Woman Vocals - suggestions

Hi Iver

I would like to support Guido's recommendation of Mary Black. I must have ten of her CDs. Early ones like 'Collected' are more traditional folk, later ones like 'Shine' are contemporary but all are good and the recordings on Grapevine are first rate.

MDS

This is fun! A couple of new ones on me - gonna have to get the Steely Dan covers too.

I've been lucky enough to hear a few of the above in little old Didcot! Cara Dillon was a real stand out for me as was Jackie Oates (she sang with the unthanks). Just a thought but both also featured on the B&W Society of Sound if high res files are of interest.

Others suggestions? On linn and naim records there's barb jungr if you like a bit of jazz. Or Yolanda who sings with phantom limb (first album's best) on Naim

......oh and did we miss June tabor and Suzanne vega?

Finally, no list of female vocals can be complete without the wonderful judie Tzuke!

Jazz & Easy Listening, I cannot do.

Folk, no problem.  Will be a few repeats, but they are worth it..!

Sandy Denny (with Fairport, Fotheringay, or solo - or with Led Zeppelin..!)

Linda Thompson (with Richard Thompson)

June Tabor (solo, or with the OysterBand)

Suzanne Vega

Anne Briggs

A lot of newish/modern female singers get on my nerves, i just can't listen to them. There are a few I like, top of the list is Inara George.

Hello guys,

Again many thanks for all your suggestions. Some of them I already knew, but many others not. I have written it all down and have done some "pre-listening" on Spotify. Sofar it became a long list of albums I am going to purchase. There are so many artists I never heart but make such beautiful music. I am lloking forward to many, many hours of happyblistening ..... TV out, on the coach, volume at 8:50, a good drink and my nStream app to read all the background info :-) :-) 

Happy man Iver

Excellent choices ... Anne Briggs didn't like her own records so stoped making them, but I've no idea why as they are quite superb. 

Iver,

You might try Meg Baird. I really like both albums although Seasons on Earth is my favourite. Dear Companion is no longer available but I managed to pick up a secondhand copy. Both are on Spotify.

Happy listening.

Tim

Another vote for Patricia Barber: [Jazz]

She has a marmite effect on many but if you find her slow sensuous alto-saprano voice to your liking you will probably end up loving her music and buy all her cd's

And another far younger jazz-style singer who i don't think anyone has mentioned yet [should have though]

Have a free listening sample on Spotify for both the above : )

Debs

I am really surprised, just one mention of Joni Mitchell, and that half way through a long list.

She moved from fragile folk towards jazz, and her voice and timing strenghtened during the transtion.

'Blue' is perhaps her best known album, still in her early folk period, but for me the autobiographical album 'Hejira' where she had started to become more jazzy is her strongest. 'Court and Spark' is a good introduction and more jazzy 'The Hissing of Summer Lawns' are options too.

A very strong female voice not mentioned yet is Lisa Gerrard, solo and of Dead Can Dance. Not sure how you would catogorize her style, edging on folk, perhaps more world music. Have a look for 'Host of the Seraphim' on YouTube as a good introduction.

For someone quite different Kristin Hersh, formerly of the Throwing Muses might be worth a try, the single 'Your Ghost' is probably worth a search for on YouTube, etc.

Hope that offers something a bit different.

Iver,

i think you'd like this a lot... it's easy listening for grown-ups...

Amazing it may be but this album released in 1990, can be purchased on cd

from Amazon.uk (other sellers) for just £0.01p [+ £1.26 p&p]

Just goes to show there is a big difference between popular choice and good taste ; )

My epic copy on CD has the most utterly superb sound engineering, partly orchestrated strings but mostly with studio musicians, her singing voice is a bit girly posh but always pleasant, and presented with wonderful articulation and emotion. It’s very easy music to sit back, absorb, and relax to.

Debs

Lots of great recommendations here. To add a few.....

Mary Gauthier for country as it should be done.

Imogen Heap for something a bit different.

Tanita Tikaram for something also different in a different way.

+1. For evidence of her mind-boggling talent, listen to her near-flawless performance of Coyote on the "The Last Waltz". To nail this track is live is really something else.

+1 for Mary Gauthier, Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams.

+1
i thought we had all forgotten about  Mary Gauthier!! but glad its on the list :-)

i bought a whole bunch of her albums after the tomtom FOS and am very pleased with this late discovery of mine :-(

excellent thread...

enjoy

ken

And a few interesting editions not known outside Denmark.

Marie Frank:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H2mqd9_otI

Kari Bremnes, a fantastic voice and the sound quality of her albums are very high: Both songs are from the album Reise. The only problem with that album is that some songs are translated from Norwedian to English and that does not work out well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk98fUm2_ng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqoSeFxJUTo

Finally Savage Rose again a Danish group with a interesting female vocal, even though I have never enjoyed there music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCJa8uR2C04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARpmcu227lI

Claus

It seems as if Alison Krauss has not been on the list yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBs2N1UCvY4&feature=fvsr

Claus

Thanks, Guido. Anne Briggs now lives on a Scottish island, I believe - and is one of key influences on another superb singer who I forgot to list  -  - June Tabor - JT Wikipedia page.

Guys, some serious hints from the Belgium/Netherlands. You should definately try:

- Ilse De Lange

- Trijntje Oosterhuis

- Axelle Red

- Mathilde Santing

Further more I can recommend Patricia Kaas

Cheers,

Iver

A few others that I don't think have been mentioned yet. Juile Fowlis, Beth Orton and Emily Portman. All are worth a listen.

Ah Axelle...

Don't forget Hooverphonic !

Just caught this thread. For me, Mary Fahl is unbeatable, she can turn her voice to anything. I first heard of her through the October Project, then with her solo interpretation of the "Dark side Of The Moon" complete album. Her versatility shines through though on "The Other Side Of Time". 
In particular with on the track "Una Furtiva Lagrima".

Gerry

I don't Joanna Newsom has been mentioned yet - I have a few of her LPs and they gte lots of play on my turntable... I suggest having a listen to this first (it's perhaps more accessible than her earlier albums in my view)

....and if you quite like that then this is worth a listen too

Try Anne Bisson, a French Canadian singer whom I first heard at a naim demo.  'Blue Mind' would be just your thing I think and the recording is audiophile standard.

G

again thanks everybody, I have bought the majority of your suggestions and enjoy. All really nice ones, especially June Tabor (new to me, did not now this artist) is very special

tx !!! Iver