The repertoire of American Standards music was largely written in the 20s and 30s and has been augmented consistently through the years. But the big bands of the 30s and the "boy" and "girl" singers that toured with those bands from the 20s through the 50s were the ones who brought that musical genre to the American public before and after WWII. My mother, Wilma Isaacs, was one of those singers, and I grew up singing those songs. They have been a major part of my life.
The American Standards genre is a melange' of swing, jazz, blues and latin influences. Swing and jazz dominate. But with the deaths of the great Standards singers like Sinatra and Shore, except for the ageless Tony Bennett the music world was largely bereft of well accepted Standards singers for almost twenty years. Then Harry Connick, Jr. revived both the big band sound and the singing of Standards in his repertoire. Unfortunately for the genre, Connick moved into film and other interests and while he still sings occassionally he left the rebirth of the Standards genre to await a new generation of singers.
While there are many new Standards singers now emerging and there is a bit of a renaissance of the genre today, some have become my favorites because they are closer in style, tone and enunciation to the great masters of the genre. They are Jane Monheit, Michael Buble' and Rene Olstead. Monheit and Buble' are the oldsters in this trio of youngsters, Monheit was born in 1977, Buble in 1975. Olstead is just a kid, born in 1989 and turned 20 a couple of weeks ago. She had her first big album when she was only 15. One of her videos below is when she was but 15.
Renee Olstead is my favorite of the three youngsters, and her self titled album is definitely a jewel. I don't know if you can wear out a CD, but I am working on it.
So here they are, three great new Standards singers. Enjoy them.
Jane Monheit performs "I Should Care"
Jane Monheit and Michael Buble - I Won't Dance
Come Fly With Me - Michael Buble
Michael Bublé - The Way You Look Tonight
Renee Olstead - At Last
Renee Olstead - What a Wonderful World
Renee Olstead - Sunday Kind Of Love
Just The Way You Are - Harry Connick, Jr.
Two of the Masters
Dinah Shore, w/ Andre Previn on piano
The Greatest of them all:
The Chairman of the Board, Ol' Blue Eyes
Frank Sinatra - I get a kick out of you
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Comments
Thanks for that!
After seeing a movie called The Company, which had a soundtrack of several versions of Funny Valentine, I downloaded about 12 different versions--but never heard the Dinah Shore one before.
What about Diana Krall and Madeline Parouix (I probably mangled her name)?
I don't think standards will ever die.
This music is classic and uniquely American.
Check out Kurt Elling also. He moves all over the jazz map, but his take on the Great American Songbook is terrific. I also like Roberta Gambarini, who I heard live with Mark O'Connor's hot jazz band. Totally fab.
Buble and Olstead I'd not heard before. He's nice. She . . . jury's still out for me. She obviously has an amazing amount of talent for one so young, but I wish she'd spend more time singing the notes the masters wrote.
Another name to add, not as young as those three, but a fav for us: Michael Feinstein. Has the emotional range to do from tender and aching to sprightly. His Pure Gershwin, his first album, is pure gold.
But that brings me to, I'm sorry to say, a complaint.
Monte, Monte, Monte
No Gershwin songs! How can that be!!!!!
Those of you who like singers like Diana Krall and the others should dig out some of their vids and post them and we could get a thing going, an impromptu Open Call, where we posted our favorite Standards singers. I, for instance, love Krall but think of her more as a Jazz singer, but her standards work is fine, fine. Would love to have someone post their favorite songs of hers.
But, hey, you can't do it all in one post or on just one blog. There are so many good singers and so many great songs that no one person can put them all in one post and expect anyone to read, listen to, it.
So how about it, guys and gals? Let's get a little American Standards (Great American Song Book type) singers invasion going here on OS. Spend a little time off of politics, and in my case, religion, and just share the joy of this often overlooked genre of music.
Thanks SO MUCH for your comments, and for your passion, about the music that touched the soul of several generations of people. I know now that it will not die out. It may never be huge again, but it is in many ways timeless.
Monte
(Can you tell that I am excited!)
There was a band called the Cherry Poppin' Daddy's from about ten years ago that reintroduced swing music. They had one big CD of the same name. If you've never heard of them, go Googling. I think you would like them. Some of there lyrics are a bit raw, but nothing that you wouldn't here on a movie of the week.
That said, Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks for this. Rated.
One more I would add is Norah Jones. She's writing some stuff that could be considered standards and she's 100% original and authentic. She opened for Clark Terry at the Blue Note in Manhattan just before she broke big and I got to see her. I didn't know she was Ravi Shankar's daughter when I saw her. I went to see Mr. Terry. She never used her dad's last name to get a leg up. I love that about her. She's a crooner with soul.
What's really sad is we have no Ella Fitzgeralds or Aretha Franklins either. All the performers of soul, R&B and jazz of today aren't as well known except for the Beyonce's and Mary J. Blige and in my opinion neither can hold a candle. All the young singers just want to see how many runs they can do with their voice. Ella was pure bliss and Aretha is one of a kind. The queen of jazz along with Billie Holliday and the queen of soul...
RATED
Have a great 4th.
I must admit that I have a hard time with anyone new singing the old standards. I guess should work on being more open-minded. Thanks for the recommendations.
Blessings and Peace,
And as it is now the 4th, Happy Independence Day!
Monte
It took a little time but no real effort to put this post together. I am working on some more thoughtful things and hope to publish again sometime later in the week. I have a lot of non OS things on my plate this week and will not be reading much, so forgive me for that please.
Monte
Monte
In the St. Louis area we enjoy the talents of Erin Bode. It would be too confining to say she is a jazz or standards singer, though her live appearances reflect both. She is an accomplished songwriter in her own right and a great performer. Check her out on her website, as well as myspace and amazon. You will not be disappointed.
Monte