Male Jazz singers - any recommendations?

I will post again but hve to second the first reccomndation with Hartman.The Coltrane LP and "I just dropped by to say hello" are the best.If folks know his stuff and dig it find Clint Eastwoods "Remebring Madison County" and the first "Madison County" soundtracks.The "Remembering" is almost all Hartman iwth two Ahamad Jamal piano numbers fo kicks.The "Music from Madison Co." has two Hartman cuts's,Dina Washinton et al.Another good sountrack before I forget is "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil".Torme?The male Ella fitzgerald.His best?"Mel Torme Sings the Fred Astaire Songbook" with Marty Paich.If you have choice of CD or Lp with either Billy May or Marty Paich vs some other conductor /arranger even good one's like Nelson Riddle or Frany DeVol go with the 10 piece units without strings of Paich or May.Except for Sinatra where Riddle is best (though Frank wasn't a a jaz singer per say).Late non-rock Bobby Darrin is exelent if I am gonna talk Frank.And if it's Rat Pack thn the one Sammy davis Jr' Cd/Lp to have is "The Wham of Sam".Forget "The Candyman" and all that C&W schlock.This LP alone he could rest his laurels on.But I digress.Will come up with some more.Lastly have to disagree with the above choice of Jimmy Smith.There was a singer who never should have had a comeback.Get earlier stuff like the Rhino LP "Lost and Found"My additional list will have a numeber of older singers as there aren't very many cats under 60 worth there salt.Yeah Connick and Pizzarelli but they ain't Franb or Mel.If anbody knew and liked the hipness of Mark Murphy than Kurt Elling may be your cup of Tea.Really like the last years "The Mesenger".Some of it's to cute but his rendition of "You don't know what love is" is worth the price of admssion alone.Geez finally a 'Gon topic I know a little bit about (I ran the jazz section of a CD store for 5 years).I'll be back with more

Yes Mohogany is pretty good (see him in the great docmentary film "Remebering Kansas City" that Altman did when he made that crummy movie based there.But he has guys like Joshua Redman dressed up as Prez having another guy dreesed as The Hawk haveiung cutting contests.Ron carter,Syrus Chessnut,Geri Adams,etc=it's fun-hey maybe I should start a thread on jazz movies-best ever was Bert Sterns "Jazz on a Summers Day"-0reason to buy a DVD player if there ever was one).But the problem with Mohogany is again the prior genration had DEEP blues Shouters like Jimmy Rushing or the man who replaved him in Basies band (the hardest swinging swing band ever!) Joe Williams.Mahogany might be Ok 'cause he's here,young,and you can see hi-but buy "count Basie Swings Joe Williams Sings" and tell me Mahogany could even carry Joe's water bucket.Bookend CD/Lp's would be that one which is blues and another called "The Greatest" where Williams sings more standards-Yowza!!!!!!!!!!Hey while I am parked hear I am not sure if anybody metioned Chet.Not everybodys cup of Tea.You love him or hate him.Put him in the former categorie for me.Like Jimmy Smith very androgenous.I think maybe after Sinatra and Johnny Mathis maybe more guys (and gals) have scored to his singing than anybody.And that doesen't even touch his trumpet playing which was a 50's senation with the Gerry Mulligan piano-less Quartet.Reccomnded "The Best Of Chet Baker Sings" Pacific/Capitol (Picture of him at a piano) and "Bakers Holiday" which is from late 60's just before he got his teeth knocked out.Great Coronet playing and tune selection on that one.More as time permits..........

Onhwy61
Check out Ecksteins "No Cover No Minnimum" On Roullette (Verve CD?) and one on Mercury Called "Billy's Best" both which are availible on CD.On LP look for one called live at Basin Street On Emarcy.Also read a review of another LP only one on AMG where you can read the story of how he had "THE BAND".This is the most famous non-recorded band of all time.All of the future be-bop and hard bob stars were in it and when you read the list your eyes pop out.He just liked the ways these guys played was into the bob thing (so was gene Krup with his late 40's band with Ainta O'Day BTW-Awesome!!!!!) and hired these guy when more conservattive singers and bandleader wouldn't.Too bad the wartime AFM recording ban was in effect prohibitting members from recording. P.S.YeahI gues I have to say I am a freak for Nat as I bought his 18 CD Mosaic box on ebay for $600.But as was said Louis and Bing both invented the from in KC back in the 20's they are the greatest.Maybe not Der Bingle he went comercial right away and left jazz bu the 30's.but let's face it singing,playing,whatever.Louis may have gotten way too much air time in Burns's documentary but he is the greatest single figure in jazz history for having been the first to improvise (Sindney Bechet some say) on record and hanving invented scatting and the whole vocal form.Read bergrans Loius Armstrong A life" (I think I have that right-bio was long time on Times best seller list)-one of the best written jazz bio's ever-best collection though is "Reading Jazz" Editted by Gottlieb.Buy it if you ever have any interest in jazz.Best Guide book (I have 20 gojng back to late 40's) the Alll Music Guide to Jazz-the only book you need to fill a jazz library-better than Penguin,Rough Guide etc.They also have a web site www.allmusic.com where you can plug anyone in from Cannonball Addrerly to John Zorn and get a reliable set of reccomendations.

About Chet that is the rap.And he played my ear and couldn't read music.And starting in the 60's he would record for anybody,anytine to feed his drug habit.But many feel his voice while not long in technique and range is emotionally affecting nontheless.And listen to early Lp's like "Smokin'" on Roultte or "In New York" on Riverside.He could play.And while so much in the 70's was crap if anybody can find "Candy" on Gazell or hear the "The Last Great Concert" well to me Chet had a natural lyricism that these julliard wunderkinds of today with all there chops just don't have.But yes it was a spotty and even legitamtely debatable career.

JSBail isright on."Ballads Blues and Bey" with just Andy Bey singing and acompanying himself on paino.All ballads made more poingnant when you learn that he came out of closet and and has AIDS.Not that I have to qualify these observations on telling everyone what sensitive hetro I am I have been interested in Gays in Jazz music since reading the wonderful biography of Billy Strayhorn by David Hadjou (think that's the spelling) called (what else?) Lush Life.Strays wrote that world weary song when he was just 17.I am sorry no straight aged 17 could have written that.Had to be a black,gay president of the HS French Club that Strayhorn was.Facsinating book.Many Song writters and lyricists like Lorenz Hart were also gay.Think of the lyrics to "My Funny Valentine" etc.Good article about gays in jazz in a recent Jazz Times.