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The Boswell Sisters
The Boswell Sisters were an American close harmony singing trio of the jazz and swing eras, consisting of three sisters: Martha Boswell (June 9, 1905 – July 2, 1958), Connie Boswell (later spelled "Connee", December 3, 1907 – October 11, 1976), and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell (May 20, 1911 – November 12, 1988). Hailing from uptown New Orleans, the group blended intricate harmonies and song arrangements featuring effects such as scat, instrumental imitation, ‘Boswellese’ gibberish, tempo and meter changes, major/minor juxtaposition, key changes, and incorporation of sections from other songs. They attained national prominence in the United States in the 1930s during the twilight of the Jazz Age and the onset of the Great Depression.
After the trio split in 1936, Connie continued as a solo vocalist in radio, film, and later television for an additional quarter century. The trio's "unique singing style and ground-breaking arrangements fused 'blackness' and 'whiteness' in music," and their collaborations with "the preeminent white swing musicians of their day—the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang, Artie Shaw, Victor Young, Bunny Berigan—had a profound effect on the development of the big band sound in the 1930s." When assessing their legacy, scholars claim the Boswell Sisters "made 'real' jazz commercially viable, destigmatizing the music and opening its appreciation to the wider American public."
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The Boswell Sisters: The Boswell Sisters Collection
by Chris Mosey
This magnificent boxed set of five CDs and one DVD represents the entire commercially released recorded output of the Boswell Sisters, the most popular and influential close harmony vocal group ever. They were white, but lead singer Connie-- she later changed the spelling to Connee--sang black. Ella Fitzgerald, when she was starting out, said her aim was to sound just like her. Before they concentrated purely on singing, the sisters were a vaudeville act, accompanying themselves on ...
Continue ReadingThe Boswell Sisters: Nothing Was Sweeter
by David Rickert
Although they were the hottest act in their heyday in the thirties, nobody bothers much with the Boswell Sisters anymore. Most people are familiar with their particular style of jazz vocals--tight-knit harmonies and group vocal gymnastics--through their imitators, like the Andrews Sisters. But the Boswell Sisters were much more than that. Consider the fact that Ella Fitzgerald patterned her vocal style on Connie Boswell and you have a very good reason to give a listen.
Nothing Was Sweeter ...
Continue ReadingThe Boswell Sisters: Nothing Was Sweeter Than
by Nic Jones
Jazz vocal groups have never been thick on the ground, and insofar as there is any such lineage at all, it's safe to say its existence is largely down to the Boswell Sisters. Their harmonies amounted to the opposite of sibling rivalry, and the liberties they took with tempo and key changes were to have a positive effect on a young Ella Fitzgerald and others.
The trio lacked the transformative powers of Louis Armstrong, who after all could give musical ...
Continue ReadingPortland's the Stolen Sweets Invited to Headline Boswell Sisters Centennial Festival in New Orleans
Source:
All About Jazz
Portland 1930s vocal jazz group, The Stolen Sweets, has been invited to headline at the first annual Boswell Sisters Centennial Celebration on November 30 and December 1 in the Boswells' hometown of New Orleans. The event will commemorate the birthday of the most famous Boswell Sister, Connee, who was born on December 3, 1907 in Kansas City, MO. The Boswell Sisters were popular radio stars in the 1930s, most famous for their acrobatic 3-part harmonies, tempo and key changes and ...
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The Boswell Sisters
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
