I posted on the wrong thread. I would agree with most of the others. |
Excellent recordings, but not nessessarily my favorites
Jazz at the Pawnshop
Midnight Sugar
Cafe Blue
Jazz Samba
Someday My Prince Will Come
We Get Requests
Porgy and Bess (Ella and Louis)
At the Bluenote Keith Jarrett (6 disc set)
Live at the Villiage Vanguard Bill Evans)
New York Reunion sacd(Tyner)
Charles Lloyd Canto
Great recordings |
In addition to all of the above, Cassandra Wilson, "Blue light Til Dawn" is a good one. She is the only female vocalist in my collection, that I see before me when she sings. Not because she is the most beautiful, or has the most beautiful voice; but because she is the most unique and "authentic". Every album say's "Hello world, here I am; can you dig it?"
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I think it is also important to mention the medium. Vinyl or cd etc. I have some vinyl that sound better than the cd and vice versa. |
It shocks me that a long list of audionuts would reply to this question without mentioning Louis Armstrong Plays King Oliver. This is probably the demo LP and song(St. James Infirmary) that I've heard offered as a reference by more audiophiles and jazz fans than most of the others combined.
From all the recommendations I have to agree that the best vocals LPs to start with are:
Johnny Hartman & John Coltrane
Ella Fitzgerald - "Clap Hands Here Comes Charlie"
Another that I'd add is Billie Holiday -Songs For Distingue Lovers Cheers,
Spencer |
Charles Mingus Ah Um
Miles Davis Kind Of Blue
Patricia Barber Cafe Blue
Oscar Peterson Night Train
Miles Davis Birth Of The Cool
Bela Fleck and The Flecktones Little Worlds
Thelonius Monk Straight No Chaser
Return To Forever Romantic Warrior
John Coltrane A Love Supreme
Miles Davis Bitches Brew |
Someday My Prince Will Come Analogue Productions. |
I just can find the words to express my gratitude for all this knowledge shared,
you guys are great!
thank you for making myself in a more sophisticated audiophile i guess at least on music taste.
happy holidays I am listening also Jazz 88 from Newark NJ, wow, a super choice to learn. |
Sarah Vaughan 'After Hours', Roulette 52070, 1955
Roberta Gambarini 'Easy To Love', Groovin' High, 2006
Cassandra Wilson 'Blue Light 'Til Dawn, Blue Note, 1993
Ella Fitzgerald & Duke Ellington 'At Cote d'Azur', Mosaic, 2010 -- just got this three disc set. Ella in top form!
Terence Blanchard's 'Let's Get Lost', (Sony, 2001) is a tribute to Jimmy McHugh and features a number of contemporary vocalists |
My favorite jazz vocalist is still Ella Fitzgerald. I think any jazz collection worthy of the name must include some of her recordings. Two personal favorites of mine are the 40th Birthday Concert, which was recorded live in Rome, and also one called On the Sunny Side of the Street, which she recorded with the Basie band. And of course, there are all of the excellent songbook sets. Pretty much anything she did is well worth listening to. |
I hear ya! Newbee...
Orpheus10 and Grimace, where are you? |
Foster 9, Funny that you say that...Its exactly how I feel about Particia Barber and so many folks really like her too. I guess we all listen to music with different ears don't we. :-) |
Seems Shirley Horn always gets mentioned here when best jazz female vocalist come up. As female vocalist go, I've never liked the tonal quality of her voice. Too deep, heavy and not that feminine. She seems to talk her lyrics too much as well. |
More contemporary jazz vocals you might enjoy -
Karrin Allyson - 'Collage' - Concord Jazz
" " - 'Ballads - Remembering John Coltrane' on Concord Jazz
Jeanie Bryson - 'Some Cats Know' (songs of Peggy Lee) TELARC
Laverne Butler - 'Blues in the City' - Max Jazz
" " - 'A Foolish Thing To Do' - Max Jazz
Shirley Horn - 'I Thought about you' - Verve
" " 'Close Enough for love' - Verve
Rene Marie - 'Live at Jazz Standard' - Max Jazz
Mary Stallings - 'Live at the Village Vanguard' - Max Jazz
Etta James -Mystery Lady- (Songs of Billy Holiday)
Etta Jones - 'Always in Our Hearts' - High Note. A memorial compilation of her music and an excellent introduction for those not familiar with her.
