On May 9th--just a couple of weeks ago on Mother's Day--the great Lena Horne died. In her 92 years she had established herself as a dancer, singer, actress, and an active participant in the civil rights movement. Lena was as talented as she was beautiful. She had a very popular film career during the forties. Her political involvement led to some problems in the fifties, however she continued to record and was a popular nightclub performer. Throughout her career she had a solid, respected career as an entertainer and won numerous awards for her artistic achievements. Her performing career continued into her 80's. Fortunately we have her films, videos, and recordings by which to remember her.
Artists like Lena Horne paved the way for other female jazz artists and artists influenced by jazz. The big band era produced several female singers, while many more emerged in the 50s. Many of these artists led long stable careers, though some had their bouts with drugs and alcohol. Some like Dinah Washington led lives of turmoil and died at an early age.
In the 60s newer music styles gained popularity. Astrud Gilberto entered the jazz scene with her bossa nova songs by Antonio Carlos Jobim. Her most famous hit, "The Girl From Ipanema", with Stan Getz on saxophone put the two of them on the charts worldwide. The bossa nova jazz influence was heard later in Janis Ian's 1975 hit "At Seventeen", which is one of the most beautiful songs ever written about the hurt and loneliness of teenage years. The album on which this song appears,
BETWEEN THE LINES, was considered for my top thirty albums list and probably could easily replace several of my choices--it is an extraordinary album. Though Ian is typically recognized as a folk artist,
BETWEEN THE LINES has many jazz influences.
Joni Mitchell, a Canadian artist who entered the music scene in the late 60s, started as a folk artist, but much of her work reverted to jazz and jazz influence. Mitchell, like many of her fellow artists, freely moves between jazz and other musical styles with so little effort that many fans don't even realize they are hearing jazz.
Some of the current crop of female jazz singers includes Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson, and Rickie Lee Jones. Many remain in the vein of traditional styles, while others write their own material or interpret contemporary songs from other musical genres. The more popular female jazz artists maintain a strong fan base and turn out records on a regular basis. One thing is certain: Jazz is still a popular musical style.
Do you have a favorite female singer? Who was the best female jazz singer of all time? How can you even decide who was the best?
