Here are my answers to the questions posed in the reading.
"What is a jazz singer?"
The first names that come to my mind are Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Johnny Hartman, Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., Sarah Vaughan, Sue Giles (local), Dianne Reeves, Diane Schuur, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Rosemary Clooney, Carmen McRae, Jane Monheit, Diana Krall, and Jamie Cullum. Now, I would not call every one of these a true jazz singer. But, these are the names that come to mind due to their reputation and popularity. Of course there are many more.
"What of a popular singer such as Rosemary Clooney?"
I agree with Carmen McRae. To sing jazz, or to play it, requires improvisation. I think the key phrase in this paragraph was "appeared in jazz settings." If a singer sings a jazz standard backed by a 20-piece band, that is a "jazz setting," but not necessarily an authentic jazz performance.
The excerpt goes on to offer the responses of several jazz singers to the question, "What is a jazz singer?". Then, it asks, "Does this bring us any closer to a definition of a jazz singer?" and it answers itself, "No ... Enquiring of singers does not necessarily lead to enlightenment". I must conclude that the author is not a musician and that this book is not written for musicians to read. It is "Jazz Singing Defined for Dummies," perhaps. The responses from the singers were in fact very clear and incisive. Here is my summary:
A jazz singer...
...takes a tradition in a new direction
...improvises
...changes her performance of the same tune from one concert to the next
...challenges his musicality
...takes risks
...sings with rhythmic elements including swing and syncopation
...sings with soul
...keeps track of the form and the beat independently of the supporting instrumentalists
...uses the voice as an instrument
...uses performances as opportunities to learn, explore, and discover
Then the article asks, "Where does that leave the rest of us" (i.e., those who do not understand the singers' responses)? My answer to this is that jazz cannot be understood with superficial exposure. Anyone who truly wants to understand what the singers are saying must become a bona fide jazz fan, attending concerts regularly, buying recordings, and reading reviews and articles for a number of years.
"What about singers who do not so readily delve into the realms of improvisation, preferring to concentrate more on tone, nuance, inflection and subtle interpretation? Are they to be excluded? Are we unconvinced that what they do should be designated jazz singing?"
Yes, we are. The ability and inclination to improvise reveals a deep understanding of music, an independence and trustworthiness that is unparalleled. I am speaking from the point of view of the accompanist. Playing for a singer who can count and hear chord changes, and who does not depend on me to cue her in, is an entirely different experience than playing for one who relies on cues. The singer who needs cues is disconnected from the band. The singer who stays with us is one of us. He is truly "the leader of the band." We can have fun together.
But, let me not make a universal statement that jazz singers are better. I happen to love Rosemary Clooney. It is simply a matter of categorization and honesty.
"How can anyone define an area of song so diverse that it can include an untrained, corrugated voice like that of the New Orleans barrelhouse singer-pianist Billie Pierce, and the superb vocal instrument that was Sarah Vaughan's? Or contrast the brash, unsubtle shout of Ruth Brown with the fragile, bell-like tone of Teddi King?"
Looking back at the singers' responses, we see that they did not mention vocal quality. This is not a criterion in the judging of "jazz or not jazz," though it may be one of the most striking characteristics to the public ear.
It seems to me that the question, "What is a jazz singer?" is no different from the question, "What is a jazz instrumentalist?". If we look at the singers' responses as if they were answering the latter question, they are still very appropriate responses. The jazz voice is an instrument, the instrument that leads the band.
I fully expect to gain new insight tomorrow in class. We shall see if anything causes me to change my mind!
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I am also looking forward to learning about the role of the voice in the "drawing together of jazz and non-jazz forms," as the reading says.
ReplyDeleteBruce Wands Comments – Class 4 – Jazz Singers
ReplyDeleteBased on the readings and the posts on the blog, my definition of a jazz singer now needs to be, by definition, flexible. My strict definition is that a jazz singer sees themselves as a vocal instrumentalist and interpreter. Taking a wider view, this needs expansion. A great singer fronting a jazz band is certainly a jazz singer, although they might not improvise or reinterpret the songs. As a singer/songwriter without a voice that, as Lewis phrases it “born to sing”, I do my best to tell a story, transmit emotions and sing my own songs differently each night, depending on the audience, club and my personal mindset at the time. This is in contrast to some of the classical singers we listened to, who are “tight”. I will take the list of people Lewis gave us and study them and their vocal techniques. The sales figures were very enlightening and, while they do shed light on commercial success (disappointingly so from an artistic point of view), we really need to think of music first and money secondarily. Maybe this is also a factor in how we define a jazz singer. Playing and performing are essential to musician’s success, as well as their self-image. I have been on a strict original music only campaign for many years, and have recently decided to revive my commercial repertoire, just to get back out and play. I’m going to purchase some of the books Lewis suggested, particularly Alec Wilder, to see what the critics have say. I am not a big fan of critics, but they are necessary in the evolution of a professional career (good or bad). I really liked the portion of the class on voice production. While I did take some voice lessons, I got a few good tips from Lewis. The Sinatra segment was informative and I now listen to him in a more informed way. The comparison of different versions of songs was brilliant. As musicians, we often get locked into what we think is the best version. I’m going to approach my songs now and rethink and replay them in different arrangements. I really liked Lewis’s take on how the meaning of a song changes depending on how it is arranged. Gretchen’s presentation was also great and opened up the art versus entertainment debate even further. I do two types of music. One for performance and one for art galleries (where I am not there playing). Ultimately, I guess the real definition of a jazz singer rests with their own and individual opinion of themselves. Harry Connick Jr. is a great example. He has his own musical sensibility, which may or may not be, the core of his professional or commercial image.