Jazz music: genius Jazz Jon Hendricks vocalese
by Warren
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Have Some Jon Hendricks To Take The Edge Off A Little
W/O.C. Smith — Lambert, Hendricks and Ross perform “Every Day I Have The Blues”
Jon Hendricks (born September 16, 1921) is an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is considered one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and replaces many instruments with vocalists (such as the big band arrangements of Duke Ellington and Count Basie). Furthermore, he is considered one of the best practitioners of scat singing, which involves vocal jazz soloing. For his work as a lyricist, jazz critic and historian Leonard Feather called him the “Poet Laureate of Jazz” while Time dubbed him the “James Joyce of Jive.” Al Jarreau has called him “pound-for-pound the best jazz singer on the planet—maybe that’s ever been”.[1]
Jazz music: Jazz Jon Hendricks Mel Torme Scat singing
by Warren
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Mel Torme is Amazing
Here’s Mel doing two terrific duets, the first with Jon Hendricks, the second with his son Steve.
Torme’s intonation, voice production and melodic imagination are a joy to the ear. I particularly enjoy his work with Hendricks, which seems a little raw-er, a little looser.