I'm after some mood music........ i am thinking a female vocalist, smoky piano bar style, maybe husky but doesn't have to be.

Remember that Get Smart episode where 99 sang at that smoky bar......choker round her neck , sexy sultry tones......

I'd like the vocals to be out front with a minimal of other noises....... I am thinking a tinkling piano or other non-intrusive instruments........


hope thats not too hard :D

I recommend Margo timmins in the band
"COWBOY JUNKIES" try the recording
The trinity sessions-great stuff,Sluggo

Patricia Barber "Blue Cafe"

There's this hot black chick that sings a song during the end credits of "The Whole Nine Yards". Sounds great. Name is Stephanie Biddle singing "They all Laughed".

Norah Jones?
Too obvious,I know....
Jimmy

A little off the beaten path, Abby Lincoln, I like her style.

Early Diana Krall.

Check out Sarah Partridge.

No, she's not from the Partridge family.

RC

Anita Baker.
Good luck

One song by Tori Amos...Leather...Is all you asked for and more..:banana:

Holly Cole, Diana Krall, Eva Cassidy (especially "Drowning in a Sea of Love" and "You've Changed"), Patricia Barber, Robin McKelle, Neko Case (especially her middle albums), Cassandra Wilson, a few from the newest album by Kaki King, and some Norah Jones. Those are a few to get you started.:music:

I second Diana Krall, also some of Sarah Vaughn's recordings.

Early Diana Krall.

Yup! :thmbsp:

Not quite piano bar but somewhat dry husky voice. Beth Orton.

There are some great recomendations above. Let me add Christy Baron who records on the Chesky label.

so what albums are EARLY Krall?,


Did a search......... getting "stepping Out"

Might I suggest Julie London? I believe one of her better "greatest hits" packages is entitled "Time for Love" or something like that. One listen to her hit song "Cry Me a River" is guaranteed to do things to you! She makes these newer so-called jazz singers sound like a bunch of wannabee little girls.

getting diana krall, Julie London, cowboy junkies, patricia barber........ THANKS!

jeffn: Your choices are most excellent!

I second Holly Cole:thmbsp:

Mary Fahl?

I really like Madeleine Peyroux's CD "Careless Love"
Buy Diana Krall in SACD it's worth the money.

so what albums are EARLY Krall?,


Did a search......... getting "stepping Out"

That's probably my favorite.

All For You and Love Scenes is very good too. The newer the stuff the more it sounds cranked out.

The music especially the bass is a good way to test your system.

For a different flavor, you may also want to check out Julia Lee.
She recorded for Capitol in the '40s and '50s, was a lounge singer extraordinaire and specialized in saucy, double entendre jumpin' blues ("Snatch and Grab It," "King Size Papa," as well as standards). There's a great Bear Family collection on her if you can find it.

Hey hey don't forget

Dusty Springfield
Nancy Sinatra
Diana Ross
Natalie Cole
Joyce Cooling

Chris Connor (on Bethlehem & early Atlantic labels)
Kitty White (Mercury/Emarcy label)
Lurleen Hunter
Carmen McRae

For a bit of that 60s savoir-faire, you should hear...

Francoise Hardy
France Gall
Sylvie Vartan
Claudette Longine

And so many more. Marianne Faithfull had moments of quiet "piano bar" style brilliance, too, especially late in her career, e.g., 1987's "Strange Weather".

Most of Julie Londons material ( remember "Cry me a River") She is sultry smoky

Carmen McRae did some really good material of the type you're looking to obtain. Carmen was in the mode of Ella, and, Sarah Vaughn. She did a lot of her own piano to go with her vocals.

Patricia Scot's album "Once around the Clock" is one of the best I've heard.

There is no doubt that June Tabor's "Some Other Time" on the Hannibal label fits your bill perfectly.

Go to www.pandora.com and create a Carmen McRae or Sarah Vaughan station.

Norma Winstone on "Well Kept Secret" ref ENOCD-003 and Susanne Abbuehl on "Compass" ECM 987 1934

I like Dianna Kralls, "Girl in the Other Room". Alittle more up beat. Or not necessarily smokey voice, try Sade, her greatest hits.

I really like Madeleine Peyroux's CD "Careless Love"
Buy Diana Krall in SACD it's worth the money. I second the Madeleine Peyroux. Great album and a audiophile quality recording. :thmbsp:

janis joplin..cheap thrills... heard the cd last night, first time in years and years...bluesy..janis at her very best...

