Best female vocals on CD

LOL if you want but I wanted to marry ( and still do. I am already married with two kids)the lead singer(I have trouble remembering her name!)of Dixie Chicks singing songs from WIDE OPEN SPACES. I kid you not. The sound just explodes! Although the second CD from them was not that impressive. And I do listen and enjoy very much to Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies. Pat Barber sounds great. Valentina Kusarova is very impressive.Janis Ian I like. Sara K I dig.Diana krall I enjoy. BUT I want to marry the Dixie Chick. Could any one explain that?

My votes go to, in no particular order: Mary Balck,Blondie ie Debbie Harry, Pretenders ie Chrissie Hyndes, Fleetwood Mac 2 there, Rebecca Pigeon, Jenifer Warnes, Annabelle from Bow Wow Wow, Dusty Springfield, Enya, Clannad ie Enya's Sister Maria, The Wilson sisters in Heart, Mae Moore, Abba, etc,etc,etc I give up, I have to many that I enjoy, and I have not even started on the Blues singers yet.

Looks like I got into this thread a bit late... :-)} But I would *HAVE* recommend you find Mary Black - Looking Back. Mary is a very well known Irish singer, and in fact her entire family performs. (I didn't know of the other members of the family till a recent Disney World vacation when we were in line with a family from Ireland). We use a lot of female vocals to voice different speakers, and show off DAC's. Check out Mary Black and you will be pleasantly surprised. :-)

Roseann Cash " 10 Song Demo" Nancy Griffith " Other Voices, Other Rooms" Lucinda Williams- anything

Check out this very talented Philadelphia recording artist: LAURA MANN! She has 2 Independent releases that can be obtained through her web site www.lauramann.com Both recordings are well done and offer something that is truely special in an artistic sense. These will certainly be more entertaining than that AWFUL DRONE OF Famous Blue Raincoat. Jennifer Warnes sings as though her goal is to drive the listener to suicide !

Kinda ptrtial to Sarah Brightman myself.

Sfar, I couldn't agree more,I still get teary when I listen to "You Don't Know Me".

Philefreak, thanks for the tip about Shana Morrison. I've been forcing people to listen to her back-up singing on Van's "Days Like This" CD for a couple of years and wondering when it would be possible to hear her solo. I've seen Van Morrison live several times and listened to his CD's hundreds of times and hers is the only voice or instrument that can hold its own with him. Anybody who can listen to the two of them sing "You Don't Know Me" with dry eyes is a cold MF.

A new voice to be on the look out for is Shana Morrison. She is the daughter of Van the man. Check out her debut album, titled Shana Morrison Caledonia. It's great, she has website www.shanamorrison.com .

Just bought 4 of Margo(Cowboy Junkies) cds -she is great -Thanks . Another great one-Lisa Ekdahl with the Peter Nordahl trio-sounds so sweet

If you like Iris DeMent, Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris I'd strongly recommend you try Gillian Welch. She has a voice that is startling at first but one of the most compelling I've ever heard after repeated listening. Try her 'Revival' CD or her version of 'Hickory Wind' on the 'Return of the Grevous Angel' Gram Parsons tribute album.

Too many to list in Damn Shame.Has anyone heard Mandy Barnett?"Ive got a right cry " is a collection of mostly old "stndards" in the Patsy Cline style that is very enjoyable.I love all kinds of music,but cant stand over produced fodder like Maria ect.Love the real song writers from Rickie Lee to Lucinda Williams,to Emmylou,to Loreena McKennit, even Macy Gray. Katie Webster is my favorite blues singer and I appreciate many of those mentioned above. Heres a real curve: Iris DeMent. Check her and others out singing duets wiht John Prine on "In spite of ourselves". Bags of fun. Keeping an open mind (ear) holds its rewards.

I strongly agree In their order of my preference) with Shirley Horn, Sara K, Rebecca Pigeon & Barbra Steisand. I haven't heard D.K. but, my cousin was telling me how good Diana K. is. However, I told him to get Jacintha's "Here's to Ben" in XRCD and the last time I talked to him, he was amazed with Jacintha. This might amaze you guys too.........

Since my last reply got blown away during the outage and I'd like to keep this thread going: Mary Magdeline from the orginal Jesus Christ Super Star recording. "I don't know how to love him" and "Everything's alright." Very sweet is this Hawaiian girl (Yvonne Elliman). No career afterwords, but she's HOT! Marry me.

--Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth (especially on "Dirty" and "Washing Machine") --Tori Amos (especially on "Choirgirl Hotel" and "Venus Orbiting") --P.J. Harvey (especially on "To Give You My Love" and "Is This Desire?")

