OT: Distinctive Female Singers | Page 5 | The Boneyard

OT: Distinctive Female Singers

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wire chief said:
I'm not sure Ms Myles has a distinctive voice, but it is my kind of beat. Thanks
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The post was about distinctive female singers. Nobody asked you to comment on what another person thinks. Whose to say that your choice(s) would be distinctive. Distinctive doesn't mean the best but recognizable.
 
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JordyG said:
I love SV but I'm a much bigger Ella fan. If you get a chance, check out the Branford Marsalis and Kurt Ellis album "Upward Spiral". By the way, I'm going to see Fred Hersch and Chris Potter tonight in an intimate setting. One of the perks of NYC.
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Ella's voice was too high-pitched for me. Sarah had as great a range, only a lower register. Nobody was better live. As I said, the microphone never got near her mouth, but the power and control was overwhelming. Wish I had seen her more.
 
chrissaran said:
Ella's voice was too high-pitched for me. Sarah had as great a range, only a lower register. Nobody was better live. As I said, the microphone never got near her mouth, but the power and control was overwhelming. Wish I had seen her more.
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And some would say Ella had a sweet, pretty voice that was smooth and always under control. She never seems to hit a wrong note. Sarah clearly had better range and power. As scat singers though Ella had better variety and a never ending creativity. Two for the ages, though I say toe-maa-toe.
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
One of the strongest voices of conscience for my generation and I could put 20 of hers up here:
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Baez list is long. Replaying her albums (on vinyl ;)) is a joy. Here is another of her many tracks worthy of note in an unforgettable voice and era for us old folks, when music was simple. (For the young: she wrote this about Bob Dylan...)



...and just for the heck of it here's another classic song and voice in a song written by Joni Mitchell and sung by Judy Collins. As above, I also chose a vid of the album version with lyrics which matter a lot in the context to those who might remember and those who never heard. This song was a hit single too but slightly different... though neither resembles Hip Hop ;).

If you like it, search for Joni's own vocal version similarly excellent of the genre or Joni or Joan's early live performances some of which are out in the cloud...uh, the new cloud that is :cool:

Judy Collins - Both Sides Now (1967)
 
jimazee said:
Baez list is long. Replaying her albums (on vinyl ;)) is a joy. Here is another of her many tracks worthy of note in an unforgettable voice and era for us old folks, when music was simple. (For the young: she wrote this about Bob Dylan...)



It was such a pleasure hearing this again. Those of us who, for example, saw those 2 at Newport way back then can't help but be touched, to embrace tons of emotions from the era. In another cut from that album she thanks Dylan, "For writing the best songs". True, but Diamonds and Rust is no slouch itself.
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Concerning Diamonds and Rust...It was so great being reminded of this. Those of us who saw those 2 at Newport way back then
can't help but revel, be touched, be reminded of the emotions of that era. In a different cut on the album, she thanks Dylan, "For writing the best songs". True, but Diamonds and Rust is no slouch in that department. Thanks, jimazee.
 
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Two singers already mentioned Kelly Clarkson and Norah Jones, these are 2 of my favorites, and these songs may be the best from each artist IMHO! PLEASE GIVE THESE A TRY, YOU JUST MIGHT AGREE!

Kelly Clarkson THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE IS


Norah Jones TURN ME ON


 
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JordyG said:
And some would say Ella had a sweet, pretty voice that was smooth and always under control. She never seems to hit a wrong note. Sarah clearly had better range and power. As scat singers though Ella had better variety and a never ending creativity. Two for the ages, though I say toe-maa-toe.
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Have you seen both women sing live? If not, then you can't make that comparison. I don't like scat singing, never did. A great song demands a great voice that allows the song to shine without all the vocal histrionics and vocal gymnastics of too many singers of today. Sarah was without a doubt the best. I don't want to listen to a sweet, pretty voice. I want to listen to the best craftswoman ever.
 
chrissaran said:
Have you seen both women sing live? If not, then you can't make that comparison. I don't like scat singing, never did. A great song demands a great voice that allows the song to shine without all the vocal histrionics and vocal gymnastics of too many singers of today. Sarah was without a doubt the best. I don't want to listen to a sweet, pretty voice. I want to listen to the best craftswoman ever.
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Interesting. Some would say Sarah slid into every note and after a while this becomes monotonous and annoying. Some would say Sarah's timbre was unpleasing and hard to listen to over extended periods. Yes, I enjoy both. But for creatively, extended listening, hitting every note on the fundamental, scatting on pitch, and overall musicality, not to mention that beautiful timber, give me Ella all day. Now, if you were to say, well, although she was a great technician Ella wasn't the greatest interpreter of lyrics and in this she leaves me cold, maybe then okay.
 
chrissaran said:
Have you seen both women sing live? If not, then you can't make that comparison. I don't like scat singing, never did. A great song demands a great voice that allows the song to shine without all the vocal histrionics and vocal gymnastics of too many singers of today. Sarah was without a doubt the best. I don't want to listen to a sweet, pretty voice. I want to listen to the best craftswoman ever.
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To say the only way to compare singers is to have seen either or both live is pure unadulterated nonsense of the highest order. A recording allows you to better hear the details of the singing voice: The articulation, how they breath, how their throat vibrates, how their chest vibrates, how their voice moves air. In person you're hearing the microphone, the hall and the audience. Nonsense. Now, if you'd said Sarah was the better PERFORMER, well, perhaps. Sammy Davis Jr was a better singer/performer than Sinatra, Eckstin, and Nat King Cole combined. Was he a better singer than those three? I don't think so. But believe it or not these are two different and often disparate aspects of a singer.
 
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It's interesting to see people's definition of a distinctive voice. To my untrained ear, many of those mentioned are beautiful voices, but not really distinctive. There are, of course, exceptions. From my college days, take Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell. Joni's voice was completely distinctive, Judy's distinctively beautiful. Here's another totally distinctive female voice: Joan Armatrading.
 
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tomcat said:
It's interesting to see people's definition of a distinctive voice. To my untrained ear, many of those mentioned are beautiful voices, but not really distinctive. There are, of course, exceptions. From my college days, take Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell. Joni's voice was completely distinctive, Judy's distinctively beautiful. Here's another totally distinctive female voice: Joan Armatrading.
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Tomcat - I certainly agree, posted one of her songs earlier in this thread. :D
 
tomcat said:
It's interesting to see people's definition of a distinctive voice. To my untrained ear, many of those mentioned are beautiful voices, but not really distinctive. There are, of course, exceptions. From my college days, take Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell. Joni's voice was completely distinctive, Judy's distinctively beautiful. Here's another totally distinctive female voice: Joan Armatrading.
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Agree. A lot of them I don't find distinctive at all, but rather boring voices. But to each their own.
 
Can't believe I overlooked Nancy Sinatra doing this great Bond theme:

 
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McFly said:
Nancy Wilson - helped me graduate from rock & roll.
Recognizable? Vera Lynn, Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich.
If you're old enough.
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I saw Edith Piaf's grave when I was in Paris. A talent who didn't have nearly enough longevity.
 
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