidation"
Ликвидация - Белая ночь

Russian Gypsy always kept their unique songs alive, while singing in Russian:
Svetlana Yankovskaya "Sing, Ring my Guitar"
Янковская Светлана — «Пой, звени, моя гитара»


Sorry for jumping off-topic, I just want to tell something that many people never knew that it ever existed.

 

Who did that was an idiot. Nothing can raise the spirit of the soldiers than the heart wrenching performance of their favorite songs from the Motherland.

Speaking of Vera Lynn, some CDs were released in UK on her 100th Anniversary.
One of them is very interesting project named "Vera 100". They set her voice over new recordings of the full body orchestra:
"Celebrating 100 years of a UK National Treasure with brand new orchestral versions of her most beloved songs. A true icon, Vera Lynn reaches her 100th Birthday on the 20th March 2017. To celebrate this milestone, the newly recorded album, "Vera 100", features Vera Lynn’s utterly distinctive original vocals set to completely new re-orchestrated versions of her most beloved songs. This technical wizardry has, for the first time, allowed full orchestral accompaniments to transform not only her most memorable and morale-boosting hits that sustained Britons through the wartime years, but some recently unearthed, rare recordings – all presented in sumptuous, up-to-the-minute sound. Vera’s vocal on the lead track, Sailing, has not been heard for 35 years. The album also features several duet partners including Alfie Boe, Alexander Armstrong and Aled Jones."
This is Decca very serious project and, believe or not, it works. Especially mind-blowing is how they added duets with contemporary male singers:



Iconic performance:
Vera Lynn - I'll Be Seeing You

V-Disc Project was absolutely right move in US:
A lot of singers took part in it and many recordings were unique to the project.
(Joe Stafford worked non-stop so much that she fell ill...)
V-Disc 262 Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford

I bought this very nice 2CD set (50 songs):





In Russia all artists who only could move (men and women) went to the army (many voluntarily) and performed on the front line, often getting under the fire.
There were hundreds songs written during the War (many forgotten now).

Claudia Shulzhenko "Blue Scarf" ("The Front Concert" 1942)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWSlJwP_xaE

Mark Bernes "Dark Night" (film "Two Soldiers" 1943)
Тёмная ночь Поёт Марк Бернес HD Tiomnaya Noch Temnaya Noch Mark Bernes Два Бойца Superb Russian Song

But there was one song dedicated to the War that would never die "The Sacred War". This song had tremendous power and impact on people.
The lyrics was written the next night after the Hitler's invasion by Vasily Lebedev-Kumach and published in the newspapers. The following night the composer Alexander Alexandrov wrote music, and song became the Anthem of the Homeland Defense. Every day Moscow radio began with this hymn, and people went to battle.

Sacred War (Get Up Great Country)
[Statement of Soviet Government declaring the war on June 22, 1941 in the beginning].
Вставай страна огромная..

Get up Great Country,
Get up on a mortal fight.
A People's War is going on,
The Sacred War...

Let the noble rage
Boils like a wave
A People's War is going on,
The Sacred War...

They may used it later as a propaganda, but it was written from the heart:
Рома Хусаинов - Священная война

"Sometimes it seems to me that the soldiers who did not come from the bloody fields did not die, but turned into white cranes ..."
Mark Bernes "Cranes"
Марк Бернес. Журавли...

 

I really enjoy Vera Lynn and have most everything by her on CD and LP.

 

I don't know: is Vera Lynn on our List? I couldn't find her. She is not neglected in UK, but pretty obscure here.

Two of my favorites:



(rare)
Vera Lynn - Sunrise sunset

2 classics:
Vera Lynn - Autumn leaves

Vera Lynn - As Time Goes By

Vera Lynn taking on Russian romance, which became a standard:
Those were the days - Vera Lynn (1970)

 

Another obscure name popped up from the Forces' Sweethearts CD during my "excurs" to WWII music:



Frances Langford
(1913-2005)


"Entertaining the troops was the greatest thing in my life.
We were there just to do our job, to help make them laugh and be happy if they could."
"I'd sing a song, and I could just see the guys getting this faraway expression.
I knew they were going home in their minds."
(Francis Langford)



Frances divorced first husband Jon Hall but they remained friends until his suicide in 1979; she was left a widow in 1986 by second husband Ralph Evinrude, whose family made the famous outboard motors; third husband Harold Stuart, a former assistant secretary of the Air Force under President Truman, survived her. She had no children.

She travelled to the war zone together with Bob Hope (leader of the band) several times.
During one of their USO tours, she and Bob were forced to leap out of a jeep to avoid fire from a German fighter plane. They both jumped to safety in a culvert, with Frances landing on top of Bob. Another time they spent the night in the basement of a hotel in Algiers as bombs burst above them.
According to Bob, the biggest laugh he ever heard from an audience occurred in 1944 at a USO show for young Marine troops on a remote South Pacific island. When Frances Langford sang the first line of her song, "I'm in the Mood for Love", a Marine in the audience stood up and shouted, "You've come to the right place, honey!".
In 1953, Frances again entertained troops with the USO, this time in Korea.

During World War II, she wrote a weekly column for Hearst Newspapers called "Purple Heart Diary," in which she described her USO visits to wounded soldiers in hospitals in the U.S. and overseas. She used the column to provide a "voice" for the soldiers, relaying their feelings, gripes, and complaints to the general public.

Frances Langford had very pleasant voice with quiet a wide range, and she could go smoky and she could go clear...

Frances' signature song:



Frances Langford - Am I Blue?