I love most of the Jazz singers mentioned so far, but I feel I need to toss in a couple other genres to make things fair. First of, Bjork really has done some amazing work. Second, I don't know the lead singers name, but Sneaker Pimps is great female modern techno/pop. Also Poe is pretty great. Let me just mention Holly Cole again. Also I saw Natalie Cole for Unforgettable but I think I like Stardust even more (they both are great). I also that Mrs. Big (I think that was her name) who sang the female part in Meatloafs 'I Can Do That' on Bat out of Hell 2 was great.

I don't know the music of Leann Rimes well enough to comment, but I absolutely agree with Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey as being in the "damn shame" category. Here are two women with outstanding vocal instruments and very few memorable songs between them. Hopefully as they mature they will achieve a better perspective brought about by concern for their "place in history". Although it looks like Whitney has more worldly problems to worry about now.

Might be interesting to start another thread following up on this one, maybe call it the "Damn shame" thread and list all the people with incredible vocal gifts that have wasted them with bad choices of material and arrangement. Could start off with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey ana Leann Rimes. Any other contenders?

Thanks Joe for starting this essential thread. I recognize many greats, but only recently discovered Eva Cassidy. She is a remarkable artist with clarity and power. Her posthumous album, "Time After Time," released this month will last long in my CDP and even longer in my heart. Oh, and favorite vocalists of mine deserving mention: Weslia Whitfield (jazz/cabaret and outstanding backup), Kate Schrock (Shunyata!), Susannah McCorkle (great jazz/cabaret singer), Mary Black (Irish folk and pop), and Indigo Girls (they count as two). As for those already mentioned, I second: Laura Love (she makes music), Sarah McLachlan, KD Lang, Jennifer Warnes, Lisa Gerrard, Shirley Horn, and most definitely Diana K and Aretha. But if you haven't heard Eva Cassidy yet, treat yourself to this great soul asap!:-))))

I like many of those already mentioned, but I have to add my favorite--Toni Braxton, any of her albums, latest "The Heat" is outstanding. (nice to look at and listen to!)

If I had to pick a favorite, I guess it would be a tie between Thelma Houston(Sheffield Lab Pressure Cooker) and Lisa Gerrard(Dead Can Dance or solo).

I took your advice and listened to the Cowboy Junkies' Margo Timmins - I still want to marry Jennifer Warnes but a few nights with Margo might be interesting.

Good discussion, but I don't think anyone has mentioned Dusty Springfield - "The Look of Love" on the Casino Royale disc and "Son of a Preacher Man" on Dusty in Memphis. Granted, we are only talking about two songs, but what a great pair of songs they are.

That's my pick...

To Snook2.You got it man.

I see after going through this thread that Garfish has mentioned Aretha earlier. Her song Freeway of Love is awesome, has a fine sax solo with Clarence Clemons.

Hey, has anyone mentioned Aretha Franklin? She gives me goose bumps. That's a good thing, if someones sound can do that for you.

Lisa Garrard is tops right now. Unbelievable range. Their recordings are also the best. Has anyone see a live show of Dead Can Dance?

I haven't seen Maria Muldaur mentioned here. I saw her live about a year ago and she still has a powerful and seductive voice.

Check out Maura O'Connell

Basia - Time and Tide on gold CD, Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter, Rebecca Pidgeon - The Raven also on gold CD, Bette Midler has an incredible voice but all the albums I have of her on CD are absolutely horrible recordings... damn it! Linda Ronstadt on gold CD, great voice and a very good recording. Her material is not my favorite though.

Hi Gino, I have both of those cd's, Joni's "Both Sides Now" and Herbie's "Gershwin" cd. This is a perfect example of the point I was trying to get accross. Joni has obvisiouly lost some of her voice over the years, and yet I feel she is singing better than ever! To me she sounds more musical and emotionally captivating. What a wonderful artist. Thanks and enjoy, Tom

Enjoyed the entire thread, particularly the comments re: DK. Those of you who tossed in Joni Mitchell ("Both Sides Now" latest) should hear her smoke a couple of standards on the Herbie Hancock Gershwin CD. Every jazz lover I've had listen to her "Summertime" that didn't know the CD had no idea it was Joni. Jazz was her first love and it's obvious it's still her thing, regardless of what she's done over the years in other areas. And yes, Shirley Horn is special. And so is Cassandra, and so is... Enjoy!

Karen Carpenter sang a song titled "Crescent Noon" that never became very popular but is absolutely beautiful. Sometimes I put the ol' CD player on infinite repeat and listen to it for half an hour at a time. She's one of my choices too. Tom; Robert Harley owns and loves the Eidolons also, (I'm sure you know that) and from his descriptions "they are so real it's spooky"-- you are lucky. Thanks, Craig.

