Eddie Jefferson: The Scientist of Vocalese

Ed Hamilton

Concert/Festival Reviewer since 2001

He has met and interviewed the greatest musicians and singers of all modern times

Recent articles (10 total)

Published: July 28, 2011

Eddie Jefferson—© 2009 Brian McMillen Detroit once had a reputation as the "Killer Kapital," but things have changed—Dave Bing, basketball Hall of Famer is Mayor and is striving to clean up the city. But 32 years ago, actress Brenda Vaccarro and altoist Richie Cole Richie Cole
b.1948
sax, alto witnessed the drive-by shotgun slaying of the architect of Vocalese, Eddie Jefferson Eddie Jefferson
1918 - 1979
vocal , at Bakers' Lounge. Jefferson was shot and killed May 8, 1979, walking out of the venue, after playing a set with co-leader Cole.

Vocalese was first created by Jefferson's lyrical writings to James Moody James Moody
1925 - 2010
reeds 's "Moody's Mood For Love," taken from "I'm In The Mood For Love," the saxophonist first recording it with the Swedish Symphony. Jefferson's lyrics were redone by singer King Pleasure, who made it a tremendous hit in 1952, extending Jefferson's lyrical popularity around the world with his interpretive rendition of Moody's playing and Jefferson's vocalese stylings.

Jon Hendricks Jon Hendricks
b.1921
vocal was inspired by Jefferson's interpretive lyrical writings to jazz passages with the incarnation of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Lambert, Hendricks & Ross

vocal in 1957, also including Dave Lambert Dave Lambert
b.1917
vocal and Annie Ross Annie Ross
b.1930
vocal . Lambert, Hendricks & Ross' first interpretations were on its debut, Sing A Song Of Basie (Verve, 1957), later followed by Horace Silver Horace Silver
b.1928
piano 's "Come On Home," on The Hottest New Group in Jazz (Columbia, 1960), the vanguard that catapulted the trio's popularity.

Oscar Brown Jr. Oscar Brown Jr.
1926 - 2005
vocal 's vocalese renditions of pianist Bobby Timmons Bobby Timmons
1935 - 1974
piano 's ""Dis Here" and "Dat Dere" were later followed by interpretations of cornetist Nat Adderley Nat Adderley
b.1931
trumpet 's "Work Song" and Mongo Santamaria Mongo Santamaria
1922 - 2003
percussion 's "Afro Blue."

Jefferson created a spontaneous combustion among singers who could write. His lyrics focused on the artist' musical linings, as in his version of Miles Davis Miles Davis
1926 - 1991
trumpet ' "So What": "Miles Davis left the Stage / Rehearsals were over / So What." Some of his lyrics were humorous, like on "Bennies From Heaven," borrowed from the Broadway hit, "Pennies From Heaven": "Bennie May Be From Heaven / but he sure ain't from me."

Many others followed with their conversions of jazz playing. Carmen McRae Carmen McRae
1920 - 1994
vocal wrote to Dave Brubeck Dave Brubeck
1920 - 2012
piano 's "Take Five," not Al Jarreau Al Jarreau
b.1940
vocal , as so many think. But Jarreau did write lyrics to Freddie Hubbard Freddie Hubbard
1938 - 2008
trumpet 's "Little Sunflower"; Johnny Guitar Watson and Larry Williams Larry Williams
b.1935 wrote for Joe Zawinul Joe Zawinul
1932 - 2007
keyboard 's "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy"; Gloria Lynne Gloria Lynne
b.1931
vocal did the same to King Curtis King Curtis
1934 - 1971
saxophone "Soul Serenade"; Bill Henderson Bill Henderson
b.1926
vocal wrote and sang lyrics to Horace Silver's "Senor Blues" and Benny Golson Benny Golson
b.1929
sax, tenor 's "Whisper Not"; Mark Murphy Mark Murphy
b.1932
vocal laid vocalese to Oliver Nelson Oliver Nelson
1932 - 1975
arranger 's "Stolen Moments"; and guitarist George Benson George Benson
b.1943
guitar became world famous for his recording of Jefferson's lyrics to "Moody's Mood For Love."

The Manhattan Transfer The Manhattan Transfer

vocal met Jefferson and commissioned him to wonderfully translate Zawinul's Weather Report Weather Report

band/orchestra hit, "Birdland," and Charlie Parker's "Joy Spring." Others followed in Jefferson's vocalese footsteps, including Betty Carter Betty Carter
1930 - 1998
vocal , Kurt Elling Kurt Elling
b.1967
vocal , Bob Dorough Bob Dorough
b.1923
piano , Mel Torme Mel Torme
b.1925
vocal , Nancy Wilson Nancy Wilson
b.1937
vocal , Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater
b.1950
vocal , Dianne Reeves Dianne Reeves
b.1956
vocal and Karrin Allyson Karrin Allyson

vocal .

Yes, a shotgun blast ended the life of Eddie Jefferson, the Scientist of Vocalese; but he is the Phoenix, reincarnated forever within the inner sanctums of lyrical jazz: "There I Go, There I Go / James Moody / You can come on in man / and blow now if you want to / I'm through."

Photo Credit
Brian McMillen