Woman Vocals - suggestions

Just noticed this thread.  Staggered nobody has put you on to Billie Holiday. Peerless.

If you like jazz vocals and you've never heard her you're in for a treat.  Start with the Verve recordings - good quality and Lady Day is at her peak.

Enjoy

Blue dog, have a look at another current thread titled woman vocals, thismight be a good source for you

Paul

Hi Paul, I am also intrested in that thread you mention but cannot find it. Would you mind posting the lin to that thread ?

Tx Iver

Iver, please accept my apologies, I'm obviously too tired and confused.

I was of course referring to this thread which you started ( and clearly had a lasting impact on me)

Keep up the good recommendations as I also enjoy this genre and look reward to its recommendations

Paul

Hi,

Give Karen Dalton a listen.

I recommend Rae Morris from Blackpool. Earlier this year Fink announced his autumn tour and the support act was Rae Morris. After a point/click the first song I heard was Walls. It was one of those fcuk me moments that hits you so rarely.

I saw Rae @ the wonderful Cecil Sharp House and she is even better 'live'. I'm seeing Rae again on Tue 27 Nov @ Shepherds Bush Empire on the last night of Fink's tour and recommend to anyone who might be in London on the day.

Rae's first EP has been released on iTunes, but I hope to pick up a CD copy @ the gig. The debut album is next year and I think she's been signed to Atlantic (for Ewen, if he reads this).

RM - http://www.raemorris.co.uk/

RM Videos (includes Walls) - http://www.youtube.com/user/raemorrismusic 

Soundcloud - http://soundcloud.com/raemorris/sets/music-player/ 

Denis

I'm rather late into this thread I know, and I haven't read all suggestions, so apologies if the following have already been mentioned:

Jacqui Dankworth

Halie Loren

Another vote for the rich brown voice of the late great Karen carpenter........

Genre stretching a little

Sharleen Spiteri

Her solo work and the later Texas albums are perhaps best avoided, but she's brilliant on this

and

Maria McKee, especially

Olly

I had a quick trawl thru this thread & am surprised I couldn't see a recommend for Katherine Polwart

Her “Traces” album is a MUST HAVE for me. Her lyrics all have a story behind them & as such can be deep, sometimes dark, poignant or even obscure.   Her voice is just pure magic

Dear Forum members,

My search keeps on going since I like the genre a lot. Lots of less impressive discoveries but also some that really impresse. Have a listen to Eilen Jewell's albums. Very good lyrics and smooth Folk.

A bit more to the artificial side of "Folk / SingerSongwriter" are the ladies from Värttina. Also worth a listen.

Cheers, Iver

Hi Iver,

I can really recommend this album it has contemporary influences with classic, folk-rooted songwriting. Emily Barker along with The Red Clay Halo (Gill Sandell, Jo Silverston and Anna Jenkins, who provide vocal harmonies and play a wide range of musical instruments) are further augmented by Ted Barnes, guitars; Nat Butler, drums; Ali Friend, double bass; Liz Jones, trumpet and Ben Eshmade on french and flugel horns.

Graham

Iver,

   Have a look at this. There are also previous a womans heart albums.

Paul

Iver,

   I assume you have already checked out the " best female audiophile" albums?

Iver.

You could also check this out. Sandy Denny's re-released second album. She is accompanied by a high-quality group of musicians - Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick, Pat Donaldson, Timi Donald, Pete Kleinow and John Bundrick - supplemented by string and brass sections. This is folk at the edge of rock.

Graham

Surely this thread can't miss out Cleo Lane?? Clare Teal and Claire Martin are great too, and Cleo's daughter Jacqueline/Jaqui Dankworth is possibly the most natural and liquid of them all. I've seen all in concert and feel I've been very lucky!

Jenna Witt is another favorite of mine too, especially her first album 'Barefoot and Eager'.

I didn't catch this thread last year, and like many I'm very pleased for so many suggestions to listen to!

Hi Graham,

'Sandy' is in fact Sandy Denny's 3rd album. She released a lesser known album called 'It's Sandy Denny' on the Saga label in 1967 which was her first solo LP. This is the second Island solo release though and IMO these two are the best. 

ATB

Graham

This album is well worth a try. It's real gutsy blues rock. It was released by Sire/Blue Horizon and has an all star backing with Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Paul Kossoff, Brian Auger, Stan Webb among others.

Thanks for that info Steve. I have always understood it to be her second . Have you got a copy of the Saga album.

Regards G (enjoy the rest of the BH)

I have had a copy in the past Graham but it was 'lost' during my divorce in the '90s. I don't remember it being as good as the first two Island LPs and Saga pressings were never very good quality.

Steve

Hey guys,

Lucky me with all these great tips and suggestions ! Emily Barker and Sandy Denny are prominent already in my collection. Definately recommended with their own individual style and great voices. I did not know both Martha Velez Cleo Lane and used spotify to have a first impression. I liked them and will have a look now urchase the albums.

@Paul, I am interested in the "best female audiophile .." albums but cannot find them at Amazon. ANy idea where they can be purchased.

Yesterday I attended the Jazz Easter sessions in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. We went specifically for my favourite Fay Claassen. Her performance was phenomenal. The mini-concert was an ode to Chet Baker who died in Amsterdam in 1999. Fay was guided by sublime musicians amongst was John Engels, the famous drummer who worked with Chet Baker in the early 90's. We had a quick chat with her after the performance, and 'apart from being beautiful:-)) appears to be a very pleasant person. I have all her albums and can more than recommend the below one "Two Portrets of Chet Baker":

Yesterday, I again realized how pleasant Live music is. Being not more than 5m from the stage, hearing the artists breath, hearing them touch the strings of the Double Bass, hearing the Trumpet "battle" with the Sax ............... POTVERDOMME MOOI (=Flemish for very, very nice :-))

Iver, the CD's are actually titled "best audiophile voices" and the ones i have just happen to be all female vocals. I am aware that there are around 8 in the series and are recorded in high standards (XRCD), etc.

They are not cheap and can cost up to £45 each, depending where you buy them.

Have a look at my profile and might be worth contacting me off the forum to discuss further

paul

@Paul ... Thanks mate, just dropped you an email

The song Chosen Time by Jeff Loomis features a guest singer named Christine Rhodes.  If you like heavy metal with big powerful vocals, then this is one to check out.