By Jason West
In a modern jazz world dominated by male instrumentalists, women-especially women singers-don't get much respect. This is too bad, since the history of jazz is full of inspiring female figures and their remarkable recordings. Ladies with unique voices and personalities like Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald made great contributions to the genre, and found their equals on the bandstand in Count Basie, Lester Young and Louis Armstrong.
So why do jazz guys give jazz girls a bad rap? A big reason is business-the idea that if you're young, sexy and sing classic jazz songs, you'll get more work and sell more records. Diana Krall is the prime example at present. Her collection of sultry standards, The Look of Love, has sold well over a million copies for Verve since its release last September. In fact vocalists-the large majority being female-have mass appeal. Why? Because singers sing in a language most people can understand. When a woman croons the lyrics to "Love For Sale" there's no question about the message she's conveying. Instrumentalists, on the other hand-who knows what they're about?
But if we put aside the business aspect of jazz for a New York second, we're left with the great equalizer-the music. Jazz, like Cecil Taylor says, is what you do. It's who you are; what you believe in. There will always be great women singers as long as women continue to sing jazz from their soul. Yet, their climb toward respectability remains long and hard as long as instrumentalists-the majority being male-adopt the attitude of Miles Davis felt in the early 1960s. "I ain't gonna play behind no girl singer," Miles told a New York club owner, even if that girl singer happened to be Barbara Streisand.
Here in the Northwest we are blessed with a variety of capable women vocalists, each of whom deserves notice for her contribution to the ever-expanding local discography. Besides our notice, these women also deserve our congratulations for completing a recording project and putting themselves out there for all to hear.
So thanks Grata, Janis, Becca, Dina and Lynn. Here's hoping Seattle hears more jazz from all of you in the future.
All This and Heaven Too
Greta Matassa
Origin Records
Greta Matassa packs the energy, embellishment and awe of a gospel choir into her voice, wedding the secular and spiritual to invariably produce roof-raising performances. A spontaneous singer who is not afraid to challenge herself, Greta takes a lot of risks with her voice and sometimes these risks get her into trouble on this live recording, where, unlike a studio session, second chances are not an option. On "Why Try to Change Me Now/Crazy He Calls Me" and "Come Rain or Come Shine," both ballads, she is overanxious and, as a result, sings too much. The effect is like decorating a Christmas tree with too many ornaments. But jazz fans tend to be a liberal bunch who welcome risk in their music, and even encourage it. And Greta's passion for improvisation pays dividends. On "All This and Heaven Too" she takes off like a racehorse, scatting her heart out with articulation and finesse. The up-tempo vocals-Greta's strength-continue on "Blue Prelude" and "I Never had a Chance/I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance." Her chameleon-like voice changes from full and deep, to throaty and harsh, to soft and bright, circling blue notes with the agility of a saxophonist, mixing guttural scrapes with falsetto shrieks, often in the coarse of a single song. Her version of "Ruby" is an extraordinarily poignant portrait, tastefully accompanied by Susan Pascal on vibes, Randy Halberstad on piano, Clipper Anderson on bass, and Mark Ivester at the drums.
So Many Stars
Janis Mann
Pancake Records
Janis Mann may be the Grand Dame of Northwest jazz singers, her operatic voice is capable of singing Puccini or swinging Porter, and her tight, focused vibrato is reminiscent of an era when jazz and opera singers were close cousins. So it fits that Janis, on So Many Stars, pays tribute to another jazz vocalist known for her operatic proclivities, namely Sarah Vaughan.
Casting one's self in the shadow of a jazz legend is a daunting prospect for anyone. Yet Janis acquits herself admirable, and for an admirable cause (all proceeds going to the Swedish Hospital Breast Care Center). She exhibits exceptional range and vocal control on well-worn standards "Just Friends" and "Embraceable You." "Black Coffee" finds her getting down and bluesy. Sugary, CafÃÂÃÂÃÂé Society selections include "Send in the Clowns," "It Never Entered My Mind" and "So Many Stars."
Sarah Vaughan was a pro at singing all kinds of jazz, from blues to bop to ballads and she was constantly reinventing herself on the bandstand. Janis' voice, in turn, adopts multiple personalities for this project, leaning heavily slow and sentimental. Conspicuously absent for the most part are up-tempo, bop classics like "How High the Moon" and "Lullaby of Birdland"-songs that Sarah made famous with her improvisational scat singing. Here, one must make due with two minutes and 17 seconds of "Shulie a Bop."
If You Could See Me Now
Becca Duran
Merrimack Records
A professional with decades of experience singing around the Northwest, Becca Duran is the model of consistency. She knows the capabilities and limitations of her delicate soprano instrument, and how to get the most out of it. Subtly and understatement are present in the blue of her blues and the blush of her ballads. Becca likes to lay back on the beat, and she's not afraid to whisper when the lyrics call for it.
Rather than the standard piano trio accompaniment, listeners are treated to the sound of Jay Thomas on horns, George Mitchell on Hammond B3 organ, Chas "Vineet" Davidson on guitar, Jon Wikan at the drums and Dan Marcus, whose wailing trombone provides ideal contrast to the soft-singing Duran. The band certainly recommends this recording, as does Becca's choice of material, including "Ain't Got Nothing but the Blues," "Just One of Those Things," "Goin' To Chicago" and "Born To Be Blue." The giddy-up pace and complex lyric of "How About You" presents a slight challenge, and Becca struggles for air near the end, but not without admitting her attraction to the physical attributes of Perry Como.
S' Wonderful
Dina Blade
Pony Boy Records
Like Becca Duran, Dina Blade is another respected and experienced vocalist who possesses a delicate instrument and good sense of timing, but a different musical personality altogether. Instead of belting the blues, Dina adds a hint of melodrama in the Broadway tradition. Her voice on obscure showtunes like "On the Street Where You Live," "In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening" and "On the Atchinson, Topeka and the Santa Fe" is light, sassy and fun.
Dina's breathy delivery and slight East Coast accent sound affected at first, but, the more you listen, the more her style tends to grow in your ears. My favorite is the kitschy but charming "The Boy Next Door," which Dina sings with just the right feel and diction (you can hear the "D" in the title).
While the songs may be dated, the band sure isn't. Drummer Joe LaBarbera, bassist Bob Magnusson and pianist Bill Mays create an organic chemistry in support; all are consummate jazz musicians. Mays, in particular, is an exceptional accompanist who worked with Sarah Vaughan in the early 1970s. He sounds great playing behind Dina.
Still Life
Lynn Bush w/New Stories
Origin Records
Lynn Bush's latest release, Still Life, shows life, well, standing still-yet very much alive. This is accomplished audibly via Lynn's moody, vibratoless alto which saturates contemplative lyrics on "Slow Hot Wind," "Invitation" and "What a Way to Go." Visually, cover art of misty, overcast seascapes capture the desired effect.
There's an unconscious comfort present in the music, beginning with the initial track, "Dreamsville." Lynn sings it with an easy, free-swinging delivery, yet, at three-and-a half minutes in length, the groove is over before hitting stride. "Time for Love" and "Detour Ahead" are highlights. The later, given seven-and-a-half minutes to grow, nurtures a deliciously pensive mood.
Marc Seales' piano is Lynn's foil, casting minor chord shadows in the dim light of Lynn's devil-may-care delivery. Still Life, holds together remarkably well as a concept album, making this a tremendous first start for Lynn and Origin Records. She states in the liner notes, "What you hear is the product of artistic merit and musical skill combined to breathe another lifetime into timeless compositions." Here's hoping for more.
