Episode 17, Jazz Vocalists I Like, Part 1

Many real ‘jazzies’ express a rather loud ‘indifference’ to the jazz ‘singer’.  “Cheesy lounge singer”, “not needed”, “waters down the music”, “reduces the musician to role of ‘accompanist’: those are some of the comments I hear.  Yet I love great jazz vocals…..and relish the creativity that many great players have in playing with the singer. Today and next week I present some of my favourite vocalists—some of whom most will agree are truly ‘jazz’, and others where some might question whether they fit into the category of ‘jazz’. And I’m still searching for a truly great Canadian male jazz vocalist.   Any suggestions of whom I might discover?