Part 4, the great female voices
As far as the female voice is concerned, jazz music has two great leaders, two singers from whom all others have been inspired in some way: Ella Fizgerald and Billie Holiday. These two great performers are in some ways at the antipodes. The first was virtuosic and joyful, capable of rich improvisations. The second, was at the opposite end of the spectrum being minimalist and introspective.
Many jazz singers have also been valuable pianists, for example Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone. The figure of the singer-pianist is typical of American music, right up to the present day (e.g. Diana Krall), while it is unusual in the Italian song repertoire. Click on the links to learn more about the artist or the song.
- Anita O’Day, Tea for Two (1941)
- Ella Fitzgerald, How High The Moon (1947)
- Sarah Vaughan, Lullaby of Birdland (1954)
- Carmen McRae, Sometimes I’m Happy (1955)
- Betty Carter, Social Call (1956)
- Billie Holiday, Strange Fruit (1956)
- Dinah Washington, What a Difference a Day Made (1959)
- Abbey Lincoln, Afro Blue (1959)
- Etta James, At Last (1960)
- Nina Simone, Feeling Good
Other tracks
- Ethel Waters, Don’t Blame Me
- Mildred Bailey, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
- Judy Garland, Smile
- Peggy Lee, My Old Flame
- July London, What’ll I Do
- Nancy Sinatra, Somethin’ Stupid
- Mariah Carey, Silent Night
- Barbra Streisand, The Way We Were
- Ella Fitzgerald, A Place For Lovers
- Maxine Sullivan, Every time We Say Goodbye
- Billie Holiday, Pennies From Heaven