I like it, but is it jazz?

[Dorsetmike]

Having mentioned the Real Group, herewith a sample of their work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXtpiEaQKcc

How do you classify that? Vocal Jazz? Voices as instruments?

Regardless of classification to me it's part of jazz and I like it.

As for Lambert Hendricks and Ross, again jazz to my mind, but a different approach, lyrics set to jazz numbers, example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vyxf...eature=related

Discuss!

[Dorsetmike]

Continuing the male jazz singers, where do you place blues singers like say Jimmy Rushing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wV5Um1wDG0

and just look at the backing lineup, names from the mid 1950s.

[teddy]

I would place him well up on the list. Great piece of blues/jazz/whatever.

http://youtu.be/8Who6fTHJ34 Bessie Smith. No reason. Just like her.

teddy

[stu]

Good stuff Mike! All among the best of jazz to my old ears! Jimmy Rushing was and still is among my top blues/jazz singers/shouters.
Lamber,Hendricks and Ross, the tops at jazz vocalese.
Now, 'The Real Group' are new to me and they sound like excellent jazz perfomers!

[JHC]

The late George Melly was a great entertainer this is one of his classics

[OLDUDE]

Hi Colin,
I've always enjoyed the guy (and there is no question about such music being jazz as far as I'm concerned) but his gay overplay can be off-puttable.

[JHC]

Hi Colin,
I've always enjoyed the guy (and there is no question about such music being jazz as far as I'm concerned) but his gay overplay can be off-puttable.

No PC in those days ..........

[Mat]

I have been thinking about posting this one here for a while now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtGG1WLP1pk

It has a very interesting story behind it, too (you can read it in the clip description).

How would you classify it? What do you think of the saxophone?

[stu]

Nice. An improvised, it seems, soprano saxophone soloing over an oft recurring theme. Jazz inflected.
What do I think of the saxophone? Hard to judge in such a structured piece. I would have to hear him in another setting really. (can he fight?)
I can only say it's beautiful and obviously heartfelt. Somewhat fitting for the tragic circumstances it was composed for.

[JHC]

How would you classify it? What do you think of the saxophone?

I would call it light orchestral music or even elevator music. The wailing Sax? OK if you go for that sort of thing. and I am not knocking the sentiments behind the composition a truly sad part of our space program.

[teddy]

Colin. Would you have liked it more if it had not been soprano sax? Not your favourite instrument I know.

teddy

[JHC]

No teddy it would have made not one scrap of difference

[OLDUDE]

With ref. to singing jazz groups such as "The Real Music" and "Lambert, Hendricks and Ross"
(both of which I rate highly), I must bring in "The Four Freshmen" whom I love to listen to.

[teddy]

http://youtu.be/_dBFiYjn6_4

A different take, but Brubeck it is not.

teddy

[JHC]

I thought Khan was very virtuosic but did not care much for Dave Field or Brian Legere it just did not have the driving punch needed for good jazz, but that is just me being picky again.