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Jazz vocalists which may not be as real as we think/imagine

Sure we could include all genres of vocalists,  but lets focus on jazz performers,,for instance , take Diana Krall. 
I have a  pile of cds that i do not listen to, old rock,,, 2 are my wife's she picked up as gifts, and never listened.
So I figured maybe I can use DK's as a  test reference recording.
Her 1999 and 2001, both seem to my ears her voice is somehow ~~tweeked~~ laid out with modern aids such as EQ's and such.
My Q is , can we really consider DK's voice to be The Real Deal,,, or a  perhaps a toch of  ~ The Fake if not perhaps, bordering on, fraud. 
I really can not use her cds in my testing of new tweeks, mods, , Her voice comes across wayyyy too warm = Colored = a nono for my ears. 
I am after pure cold frigid, icy clean mountain spring water. 
Anyway, justa  random thought,, what say ye? Have you noticed this quirk among other jazz performers such as Sophie Milman, which btw , i do use in  my YT vid uploads of testing reference on tweeks/mods/upgrades. 
Her voice is at least somewhat more~~ a  natural~, Just barely,,had her engineers gonea  tad too far in tweeking, I may have to  also disreagrd her cds. 
Sure you might object and claim all recordings post 1985, have these intrusions of tweeking /EQing the voice, as a  makeover. 
I don't know, maybe in the past 20 yrs things have gotten out of hand. 
So cast your vote, is DK's voice real deal,, or a  tad fake?
Can she perform unpluged as she does on high tech studio records?
mozartfan
elliottbnewcombjr
5,118 posts
 
As for Diana, I didn’t meet her, (and without eavesdropping) in small narrow aisle antique store in New Orleans, heard her conversation with Harry Connick, Jr. (After a long look up and down at Diana, I was busy looking at Harry’s model wife, whew). Hoping Donna didn’t notice my mouth hanging open.

Point is, I heard both of their actual unamplified voices. Next day we saw/heard Diana perform in big tent at NO Jazz Festival, amplified sounded ’correct’. Same thing next day with Harry.

We heard Harry perform in big lobby of bldg in NYC, sound system so bad you would not know it was his voice.

Saw/heard Diana live/amplified 3 other times, once with Tony Bennett Radio City, she always sounded very much like herself. Same with Tony, we have seen/heard him live/amplified 6 times, always the same. Both of these artists have pro’s looking out for them.

Neither of them needs any help electronically, eq adjust, auto-tune, ... they are great singers.

My problem with Diana is she sings too much, and plays too little. I first heard her playing piano, not singing, on WBGO Jazz radio. Caught my ear, so good I waited to the end when they tell you who that was. Awesome pianist, didn’t know she could sing, or the legs, the looks, ....




schubert
7,386 posts
 
Krall had a voice once , is gone .
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@edcyn,

Wow, that is something! The Capitol Records Building has just got to be one of the most beautiful iconic man made structures in the world.

I hope it lasts forever.


@mozartfan,

I bet I love that record as much as you, but you do know that's it's drenched in echo and reverb?  Patsy Cline would not sound anything like that if she was singing live in front of us. Definitely not if she was recording it today.

Sadly the era of such 'wet' recordings has long passed by. Nowadays a more 'dry' sound is preferred, and I'm guessing because it's easier to reproduce live in concert.

Fans also seem prefer a more dry modern sound, although some like k.d. lang and Lana Del Rey still seem to try to get that vintage sound on some of their recordings.

Perhaps someone more knowledgeable in the subject could help us out. 

https://youtu.be/MbnrdCS57d0

https://musicianshq.com/what-is-the-difference-between-reverb-echo-and-delay/
mozartfan OP
2,143 posts
 
Looks like you have a hidden agenda to smear the reputation of a very accomplished artist.

~~The Hidden Agenda~ is obvious, not at all obscure,. Others here and on my other topic also hestitate to over-applaud Diana's singing skills. 
**she is good, but I am looking for more than just gooD* quoted from a post on the other topic. 
Thats what i am trying to sy,,look how Grammy's awards sell out show s she had in her heyday.. , Yes we all agree, the lady has many fine talents,,But lets not get carried away. Of course I have to put some of the blame of modern voice wteeking gadgets and record engineers who may have gone a  bit far in her voice mods. 
This is my point,, in no way am I knocking her talents. She is a  fine artist,, just not  how far the positive reviews go. 
Lets be realistic. here.
Folk singers around the world never had modern electronic voice mods,, , This idea of tweeking vocals has gone too far to claim *great* next to a  recorded artists name. Consider mariah Carey,, queen of voice mods, If we heard her sing without electric mods,, we might all throw tomotoes, rotten ones at that, and demand a   refund. 
Mariah can hit  few notes, but she can't sing. Its all computerized fake notes.
aewarren
575 posts
 
I still have no idea what you're talking about. At least we have that one thing in common.
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