[coolvij]

I just burned a copy of Sarah Vaughan from my local library - VERY nice vocal jazz performance.........

I'm wondering what the jazz-heads out here think are the best jazz vocal albums with female singers.

I myself, find "Intimate Ella" to be the best female jazz vocalist performance I have......*very* well done.

And.......does anyone have a favorite NOT done by the BIG 3 (Billie, Ella, Sarah)?

 

[huy_ha]

Nina Simone sends chills up the spine. She does have some bad songs, though. Her version of "Strange Fruit" is much more chilling than Billie's, but how can you beat Billie's version of "Solitude"?

 

[coolvij]

Nina, eh? I'll check her out - thanx for the input.

To all those OTHER peeps - u kno who you are - thanx for the enthusiastic posting which has made the this thread the single fastest-growing jazz thread ever on head-fi.

!

 

[SEK]

I've always especially enjoyed Sarah Vaughan's 1955 recording on EmArcy with Clifford Brown.

Also Billy Holiday's Commodore recordings are exceptional.

Other great female "jazz" singers include Betty Carter ("The Audience with Betty Carter" has some wonderful performances...) , Carmen McRae, and Dinah Washington ("Dinah Jams" !!!)

 

[Tuberoller]

I love Cassandra Wilson's "Travelin' Miles".I'm also into a new release by Rene Marie"Vertigo".I had the pleasure of seeing her perform live last friday at the Green Mill,It was unreal.She is certain to become a star.I also saw Ms. Wilson earlier this year at the Chicago Jazz Festival.I am a huge Nina Simone fan.I have seen her perform live as well and after 40 years of performing she has not lost a step.You can't go wrong with anything by Dina Washington I have never heard a recording with her voice on it that was anything short of a masterpiece.