Part 5, the great male voices
Talking about male voices in jazz means first of all answering the eternal question: is Frank Sinatra a jazz singer? The question divides jazz fans into two factions: Sinatra is not a jazz singer because he does not improvise, nor does he vary the pitch of the sounds, strictly adhering to the melody.
Yet, no one has more swing than Frank Sinatra in expounding melodies, and his anticipations and delays are unsurpassed. However you look at it, Sinatra was one of the greatest interpreters of the American repertoire. Here are the greatest male vocalists I have selected for this section.
- Cab Calloway, Minnie the Moocher (1931)
- Louis Armstrong, La Vie en Rose (1950)
- Joe Williams, Everyday I Have The Blues (1953)
- Chet Baker, But Not For Me (1954)
- Frank Sinatra, I’ve Got You Under My Skin (1956)
- Nat King Cole, When I Fall in Love (1956)
- Lambert, Hendrix and Ross, One O’Clock Jump (1957)
- Mel Torme, Dat Dere (1962)
- Johnny Hartman, Lush Life (1963)
- Tony Bennett, The Good Life (1963)
Other tracks
- Jelly Roll Morton, Hyena Stomp
- Fats Waller, I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
- Frank Sinatra, The Gilr Next Door
- Frank Sinatra, Something Stupid
- Ray Charles, Georgia on My Mind
- Jack Haley, If I Only Had a Hearth
- Bunny Berigan, I Can’t Get Started
- Joe Turner, Roll Em Pete
- Hot Lips Page, Thirsty Mama Blues
- Bing Crosby, White Christmas
- Freddy Cole, I’m Not My Brother I Am Me
- Chet Baker, Little Girl Blue