Best female vocals on CD


Want recommendations for Female recordings on CD. Thanks Joe
jwstannese647

Showing 2 responses by sdcampbell

You need to define what you mean by "best female recordings". Do you mean audiophile recordings, or recordings of great artistic merit? Do you mean pop, jazz, or opera? Since you didn't specify any parameters, I'll try to suggest some titles. Obviously, these reflect my own listening tastes and biases, but I think all of the albums or artists are worth hearing. Audiophile recordings: 1. Amanda McBroom's albums on Sheffield ("Growing Up In Hollywood Town", etc.) and Gecko ("Dreamin") 2. Jennifer Warnes: "Famous Blue Raincoat" 3. Chesky Records albums by Sara K. and Rebecca Pigeon 4. Sheffield's recording of Thelma Houston on "I've Got the Music In Me" Pop/Folk: 1. Barbra Streisand's recordings (you pick - I prefer the earlier albums, but the recording quality is better on later albums) 2. Joan Baez: early recordings on Vanguard, and "Diamonds and Rust" 3. Joni Mitchell: "Blue", and "Night Ride Home" 4. Dinah Washington Blues: 1. Anything by Koko Taylor 2. Katie Webster's album "Swamp Boogie Queen" 3. Etta James: "Seven Year Itch", and "Life's Been Rough on Me" 4. "Sing It!" with Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas, and Tracy Nelson (one of the best female blues recordings in the last several years - each woman is featured on different cuts, and all have great voices). Jazz: 1. Recordings by any of the great female jazz vocalists such as Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Ernestine Anderson, Betty Carter, Nina Simone, Sheila Jordan, Morgana King, etc. 2. Albums by Diane Schurr 3. Recent albums by Diana Krall 4. Cassandra Wilson's "Blue Skies" and "Blue Light 'Til Dawn" 5. Kendra Shank's album "Afterglow", and Sunny Sumter's album "Sunny" (Both are on the Mapleshade label. Call 1-888-CDMAPLE to order direct at about 1/3 off store prices). Both of these recordings could also be listed in the "audiophile" group, because they are superbly recorded. Opera: 1. Kirstin Flagstad (from 1920's and 30's) 1. Joan Sutherland 2. Kiri Te Kanawa 3. Leontyne Price 4. Maria Callas 5. Birgit Nilsson 6. Jane Eaglen 7. Victoria de los Angeles 8. Renata Tebaldi
Ever had the experience of thinking of something after you've given an answer? Well, I thought of a couple more names that I should have included in my first response. One of the truly great, all-time singers was Mahalia Jackson. Because of her religious beliefs, all she ever recorded was gospel music, but Oh, Lord!, could she sing!! If you can listen to Mahalia without your body moving, you better check your pulse. The first time I ever heard Mahalia in concert in Honolulu in 1962 or '63. She appeared at the Waikiki Shell, an outdoor ampitheater that seated about several thousand people. About halfway through the concert the amplication system died, so she finished the concert without any amplification. Her voice still filled the ampitheater with glorious music - and a friend of mine who lived several blocks away could still hear her! There is a CD boxed collection of Mahalia's music that is excellent, and she is also superb on Duke Ellington's suite, "Black, Brown and Beige". In the folk/jazz vein, there are several remarkable singers from the 1920's, the best of whom was Bessie Smith. You could think of Bessie Smith as the early, "secular" Mahalia Jackson. In the 1960's, Odetta was a sort of reincarnation of Bessie Smith - great raw, moving power. I asked my wife if she had any favorite female vocalists, and she mentioned a couple I hadn't thought of: Maureen McGovern, Annie Lenox (of the Eurythmics), Big Mama Cass Elliott (from The Mamas & The Papas, and an earlier group called The Big Three), Diana Ross, and the Pointer Sisters. In the opera vein, I certainly agree with the mention above of Jessye Norman. She was here in Seattle a year or two ago for the dedication of our new symphony hall, and everyone who attended was absolutely stunned by her singing. I'd also add one other current-generation singer, Eileen Battle. No list will be definitive, but the input on this thread has been pretty damned impressive.