Jazz vocals recommendations please

Check out the "Modern day female jazz recommendations" thread in the What Do You Think sticky section if you have not already. Lots of good suggestions.

There are a lot of great suggestions here. For Eva Cassidy, I especially like Live at Blues Alley. Am currently listening to Imagine. So sad she left us so early.

Stacey Kent is one of my favorites, with her husband Jim Tomlinson on sax.

Premium Records out of Singapore has a series of Best Audiophile Voices CDs (4 CDs plus a Selections one) with a great collection of lesser known, as well as well known, artists. Recording quality is excellent. This type of compliation CD with major artists is very unusual. If nothing else, look at the artists for some very interesting options. Acoustic Sounds and Elusive Disc carry them, although they are often out of stock. Volume 1 is coming out on vinyl also.

Once you hear some of great suggestions here, it will be interesting to see how you feel Dianna Krall compares.

Just changed to Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane. Not many male vocalist like him around anymore. And the sax player is not bad either.

Klipsch,
This is mentioned on another thread.
Melody Gardot's second (and probably her first) album is terrific. She is on youTube if you want a sneek peek. She's in a video in the tub, (not R rated) just sensual, and her voice is (to my taste) better than Krall.
Of course I second Peterh, 'Ella, say no more'.
Also, Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderly, her first album and its with Cannonball. Circa 1962--It alternates one vocal, one instrumental. Cannonball's "I can't Get Started" is one of the finest examples of Alto Saxaphone playing I've ever heard.
Its a Capital release and was reissued. Should be available,
Good luck,
Larry

Agree - Ella is one of a kind and a necessary part of any discussion about vocalists. Add Louis Armstrong and you have a really unique pairing. Verve Jazz Masters 24: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong is a great start.

Wow, great responses!! I've tried Hope Waits, Tierney Sutton and re-familiarized myself with Rickie Lee Jones. First of all I'd like to STRONGLY recommend the Hope Waits CD. FANTASTIC sound quality, absolutely no digital "compression"; sounds like a living-room performance. Tierney Sutton has a beautiful voice, but I found the material suitable only for elevator rides. Rickie Lee is a pistol, but I think that Hope Waits has beat her at her own prog/rock/folk/blues game. Thanks all.

Yup, the Hope Waits is a reference recording of some marvelous music. Not a week goes by that I don't take a listen.