Most unusual/mesmerizing female voice.

Do you really want unusual and mesmerizing? Well, here is is:
Iva Bittova
Meredith Monk
Diamanda Galas

A rare find. Pilar Figueras mesmerizing soprano in Las Cantigas De Las Santa Maria. Harmonia Mundi (out of print)

Levy03 - I share the same high opinion you have of her work with Mazzy Star. That music though requires, for me, that I be in a certain mood or it can be really depressing. In the right mood, I really love it. Absolutely it is mesmerizing and trance like. I also agree on her latest project with "the warm intentions" - I was disappointed by that effort. Agree on the heat level. Lori Carson is quite beautiful as well. I'd qualify the recommendations above: For Trespassers William, the out of print, "Anchor", which is an outstanding debut (hope they put it back in print so others can enjoy it without paying the $ it's now fetching), and "Different Stars" would be my strong preference over their recent effort. For Lori Carson, again, earlier work seems to connect with me more strongly; Golden Palominos "Pure" and "This is how it Feels", and Lori Carson's solo album, "Everything I Touch Runs Wild".

thx for the heads up Jax. good stuff.

i've been liking ms sandoval for many years now. enjoyed her in mazzy starr then later... jesus and mary chain. her more recent work with massive attack is really good too imho. not sure her current band, "the warm intentions" is my cup-o-tea but the older stuff mentioned above still makes the hair on my neck stand up. technically, she's not in the same league as many others mentioned in this thread. but if "haunting" and "mesmerizing" are the mark.....she's a contendert. hot as hell too! =).

If you like Mazzy Star, check out Trespassers William (Anna-Lynne Williams/Lotte Kestner), and Lori Carson (Golden Palominos)

My personal favorite is Sarah Vaughn, the great contralto. She is both unusual and at her best mesmerizing. While Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzsgerald, both contemporaries get more of the accolades I feel there is more emotion in her performances simply because of her vocal range which is the greatest among jazz singers. Her pitch is absolutely perfect and she can get into the bass range of male singers which is most unusual among female vocalists. While her voice got deeper as she got older she never lost the emotion she could evoke in her performances. Billie Holiday I feel is a favorite because of her vulnerability which the Divine One didn't convey to the same degree and is therefore more appealing to more. I get that for sure.

I am really surprised she hasn't been mentioned till now. I'm sorry, but some of the above choices are real lightweights in comparison. Check out Sarah Vaughn.

Yma Sumac, unusual for sure and one for the ages.

I have never heard any human being approach what she does with her voice. The range is absolutely spellbounding. Now it is another issue altogether whether her voice could be considered mesmerizing.

Hope Sandoval is absolutely mesmerizing. some might remember her from Mazzy Starr. check out this youtube cut from massive attacks recent release heligoland. Paradise Circus...this song is hypnotic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V93gs6jx-j8

Unique female voices always get my attention. Some modern finds.....

Yukimi Nagano of the Swedish band Little Dragon. A great sample here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcP5ivpLbCM

She is just as good live. Little Dragon is great actually.

Yukimi lends her voice to a few other projects and jazz bands as well, including Koop and Sleep Walker

Another very unique and new to me performer, is Elsieanne Caplette of Elsiane. http://www.myspace.com/elsiane

Cool thread. I will check out the other suggestions.

I'm glad this thread produced so much response. The older I get, the more I find myself listening to music with strong female vocals. This hobby never gets old!

Melody Gardot, Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant

Anita O'Day

Yma Sumac.

Peruvian singer with a 6 - yes,that's SIX - octave range.

One of her albums is for sale right now.

I don't know about mezmerizing, but she is definitely unusual.

Alison Krauss.

Mark

Andrea Von Ramm

I am also a big fan of Steeleye Span's Maddy Prior.
Nobody I've heard sounds like her.
Check out "The Weaver and the Factory Maid" on Parcel of Rogues.

