Results for "Vocalist"

Al Hibbler

Born: August 16, 1915

A distinctive baritone singer who came into prominence with the Duke Ellington Orchestra in the 1940s, and scored a hit later with his version of the song "Unchained Melody." Albert Hibbler was born in August of 1915 in the little town of Tyro, Mississippi. In 1927 his family moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, and Hibbler who had been born blind studied music at the Conservatory for the Blind in that city and sang with his church choir. He first vocalized with local territory bands in Arkansas and Oklahoma such as Dub Jenkins. In 1942 he won a talent contest in Memphis, and was asked to join the band of Kansas City pianist Jay McShann which included future jazz legend Charlie Parker

Gil Scott-Heron

Born: April 1, 1949

“I consider myself neither poet, composer, nor musician. These are merely tools used by sensitive men to carve out a piece of beauty or truth they hope may lead to peace and salvation.” He has been opening eyes, minds and souls for over thirty years. A highly influential and widely admired singer, proto-rapper, jazz pianist, poet, novelist and socio- political commentator, Gil Scott-Heron remains a unique figure in global music. With over fifteen albums to his name, his politically charged output has won him an international following. His work illuminates a philosophy of life that holds human affection as well as political and artistic responsibility as the underlying factors that inspire his writing. Gil Scott-Heron was born in Chicago in 1949

Jon Hendricks

Born: September 16, 1921

Jon Hendricks is not only one of the world's favorite jazz vocalists, but is widely considered to be the "Father of Vocalese", the greatest innovator of the art form. Vocalese is the art of setting lyrics to recorded jazz instrumental standards (such as the big band arrangements of Duke Ellington and Count Basie), then arranging voices to sing the parts of the instruments. Thus is created an entirely new form of the work, one that tells a lyrically interesting story while retaining the integrity of the music. Hendricks is the only person many jazz greats have allowed to lyricize their music, for no one writes hipper, wittier, or more touching words, while extracting from a tune the emotions intended by the composer, more sympathetically than Hendricks. For his work as a lyricist, jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather called him the "Poet Laureate of Jazz" while Time dubbed him the "James Joyce of Jive."

Michele Hendricks

The daughter of Jon Hendricks, Michele has gradually emerged from her father's shadow to carve out a niche of her own. She started singing at the age of eight and often accompanied her dad on road trips, sometimes getting the opportunity to sing with him on-stage. After being a dance and drama student in London at Gradison College, Michele joined Jon Hendricks & Family. She performed with her father's Evolution of the Blues show and then from 1981, was part of Jon Hendricks & Company, one of the top vocal groups of the 1980s and a logical extension of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Michele Hendricks spent a couple years outside of jazz in the mid-'80s, trying to decide her eventual musical path and then in 1987, she recorded the first of several excellent bop-oriented dates as a leader for Muse.

Rosa Henderson

Born: November 24, 1896

Rosa Henderson though having left a distinguished recording legacy is another one of those Classic Blues singers whose musical accomplishments have remained relatively obscure, known but to those true early blues aficionados. She was born Rosa Dechamps on November 24, 1896 in Henderson, KY. She left home early to travel with her uncles carnival show throughout the South. In 1918, she teamed with comedian Douglas "Slim" Henderson who she married the same year. They joined up with John Mason and formed the Mason-Henderson performing troupe touring across the U.S until Mr. Henderson died in 1928

Bill Henderson

Born: March 19, 1926

"I was born to sing," proclaims William "Bill" Randall Henderson, a Chicago native who came into the world on March 19, 1926-and that he has! Bill is a virtuoso performer whose heart is a vault filled with a wide range of music expressions waiting for the song of release. He has already put his personal stamp on many wonderful works of great composers and lyricists of popular music. Those who have heard him on record or in concert can attest to his marvelous genius. Bill Henderson has spent many years cultivating and honing two distinctly separate yet complementary careers in music and film

Dick Haymes

Born: September 13, 1916

So much has been written about Dick Haymes, unfortunately everyone always ends their sentences with, "it’s a shame, his personal life was such a mess". You could say the same thing about most celebrities, however for some reason people tend to let Dick’s private life affect the fact that he was the consummate performer. He rarely allowed his problems to reach an audience, perhaps that is why he was so hard on himself; he never wanted to disappoint his fans with anything less than perfection. Conceivably, this maybe one of the reasons that he chose to leave the United States for Europe in the early 1960s. If he lived today, would any of the things that made headlines in the post-war era cripple his career now? No one can really answer this question, as we know, most celebrities can only boast about a five to seven year high anyway; and Dick Haymes had that and more

Johnny Hartman

Born: July 3, 1923

John Maurice Hartman was a critically acclaimed baritone jazz singer who specialized in ballads. Born in Louisiana but raised in Chicago, he began singing and playing the piano by age eight. In 1940, Hartman graduated from DuSable High School where he studied music under Walter Dyett before receiving a scholarship to Chicago Musical College. He sang as an Army private during WWII but his first professional work came in September 1946 when he won a singing contest awarding him a one-week engagement with Earl Hines at Chicago's El Grotto nightclub. Seeing potential in the singer, Hines hired him for the next year

Loston Harris

Meet Loston Harris. His piano playing has been described as "percussive" with "incredibly fluid". His vocals noted as "suave." Loston himself will tell you he has worked hard during his career but knows he's been blessed with the opportunities to play the music closest to his heart, jazz. For more than a decade Loston has headlined at a “home” that shares his passion for timeless music. The Legendary Bemelmans Bar located in The Carlyle in Manhattan’s storied Upper East Side, has a legacy of hosting great cabaret and jazz greats from the likes of Bobby Short, Eartha Kitt, Elaine Stritch, John Pizzarelli and the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). Loston’s musical future began at a surreal pace

Allan Harris

The outstanding and internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris sums up his personal perspective on music in clear and straightforward terms. "There is nothing that I have found that defines and gives credence to my place in this wild and mysterious universe than this thing called music." Harris exemplifies that statement perfectly with his stunning new album Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux), his eleventh album following on the heels of his highly acclaimed 2015 release Black Bar Jukebox.

For this, Harris takes an even more eclectic approach, drawing upon the wide range of music that he heard growing up in Brooklyn, and feasting on the expansive palette of the Harlem cultural landscape. "My new album captures some of the varied sounds and feelings that have shaped my growth as an artist. I had not one style to heavily rely upon when putting these tunes together, but only my young memories of music, people and events."