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Killer female vocal recordings-show me the light..

Hi guy. Threads, earlier, have turned me on to some great female vocals. Here's my dilemma: While I can appreciate a killer voice, a poor recording wrecks the whole thing for me. Take Billy Holiday, for instance. Her absolutely best (sonically) recording, Body and Soul, comes 10 years too late. Her voice is over. Way over. If I could only find stuff of hers from the '30s and '40s that was of similar quality. Given the time, I know this is tough, but maybe you guys have some pet recordings that are as sweet as they could be. Remasters? The following are singers that I absolutely adore and would like to know your experience with great to killer recordings. I know there are other vocalists (and I have plently of them) but these gals do it, most:
Sara Vaughn
Dinah Washington
Ella
Dee Dee Bridwater
Billy Holiday
Betty Carter
I have never heard Sheila Jordan, Morgana King and Ernestine Anderson. If you can turn me on to a killer title/recording, I'll definitely check it out. Please keep to my humble list. thanks in advance, my fellow audiophools. peace, warren
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warrenh OP
2,299 posts
 
I have Ella (XRCD) with Joe Pass on guitar. As intimate a vocal/recording as you can get. Pristine sound, as well. I'll put the Oscar Petterson one on my list.
jeffga
89 posts
 
Try Jacintha -- "Here's to Ben" or "Autumn Leaves" on the FIM label (CD). Also, Alison Krauss "Forget About It" or "New Favorite" ......Also any Eva Cassidy
bingaman
10 posts
 
I don't know about the Ella and Oscar Peterson disc Tubemiser mentions above, but I have an Ella and Joe Pass XRCD that is quite stunning.

I'd also recommend the Classic reissues of Ella's "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" and "Let No Man Write My Epitaph", both should still be available on CD.

Too bad you don't have vinyl capability, I recently picked up the Speakers Corner reissue of Ella singing the Gershwin catalog. Incredible!

Hope this is of interest. Happy Listening!
kleech
130 posts
 
Are you familiar with Ella's "Fine and Mellow" on Pablo? It's from the mid-70's so her voice isn't as pure as it was during eg. the "Songbook" era 20 years earlier but she still swings and the sound is superb. Over time I've used this album to assess a system's soundstaging capability (several cuts/tracks). "The Man I Love" on this album also is useful for assessing a component's effect on "PRaT". Enjoy!
rosstaman
455 posts
 
Ella and Louie Armstrong series are excellent reissues. The best for sound quality is their rendition of Porky and Bess.
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