Best of Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan

I just heard on my local NPR station a one hour tribute to Etta Jones. What an amazing voice! I wasn't familiar with her work, but she could sing blues and bluesy-jazz songs like no other woman that I've heard. She is now on my list as one of my all-time favorites. Right up there with Ella, Dyna, Sarah and the other greats mentioned.

Sherod, If you haven't already done so, the recording I mentioned above is a great place to start. Obviously I agree with your assessment! :-)

Thank you Newbee. I wanted to buy a Cd, but I wasn't sure which one would be a good start. In this NPR tribute, they played some songs that she was accompanied by her saxophone friend and partner, Houston Person. They seemed to click together to make really nice music.

Gershwin Live - Sarah Vaughan and Michael Tilson Thomas with the Los Angeles Philharmonic is spectacular. A grand voice with a stellar orchestra.

Here's a second vote for Ella Fitzgerald's The Harold Arlen Songbook, particularly her version of Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love). Her phrasing of the vowel sounds in that song is especially seductive.

Jim Crane