Hi Troyhyde, Karen Carpenter had a great voice! She also had a nice feel on the drums. It's a shame we lost her at such an early age. Great pick and 5 stars for your ears. Tom

Because nobody has mentioned them: Beth Orton, if you don't get chills when you first hear "She Cries Your Name", you may want to go to the doctor and see what's wrong. Also enjoy Liz Phair. How about Karen Carpenter? Her voice is one of the most spooky-beautiful I've ever heard.

Hi Craig, I'm glad you appreciated my input on Diana Krall. To me it's like trying to compare Frank Sinatra to Stevie Wonder. Why? Aren't they both good but different? You and I both responded to someone who was asking if they should upgrade their ML36 to a ML360s. I just bought a pair of Eidolons, you got to hear how intimate she sounds over these speakers. Man am I lucky! Thanks, Tom

Hi Tom; I enjoyed your post and thanks for the support-- well stated for the "music is emotion" believers. And it means more coming from a muscian. I wasn't able to respond very effectively to Rayhall's questions because quite frankly, I don't take an analytical approach when listening to music. Another recommendation: Etta James "Love, Life, and the Blues". Yes, the ML 360S is a great DAC and a major upgrade for me, but I don't know where I posted it? Cheers, Craig.

Hi, What a great thread. It really has taken off since I first visited it. I'm glad to see Ricky Lee Jones made it, what a phenomenal artist! Many great picks people, and a few new ones for me to check out. Thanks for the info-. I just have to get in on the Diana Krall discussion. Please keep in mind these are only my opinions in case I come off to strong as I wouldn't want to offend anyone. To me, music is not suppose to be an Olympic event. Being a musician my entire life of 42 years of age has taught me this. You strive to aquire technique (chops, musicians lingo) while learning your instrument, but as you mature as a "musician" you have to learn your technique is not what music is about. Your chops are only a tool you use to communicate emotion. To my ears, Diana Krall is a great technician in the sense that she is a great messenger of emotion. Her instrument (voice) has a very refined pure sound, her sound in of itself shows great creativity. The fact that she doesn't have a wide vocal range and has a limited number of note choices compared to some others and still is able to deliver such great emotion and a connection to the song is proof of her creativity. I'm a drummer, it's harder for me to say something creative on one drum then ten. You have less sounds to work with. Do you think that Miles Davis or Billy Holiday were consider great technicians in the conventional sense? They were great musicians and technicians in the sense of being able to bring their emotion and thoughts (creativity) to who ever cared to listen. To me Diana Krall sounds like she has been singing for a hundred years, her sound is so natural and unforced. She is not trying to razzel dazzel you in a chop display. I know it's hard, but I think we have to try and drop our preconceptions of what certain types of music should sound like. I don't like to label musicians or types of music. A good musician will make any type of music groove, swing and just plain happen if they have BIG EARS and a opened mind. So Garfish please continue to enjoy Diana Krall and don't feel like your missing the boat on what a "jazz" singer should or should not be. I do however feel her last 2 outings were over produced as the record label markets her talent and is only concerned on making a buck and stunting her growth as an artist. Only Trust Your Heart and All For You were just great in my opinion. Her charm for me came from the simplistic arrangements (less is more) of these recordings, the two latest recordings are just over done and contrived in my view. To Rayhall and Srama, from reading your taste I would like to recommend a cd from Carmen Mcrae and Betty Carter called Duets. It's a live recording and they are both just singing and swinging their hearts out. Pretty good sonically also. Well to each their own. Take care and ENJOY! Tom P.S. Garfish, I'm glad you enjoy the ML360s as much as I, Diana Krall sounds just wonderful through it!

Audiogon is the only place that I have contributed to any discussion and I must say that I am glad I did. I usually avoid chat groups because of the personal and often vituperative attacks that are so charecteristic of them. This particular thread is distinguished by its thoughtful and civil exchanges - Thank you all for making this so pleasant. Redkiwi, your statement regarding what we jazz lovers look for in our music expressed very neatly what I was unable to articulate in my posts. Thank you.

Lisa Gerrard(Dead Can Dance).Otiginal and powerfull.Not for kids.

