when I type "vocalists" I mean those in the jazz scene. the ones with such strong and complex voices that shine whether they sing before a piano or before an entire orchestra. these are the people whose talented vocals make my face hot with each drawn out note, or make my foot move to their melodies whether I'm in bed or in the car.
this list will focus on the modern jazz vocalists so those of you new to this genre have a diversity of choices to choose from outside the bigger names like sinatra, holliday, fitzgerald, etc. (maybe I will make a post on the greats of jazz, too). quick note: if you have never subscribed to siriusxm, I highly recommend getting a free trial via the google play store or apple's app store and listen to the channel, seriously sinatra. this channel has introduced me to some artists I probably never would have found on my own. also, if you have apple music, I highly recommend the apple curated playlist singer's delight for a diverse selection of, mostly, modern jazz artists. quicker note: I'm using "jazz" as a broad genre here that also encompasses the blues, soul, and r&b.
michael feinstein - the sinatra project (2008)
I first listened to feinstein while listening to the sirusxm channel, seriously sinatra. at first I thought it was michael buble but the voice wasn't as deep or the melody as slow. upon further investigation, it was this album that drew me in: his smooth voice paired with the incredibly talented band that accompanied him during each song made this album an instant favorite for me. I have listened to "begin the beguine" an unhealthy amount of times.
norah jones - little broken hearts (2012)
the first album of hers I listened to. back in the day, the mall nearest to me had a record store: this is where I could buy cds for really cheap to keep in my car (I had my ipod nano and iphone 6s/7 at the time, but I listened to music almost exclusively in my car those days). anyway, I found this album in the record store; I picked it up because its paper cd case stood out amongst the plastic. I was 18/19 when I listened to this album. I remember feeling confused as to what some songs were about but I knew from just the way she sang, the repetition of certain lines and words, the simple and mellow instruments in the background that these weren't happy songs but ones that tell of pain and sadness. even though this album is what introduced me to jones, I keep going back to her 2002 album come away with me because of its jazz undertones and consistent tempos. little broken hearts is peppered with a few upbeat songs that dislodge me from the tempo of the more serious and calmer songs. come away with me is so consistent with the cool and mellow jazz and really allows me to just relax and listen and focus on her voice and the lyrics.
stacey kent - summer me, winter me (2023)
kent's voice reeled me in with its airy smoothness and feminine whimsy. I love how this album, and her others, are peppered with french songs sung so beautifully and quiet. I love how equally prominent the instruments and her vocals are, how neither overshadows the other, but only compliments. even though her songs have these long instrumental breaks between her vocals, it works, and works well. I especially love the lyrics. they're heavy with imaginary and lead us through these stories of playful loss, love of a city, love of another person, the simplicities and fascinations of conversations. I definitely recommend kent and this album to those that want to venture into modern jazz with a hint of french.
gregory porter - all rise (2021)
I first heard porter because of his song "heaven" in the fantastic beasts movie. it's so melodic and beautiful and captured the emotions of that movie. after adding this song to my music library, I checked out his other stuff with the album, all rise, being the one I liked most. like jones, porter's vocals shine in this album no matter what the band is playing in the background. his inviting and warm voice coupled with soul and jazz-pop really makes this album a forever favorite.
new artists
the following artists I recently found through various recommendations on the youtube music app. I've only listened to one song from each artist so I won't dive into any deeper thoughts or impressions other than I liked what I have listened to and I do plan on listening to more.
georgia cecile - sure of you (2023)
lizz wright - shadow (2024)
jamie cullum - the pianoman at christmas (2020)
of course, these are just a few artists I truly enjoy listening to every time I pop in my earbuds. perhaps sometime soon in the future I will share other jazz artists (past and present) I really enjoy. but only after I cover the 80s, disco, and the movie soundtrack. I do also want to write more about the 20s jazz age (music, literature, history, people). but, I’ll save this for last. 🕴🏽🎺
until next time,
mere