Good singers all. Try them
PS, re your request to boiling it down to 5.........My contribution - While I like all of those recommended I wouldn't be with out my collection of Shirley Horn. If you have never heard her, she was a model for Krall's style with the except that she has talent! Laid back, excellent piano playing, and her voice/phrasing is as good as it gets I think. Doesn't hurt that the recording quality is excellent as well. |
And when you are ready for instrumentals I suggest starting with these five CDs:
Cannonball Adderly - Somethin' Else
Dave Brubeck - Time Out
John Coltrane - Blue Train
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Art Pepper - + Eleven
All wonderful, very accessible music. Nothing far out. |
For vocals I suggest these five diverse CDs:
Ernestine Anderson - Never Make Your Move Too Soon
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
Ella Fitzgerald - Sings The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook
Mark Murphy - Love is What Stays
Anita O'Day - Anita Sings the Most |
I would like to start buying 5 cds any suggestion?
Now i do have too many. |
Listen to Bob Parlocha at night on KCSM dot org or go to jazzwithbobparlocha dot com to find other stations. You'll get a fantastic jazz education in record time. I recommend the book by James Lincoln Collier "Jazz, The American Anthem". |
Here are some of what you asked for(jazz vocals)
"Nancy Wilson with Cannonball Adderly Quintet"
"Never Make Your Move too Soon" Enerstine Anderson
"You Won't Forget Me" Shirley Horn
"Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" Ella Fitzgerald
"Carmen McCrae Betty Carter Duets" Live at the Great American Music Hall
"The Best Of Sarah Vaughn" (Pablo)
"Dinah Washington Golden Hits Volume One
"Nat King Cole Sings George Shearing Plays"
"John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman"
"King Pleasure"
"Nothin But The Blues" Joe Williams
"Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album"
"Kurt Elling Live in Chicago"
"Nice an Easy" Frank Sinatra
"Ray Charles and Betty Carter" with the Jack Halloran Singers
This is just a few of the many, many great jazz vocals out there. |
Agree with Learsfool.
Top 10 ever... I don't know. Sorry, I don't listen to much vocal jazz, but instrumental greats:
"Paris Blues" Horace Silver
"Lush Life" John Coltrane
"Maiden Voyage" Herbie Hancock
"Standard Coltrane" John Coltrane
"Speak No Evil" Wayne Shorter
Must Have Box Sets:
"Miles Davis Quintet 1965-1968(this was the 2nd great quintet) Box Set/ excellent quality recordings, and a huge bargain at current prices! (6 CD set)
"Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961 Miles Davis and John Coltrane;" This will get you the "must have" "Kind of Blue" session too. Box Set is a huge bargain at current prices! (6 CD set)
Must Haves:
"Tenor Madness" Sonny Rollins
"Saxophone Collosus" Sonny Rollins
"Way Out West" Sonny Rollins
"The Sound of Sonny" Sonny Rollins
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Miles Davis:Sketches Of Spain
Chick Corea Akoustic Band:Alive
Ray Brown:Superbass
Dave Brubeck:Take 5
Sonny Rollins:Way Out West
Harry James:The King James Sessions
Bill Evans:Live at The Village Vanguard
Branford Maralis:Trio Jeepy
Joshua Redmond:Wish
...just to name a few |
A great many folks would argue that any jazz education should start with Miles Davis Kind of Blue, if you were going to name just one. |
Sarah Vaughan accompanied by, Clifford Brown, Paul Quinichette, Herbie Mann.... Ella Fitzgerald, Let No Man Write my Epitaph, Ella Fitzgerald with Joe pass, Kellye Gray, Standards in Gray, to name a few.
Hope this helps. |
