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With Words, Without Words: The Art of Vocalese

By Larry Slater | Jazz Connections
January 16, 2026
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Some of the best loved songs in jazz began life as jazz instrumentals with lyricists later transforming them into vocal showcases.

Writing lyrics is an art, and the 20th century featured some truly great lyricists in and out of the jazz world. There is a form of vocal writing and singing that is unique to jazz called Vocalese. Vocalese uses recognizable lyrics that are sung to instrumental solos.

Eddie Jefferson was the inventor of the idiom, with King Pleasure and Lambert among the best known practitioners of the art. Join me, Larry Slater, theJAZZMD, for an hour of some of the best known vocalese recordings. You'll hear vocalese interpretation of "Body and Soul," "Farmer's Market," "Jumpin' At the Woodside," "Doodlin," "Twisted" and "Moody's Mood For Love."

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With Words, Without Words: The Art of Vocalese