[Favorite Singers]

A Few of My Favorites Sing: a roll call of some great vocal artists

by Joanna Cazden
FOLKWORKS,  May-June 2002

I'm writing this shortly after the 2002 Grammy Awards. The annual music-biz-bash got me thinking about my favorite singers: the voices I turn to for inspiration, solace (or just to remind me to practice!)

There's no way I can pick one overall favorite - no "album of the year" or "lifetime gratitude award" here. Nor will I attempt to rank such a diverse group; my taste is openly eclectic.

However, a bias is hereby declared toward healthy voices and sincere, humane souls. Since training and rehab'ing singers is my lifework,  in my free time I stay away from rough, strained, conflicted, or seriously under-developed vocals. And since I was raised strictly on classically-trained and traditional folksingers only (literally never heard real jazz or swing until after college, oy what a shame) these are still the genres I know best.

This is also a list of the great singers that I've heard, and that my middle-aged brain can remember. So of course there are wonderful folks, not mentioned simply because I haven't heard them yet.

All disclaimers aside, here are my current picks, in no particular order other than groups last and ladies first.

TRACY NELSON, country-blues artist beloved since my college days, still has some CDs available. I don't know of any voice more balanced than her early work: deep-rich at the bottom and sweet at the top. SHEILA CHANDRA,  Indo-Celtic enchantress with superb breath and tone control, has a purity matched by Native America's warm songbird JOANNE SHENANDOAH.

SARAH VAUGHN and ARETHA FRANKLIN bring unbeatably rich tone & power, and GLADYS KNIGHT's hit "Midnight Train to Georgia" moves me every time, as a worthy classic. ELLA FITZGERALD of course takes honors for scat-flexibility and longevity in her craft; VANESSA WILLIAMS, ANITA BAKER, and DONNA SUMMER have more than paid pop dues.

I listen to RENEE FLEMING for equal parts classic prowess, jazz, and integrity, and CECILIA BARTOLI has knocked my socks off more than once. KATHLEEN BATTLE's duo album with Christopher Parkening is a jewel, the only album heard on my car radio  for which I immediately detoured to a record store (thanks to John Schneider of "Soundboard").

JUNE TABOR does great deep tones and 'Round Midnight (but Where-O-Where is the top half of her voice?); DOLLY PARTON cheers with high clarity and genteel guts. REBA McINTYRE's a capella rendition of PATSY CLINE's "Sweet Dreams" knocks off both socks and shoes. Feminist jazz pioneer RHIANNON gets my thanks for years of inspiration; she's still going strong in the Bay Area and worth catching when you can. HAZEL DICKENS and the late ROSE MADDOX keep American rural traditions in my ears, joining the Yiddish traditions beautifully revived by ADRIENNE COOPER and JUDY BRESLER.

Among gentlemen: PLACIDO DOMINGO is my fave of the famous Tri-Tenores, with extra points for his alter-ego muppet Flamingo. PAUL ROBESON and JOE WILLIAMS deserve honor among past masters; FRANK SINATRA rates credit for meaning every word he sang and for always crediting his songwriters. STAN ROGERS and GORDON BOK anchor the bass in more homespun styles,  while at the high end, counter-tenor BRIAN ASAWA and male soprano SLAVA are simply thrilling. MICHAEL CRAWFORD marries muscle and mastery, and JAI UTTAL fans an unforgettable spiritual flame. (As with many artists, I prefer his earlier albums, where there is no trace of roughness in the voice).

Turning from solo singers to groups: TAKE SIX's early recordings remain a potent brain-buzz, as does LE MYSTERE DE VOIX BULGARES. In the '70s I drove cross-country to tapes by INTI-ILLIMANI and SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK, and for masculine sweetness I still reach for LADYSMITH BLACK MOMBAZO. Then there are the SONS OF THE PIONEERS, THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS,  the BYRDS, and the superb gay men's chorus from TURTLE CREEK, Texas.

For sexy feminine soul, look for "Gonna Take A Miracle," LAURA NYRO's great collaboration CD with Patti LABELLE. And the Los Angeles cast album of GOSPEL AT COLONNUS - an Oedipus tragedy re-framed in Black church style, with a cast of gospel stars - raises all souls to high heaven.

Ooops, did I leave out the TRIO albums from Dolly/ Emmy-Lou/ Linda? The material doesn't match their first collaborations ("Sandman" and "How High the Moon") but the voices remain an elegantly folksy blend. The SWINGLE SINGERS are still harmonizing beautifully after all these years, and Yeah, OK, I'll mention BOBBY McFERRIN's VOICESTRA for sheer virtuosity even though, frankly, his intellect usually leaves me cold. 

I'll close the list with thanks to JOAN BAEZ for early inspiration; to JONI MITCHELL for genius writing (there's a whole other column...) and fidelity to her own vision; to THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS and THE BEACH BOYS for youthful harmony; to women's music pioneers CRIS WILLIAMSON for her clear-heart trailblazing and HOLLY NEAR for gumption that boosted me into my first record.

Finally, as both heart-felt soloists and the greatest American Roots ensemble: THE BAND.

©Joanna Cazden 2002