Best female vocals on CD

Having just caught up with this post, I am going to break some of the truce. But there is an important point here. For those of us deep into jazz, there is something about jazz that many audiophiles do not get. Jazz is cerebral as well as emotional, and can be more cerebral than classical music because it can more readily break new ground. Craig, I am with Rayhall and Srama on this one, and guys - don't give way on this. Jazz is about the creative use of instruments, not just about pleasant sounds. I can enjoy listening to a Dianna Krall record - perhaps as much as you do Craig. The voice can sound wonderful and the recordings are very good. But to someone into jazz, there is a whole lot more that music can offer - like my post above acknowledging lots of nice voices listed here, but few great singers - there is a difference. To someone into their jazz for the delight of new interpretations or new ground, Dianna Krall is decidedly average - she is akin to very good candy-floss - fine in the right setting, but not the same thing as creme brulee. I have had trouble trying not to sound "superior" about this, and have probably failed. I really hope this does not offend anybody who really likes Dianna Krall, especially Craig - but there is a whole different world to jazz singing that is, for some of us, the best thing this hobby offers, but which the likes of Dianna Krall does not have the rare skills to enter.

Hi Redkiwi; I appreciate your response and explanation about what it is that jazz lovers really appreciate. As noted above, I'm not into jazz, in fact my entire jazz collection consists of a few Natalie Cole, Nat King Cole, and now some Diana Krall CDs. Further, I delete the "up-tempo" music on jazz CDs. Also a few Barbra Streisand CDs if jazz wants to claim her. I do have a lot of Ray Charles, but it's for his soul, rock, and ballads-- I delete the jazzy stuff. In short, I have little expertise or interest in the genre, and thus not much to contribute. After reading some of these posts (re: jazz) it occurred to me that I may like Dianna Krall's jazz/ballads because they are very "unjazz" like, and more like pop ballads??? Blues, Soul, rock, pop, newage, and even some C/W are mainly what move me, and unlike Redkiwi (and I think Rayhall, and Srama), I'm not often into the cerebral aspects of music, but prefer the emotional side much more. This post is sort of personal, but it gives me a chance to respond to Rayhall, Srama, as well as Redkiwi. Cheers, Craig.

....I should add that I know the dividing line between blues and jazz is very fine, and crossover is common, eg I recognize the great talent of B.B. King in both blues and jazz, but he is not one of my favorites in blues. Give me Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, and Etta James-- PURE BLUES. Thanks again. Craig.

Very succinctly and eloquently stated, Redkiwi. I will nominate someone outside of Jazz whom I have not seen mentioned: Aretha Franklin. Maybe she doesn't belong in this thread because I find her CD's to be sonically not the best and she has clearly lost a lot off her voice in recent years... but in her time, as a singer who could sing in any genre, hit all the notes and still carry the audience with her, there was no one better. She also has had one of the longest careers of any female singer which is some evidence that she belongs way up there. I would say that some of her greatest work is not all that well known, even though she has sold a ton of records. Some of those big sellers were unremarkable. I put her at the top of my list just below Ella Fitzgerald. I would say that in rating singers, a mixture of things count for me, Craig. Their technical and vocal ability for sure (my analytical side). The songs they choose to sing. Are the lyrics about something to which I can relate? Their ability to bring something new and original to an old song. Does this originality improve or freshen the song? Lastly, do the music and vocals excite or grab me? With no disrespect to anyone else's method of judgment, it takes several of these ingredients in various combination to get my musical attention.

Rayhall; Aretha Franklin (early) is truly one of the best, and glad to see we agree on her. Craig