I'll add Sarah McLachlan (sp?) to the mix. I find Natalie Merchant mesmerizing too.

Sarah Brightman, definitely an angel's voice.

Linda Ronstadt?

Sandy Denny

Marty,

Yeow!!! I just read the story! I will be more careful in the future!

I did buy the vinyl of Commoners Crown based on the TAS recommondation. I really enjoy it but will look into Two Magicians per your post.

Thanks!

NOT Little Sir Hugh (or his murderer)

Philo,

Do you know the history of that story/lyric? Probably not the noblest folk song the band ever chose to to cover. So I'll go with my favorite: "Two Magicians" (and my maidenhead you shall never have!)

Marty

How about Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes fame?

Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde)

Caitlin Cary
Cheri Knight
Kelly Hogan
Carla Bozulich
Paula Frazer
Holly Cole

Marty,

Steeleye Span can be very good

signed: Little Sir Hugh

:^D

I'll add Marti Jones (formerly of Color Me Gone) and Maddy Pryor, the contralto(?) voice from Steeleye Span.

Marty

Uhhh...Elizabeth Fraser.

I am a jazz listener who keeps his palette clean with everything else 10% of time.But I would have to say that mesmerizing and therefore unusual would go to Beth Orton.So many fine voices to choose from but her music and voice combine to be almost trance inducing.You here many voices with pleasant quality or pitch perfect but for me Orton though very musically different hits you the way that Nick Drake does as a male singer.
Chazz

Alison Moyet, Yaz and solo...

No one has mentioned Lisa Gerard (Dead Can Dance).

One of my favorite, Brandi Carlile. and let not forget the late Eva Cassidy.

Forgot the Queen...

Mary Fahl (formerly of October Project)

I'm going with Bjork. Love that voice!

There is some very good talent mentioned.I would have to say Nancy Wilson is one woman,,and there is a few others that have already been mentioned, that always pull me very deep into the song!

Grace Slick
Harriet Wheeler (Sundays - Blind)
Bobby Gentry (Ode to Billy Joe)
Julie Driscoll (mesmerize me Baby)
Dianna Krall
Ricky Lee Jones
Dawn Upshaw

Antony, of Antony and the Johnsons. Though he's not female, his voice certainly qualifies. Many of my other favorites have already been named; Joanna Newsome, Margo Timmons, Nina Simone (sounds like Antony), Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Laurie Anderson, Carla Bruni, Diamanda Galas (personally a bit too much for me), Montserrat Figueras, Imogen Heap, Kate Rusby, Vienna Tang, Lhasa, Teresa Salgueiro (Madredeus), Karin Bergquist (Over the Rhine), Karen Peris (Innocence Mission), Frazey Ford (The Be Good Tanyas)....

I love female vocals...I could go on!

Yeah, Audiofeil, Kate Bush without a doubt!

one last one from the late 60's Beverly Biven's of the We Five

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (more for the mesmerizing part of the question than the unusual part).

Kathleen Ferrier (both mesmerizing and unusual despite the ancient mono recording technology).

And a second for Elizabeth's mention of Emma Kirkby.

Regards,
-- Al

And now for something completely different

Nina Simone, vastly underrated

Billy Holiday in her prime.

I always liked the chick from Sixpence None The Richer also.

Beth Gibbons (Portishead) is another.

And lets not forget Eartha Kitt

Seconding Dodgealum on Jesse Sykes. Definitely some unnerving stuff on "Reckless Burning." Julie Miller on "Broken Things" a bit off the path too.

And yes, we do love Margo. :)

John

Yma Sumac, unusual, Dusty and Carly Simon mesmerizing plus Janis Joplin for being Janis Joplin.

Elizabeth, great call on Callas, was just going to add her glad you did.
Joan Sutherland early, early in her career what she could do with her voice, flexibility and strength, has yet to be equaled.

Kate Bush
Unusual? yup
Mesmerizing? see unusual