Excellent version:
Frances Langford: Boulevard of Broken Dreams rec 1939

Serenade in Blue

Her smoky version #2:
Frances Langford "I'll Be Seeing You" #2

 

I was wondering how you got your name Toilet Doctor.

I went to a garage sale once where a lady asked the dealer if a $10 used toilet in the driveway worked. He was surprised by the question, but offered to fill the tank with a hose and let her try it in the driveway.

I didn't stay around. They had no records.

 

It's very simple. When I came to the US, I noted that some people put letters after their names Ph.D., MD. I was wondering, what the heck is this? After the explanation, it seemed to me amusing, as I had never seen such things in other countries. Unless, it is an article or a book, but on the checks... common.

So, after graduation from the Toilet Medical School and becoming a member of the TDAss (Toilet Doctors Association), an interesting thought entered my mind:
If people can use their real name without degree, they probably could use their degree without name as well(?) Said - done. Now I use my degree, as my name - Toilet Doctor.

In addition, I specialize in the research and treatment of SOS (Snake Oil Syndrome), a highly contagious mental illness that can spread over the Internet within minutes.
Also for fun, I am writing a book Audiophilia.

As for the used toilets, I can say, as a specialist: according to recent studies by our TDAss, used toilets are not worth a penny. Since you cannot see calcium build-up inside of the water ways around the rim of the toilet bowl. If old toilets made before WWII can last 50-70 years, contemporary pieces would not stand more than 20-25 years.

 

You are certainly plumbing new musical depths on the Forum

Is it easy to find those radio programs about war propaganda music?

I always feel vibrations of empathy with the world as it was when Vera Lynn or Marlene Dietrich sing those WW II songs.

 

I have a rich cousin who has 12 toilets. I cannot understand that. Everyone, at least in our wealthy country, has only one favorite toilet that is their faithful companion.

Well now I know who to call if my favorite toilet is suffering.

 

I think that the 2012 Universal Japan Mini LP CD release from the series Female Jazz Vocal Collection would be the best sound.

The sound is very airy with a deep soundstage and a good bass presentation. On some tracks, the bass specifically attracted my attention with excellent performance. On the downside, there was a bit of brightness on some tracks, but not the real issue here - I probably was too picky. And the overall clarity of the sound should be better to go higher than the category "Very Good." The sound is on the warm side, as the name implies, and not only in Dolores' voice, but in general.
They did not give any credit notes, but only one sign on the OBI is 24-bit.

Although I didn't compare it with previous releases, but I doubt they could beat the latest Japanese limited pressing.

 

Anyone heard this?

 

There is a full album on youtube, I tried a few month ago - very nice. British singer is unavailable on CD.
LP was re-released with slightly different cover:

 

Thanks to you all for Your comments on the Mode records label and the singers therein.

I finally made it back to the used record shop and found 3 of your recommendations and I love them all. Right up my street as Riding thought

Fabulous combos and arrangements.
Really lovely stuff

 

The general rule is when you see anything like that (a singer singing good songs), buy it if the price is right, even if you cannot hear it and do not know the singer. The right price for me has gone down, not up. It used to be $5-10. Now, I buy when it is $1-3. I realize that many stores want $20 and up now. For me, that has to be super special, but the above three qualify for that. I'll even buy a super special duplicate for a high price. The good records have an aura.

But many shop owners are ignorant when it comes to singers of the standards, so they still price them low in many cases. To cover their ignorance, some shop owners will price any vocal LP from say 1956-1958 at a higher price.

It is sad that many of the monster used stores that often had many hundreds, if not thousands, of used vocal LPs are nearly all gone. The very small shops that survived or start up have so little floor space that they typically have no classic pop/jazz vocal section at all, and they often turn down used vocalist collections that walk in the door.

Now Johnny Mathis is coming out with a $600 CD box set. Yet you could not get 10 cents for mint LPs of Johnny even last week. Weird.

 

The Mode original records I saw used in NYC were 60 bucks. That is too much for me.
These were Japanese reissues w tip on jackets in mint condition. At 30 bucks they are a deal for Toronto. Though I realize much more then you like to spend.
I find in Toronto I can find used 50s jazz vocal records for 5 to 20 bucks which is cheaper then similar era jazz records (from tier b jazz artists. ) So often a good deal. Anyone famous drives the prices for jazz originals through the roof
Almost all my jazz vocal records were picked up blind.

 

Wow. Those records cost me about $3 each only about 15 years ago.

 

I'm thankful I found the Joy Bryan Sings Mode original in a thrift shop within the year for under $1, but I know that was pretty much luck combined with too much available time for scouring through many bins. I've definitely found a few gems and always enjoy finding another. I love this thread. I appreciate the knowledge everyone brings about these singers and the music. I have a long drive home from Arizona to Kansas coming up later in the week and I will be looking!

 

Thank you everyone for the reference on Clare Austin CD, I bought in 'like new' condition for $1.99.
Interestingly, it was some comment taped inside of CD.
But most striking was excellent sound of this Contemporary Records Limited Edition Series.
One more time I was convinced: limited pressing does matter not just for LP, but for CD as well.

 

Yes Eric. You and Tribute scored big time. I occasionally score like that but much harder now that vinyl is trendy. My best was finding a first pressing of the sarah vaughan Clifford brown lp on emarcy for 25 cents at a yard sale
3 years ago.

 

P.P.S.
I found her CD, not cheap, but New - $22.50 + Shipping:









Great sound and real factory pressed disc.