Rayhall; Aretha Franklin (early) is truly one of the best, and glad to see we agree on her. Craig

Very succinctly and eloquently stated, Redkiwi. I will nominate someone outside of Jazz whom I have not seen mentioned: Aretha Franklin. Maybe she doesn't belong in this thread because I find her CD's to be sonically not the best and she has clearly lost a lot off her voice in recent years... but in her time, as a singer who could sing in any genre, hit all the notes and still carry the audience with her, there was no one better. She also has had one of the longest careers of any female singer which is some evidence that she belongs way up there. I would say that some of her greatest work is not all that well known, even though she has sold a ton of records. Some of those big sellers were unremarkable. I put her at the top of my list just below Ella Fitzgerald. I would say that in rating singers, a mixture of things count for me, Craig. Their technical and vocal ability for sure (my analytical side). The songs they choose to sing. Are the lyrics about something to which I can relate? Their ability to bring something new and original to an old song. Does this originality improve or freshen the song? Lastly, do the music and vocals excite or grab me? With no disrespect to anyone else's method of judgment, it takes several of these ingredients in various combination to get my musical attention.

....I should add that I know the dividing line between blues and jazz is very fine, and crossover is common, eg I recognize the great talent of B.B. King in both blues and jazz, but he is not one of my favorites in blues. Give me Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, and Etta James-- PURE BLUES. Thanks again. Craig.

Hi Redkiwi; I appreciate your response and explanation about what it is that jazz lovers really appreciate. As noted above, I'm not into jazz, in fact my entire jazz collection consists of a few Natalie Cole, Nat King Cole, and now some Diana Krall CDs. Further, I delete the "up-tempo" music on jazz CDs. Also a few Barbra Streisand CDs if jazz wants to claim her. I do have a lot of Ray Charles, but it's for his soul, rock, and ballads-- I delete the jazzy stuff. In short, I have little expertise or interest in the genre, and thus not much to contribute. After reading some of these posts (re: jazz) it occurred to me that I may like Dianna Krall's jazz/ballads because they are very "unjazz" like, and more like pop ballads??? Blues, Soul, rock, pop, newage, and even some C/W are mainly what move me, and unlike Redkiwi (and I think Rayhall, and Srama), I'm not often into the cerebral aspects of music, but prefer the emotional side much more. This post is sort of personal, but it gives me a chance to respond to Rayhall, Srama, as well as Redkiwi. Cheers, Craig.

Having just caught up with this post, I am going to break some of the truce. But there is an important point here. For those of us deep into jazz, there is something about jazz that many audiophiles do not get. Jazz is cerebral as well as emotional, and can be more cerebral than classical music because it can more readily break new ground. Craig, I am with Rayhall and Srama on this one, and guys - don't give way on this. Jazz is about the creative use of instruments, not just about pleasant sounds. I can enjoy listening to a Dianna Krall record - perhaps as much as you do Craig. The voice can sound wonderful and the recordings are very good. But to someone into jazz, there is a whole lot more that music can offer - like my post above acknowledging lots of nice voices listed here, but few great singers - there is a difference. To someone into their jazz for the delight of new interpretations or new ground, Dianna Krall is decidedly average - she is akin to very good candy-floss - fine in the right setting, but not the same thing as creme brulee. I have had trouble trying not to sound "superior" about this, and have probably failed. I really hope this does not offend anybody who really likes Dianna Krall, especially Craig - but there is a whole different world to jazz singing that is, for some of us, the best thing this hobby offers, but which the likes of Dianna Krall does not have the rare skills to enter.

Gentlemen; I like the idea of a truce too, and I admit my post re: Diana Krall was sarcastic in places. To tell the truth, I have not yet been able to put into words what it is about her music that appeals to me, but I listened to DK for 3-4 hours last night and just sort of "melted" into her soft, breathy, husky, intimate vocals on her ballads; very relaxing and engaging. I also note that her band creates an amazing amount of "music" for just three pieces. BTW I program out all the uptempo songs. Happy Listening. Craig.

First, let me admit that my previous post was a bit over the top - I wrote it as I was listening to Billie on my headphones and was struck (as always) by how "different" DK is from . Now clearly, "different" is not the same thing as worse, and I certainly did not mean to indicate intellectual superiority over anyone who likes DK. To my ears DK, despite (and ironically, perhaps because of) her lush voice sounds superficial and uninteresting - that's all. I agree with Craig's assessment of Margo Timmins - intimate, seductive, haunting - she certainly is all of that and more - and these are precisely the adjectives that DON'T come to my mind when I hear DK. To paraphrase another cliche, its all in the ears of the listener, I guess.

Rachelle Ferrell

OK Craig. I cry uncle. I certainly don't mean to discourage anyone from trying any artist and I certainly don't see you as intellectually or emotionally limited. But, I have listened to a number of D.K.'s CD's to see what all the fuss was about. And other than the recording quality, I still don't understand it. I just thought that guys like you who like her might be willing to share in a little detail why you do with infidels like me.