Jazz Articles about Lorraine Feather

Lorraine Feather: The Girl With the Lazy Eye

by Carl L. Hager
July 12, 2010

While writing the tune “Scrabble" for her recently released CD Ages (Jazzed Media, 2010), lyricist and singer Lorraine Feather's songwriting partner, Dick Hyman, had an unusual request that bordered on a dare: could she work the name of the venerable pianist/composer's family friend Dushka into the lyrics? After all, the middle section of his stride composition “Barrel of Keys," the musical basis for what was becoming “Scrabble," was called “The Dushka Stomp." “Figuring out how to work the ...

Lorraine Feather: Ages

by Nicholas F. Mondello
February 22, 2010

It is immediately evident listening to the work of lyricist-vocalist Lorraine Feather that she is a gracious, respectful lover of words. As a brilliant writer and performer, she revels in the power, dynamic intricacies, kooky parallels, and yin-yangs of words and funhouse-mirror entendres. And when she adds to that love a sensitive vocal style that is smart, slick, and swinging, the result is an extraordinary word-song feast. All of these qualities are evident in her terrific CD, Ages.As ...

Lorraine Feather: Ages

by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
February 21, 2010

Lorraine Feather, daughter of famous jazz critic Leonard Feather, is a seven-time Emmy nominee who once sang backup for Petula Clark and Grand Funk Railroad and has released eight well-received recordings of her own, including Language, (Jazzed Media, 2008). It does not diminish her musicality, charm, or wit to say that, more often than not, Ages sounds like a “chick disc."

For example, it's hard to imagine the man who could easily identify with “The Girl with the Lazy Eye," ...

Lorraine Feather: Ages

by AAJ Staff
January 26, 2010

As the daughter of respected jazz critic, Leonard Feather, Lorraine Feather comes to her jazz pedigree honestly, but more from natural talent than dogged filial loyalty. In possession of a pure, rich voice, she tried acting--along with some discouraging stints in the food industry--before finding her multi-colored niche in singing and composing. Ages, about the epochs that women of “a certain age" look back on, is full of artistry and humor.

Co-written with Yellowjackets pianist/arranger Russell ...

Lorraine Feather: You're Outa Here (a neo-soundie)

by Carl L. Hager
August 30, 2009

If, like Bruno Ganz's character in Wim Wenders' 1987 film Wings of Desire, Frank Sinatra happened to magically return to life this summer, the Chairman of the Board would not only have a cup of coffee with a cigarette, he would enthusiastically charter a committee of jazz fans to search the world over for the earthly delights that were/are his idea of real excitement and entertainment. “Just to be very clear on this," he'd say, “I want to hear a ...

Lorraine Feather: Language

by Nicholas F. Mondello
June 7, 2008

Lorraine Feather Language Jazzed Media 2008

By its very title, Language, from singer and lyricist Lorraine Feather, implies that Feather and company believe that they have the musical and linguistic chops to take on such a sophisticated concept for our entertainment. So it's good to find that Feather is a heavyweight who--with a championship caliber crew in her corner--delivers a resounding KO.

To some ears, story songs--word-intense tunes--may seem overly Broadwayesque and ...

Lorraine Feather: Dooji Wooji

by Ken Dryden
June 6, 2005

Lorraine FeatherDooji WoojiSanctuary Records2005 Lorraine Feather's latest CD stands out from the swarm of new releases by singers because of her captivating, swinging vocals and witty lyrics, but there's a lot more to her appeal. Dooji Wooji blends many of her musical interests, starting with several instrumentals by Duke Ellington for which she wrote lyrics. These songs (composed between 1928 and 1939) were intended for an earlier release, but held up for ...