Fiona Apple... TIDAL. The song "Slow Like Honey" will melt you down big time!

Amazing sounding CD too.... (IMHO).
MD

Another French entry would be Juliette Greco. I picked up a nice Phillips release from the mid '60s entitled This Is Juliette Greco.

Ditto on the Julie London...her album covers were pretty smokin' too. If you want something a little more current, I've been listening an awful lot lately to Stacey Kent. Her Dreamsville release is very good.

Tough to beat Shirley Horn.

Oh, yeah. Julie London. "Her Name Is Julie", 1955. Electric guitar, Bass guitar, Julie. That's all you need. Makes all that came after look like pikers. The cover photo was risque for then, tame now, but oozes sex appeal in a way that today's vulgarities can never hope to attain...

Fiona Apple... TIDAL. The song "Slow Like Honey" will melt you down big time!

Amazing sounding CD too.... (IMHO).
MD

Ditto! Or Oleta Adams?

Craig

This is a great thread, and lots of good recommendations have been made. I ill also put a plug in for Madeleine Peyroux, but will add Cheryl Bentyne, Carman Mcrae, Etta James, Renee Olstead, and Tierney Sutton.

But, My absolute favorite from the past year that I have really enjoyed is Stacy Kent. Not sultry, but if you start with "Dreamsville" from 2001, you too will become a fan.

Ditto on the Oleta...she's GOOD! And ditto as well for Holly Cole, Madeline Peyroux...and check out "Humming To Myself" from my secret love...Linda Ronstadt. Linda does some lesser-know standards with a small combo. Love it. And Julie London? Those album covers fueled many youthful fantasies. Wasn't she married to Jack Webb? Lucky dude.

Hadda dig for this gem, Vicki Martin "A Handful of Dust" on Finer Arts records 60 s. Glencoe st. Denver CO. Any older Denver folks remember her? Hard to find I'm sure, I bought it for the cover, then fell in love with her, haven't found anything else by her though:no: Great recording!

Craig

Melody Gardot ~ Worrisome Heart.


http://www.mymusic.com/product.asp?curr=0&muzenbr=1011755

Over The Rhine, "The Trumpet Child"
The name is out there but man can she sing.

Melody Gardot ~ Worrisome Heart.


http://www.mymusic.com/product.asp?curr=0&muzenbr=1011755
:thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

Lots of great recommendations, particularly like the Melody Gardot debut.

Here's a few more I haven't seen listed.

Anjani
Amanda McBroom
Jacintha

Julie was married to Jack Webb & Bobby Troup-at different times, obviously- during her life. But they all must have got along, as Jack had both of 'em in his TV show, "Emergency !" I think it was called. Bobby played a doctor, Julie played a nurse named Dixie McCall, IIRC.

I nominate Peggy Lee's So Blue.

Rita Reys

+1 on Julie London

Ricky Lee Jones,Carly Simon,Bette Midler, Oh and that communist b***h Barbara Striesand.

Ricky Lee Jones,Carly Simon,Bette Midler, Oh and that communist b***h Barbara Striesand.

OMG I didn't even think about Bette:bash: No that means a:whip:'n!!!!
k.d. lang if she smoked would be very nice!!
As for Bab's, poor thing lives in her own private hell. Can you imagine having perfect pitch, unless it was an LP on the $70,000 Rockport rig she'd run screaming from the room,(smiley with weird,crazed look on its face pulling hair out)

Craig

Julie London - Cry Me a River

I always got a kick outta what Mad Magazine called Babs- "Bubbe Strident".

Some down dudes here, IMO. Saw Chris Conner at a club in Chicago years ago and some guy in the audience requested Something Cool to which she replied "uh, no, that was the other Chris . . CHRISTY". Bet she got that a lot. All About Ronnie is a great song by her. It's about a woman, I think. Julie London is from this day, getting some play here, along with June Christy and Anita O'Day along with our finest black female singers. In more recent time, You Won't Forget Me by Shirley Horne (mentioned previously) on Verve is a wonderful disc by her along with very good and intimate sound. Miles put some playing in on the title tune, the last thing he ever recorded I've read. If You Go will positively kill you. No bar owner would allow her play this song if they were smart. People would be too spellbound to drink.

Faye Richmonde
Pearl Bailey

Hi,

Why not some Julie London? "Julie Is Her Name" for starters. I like Eartha Kitt well on this material and Sarah Vaughan here.