Patricia Barber...

[frenchmon]

...I was turned on to her by LeRoy and I think she is one of the great ladies of today's Jazz music...and just like me, thousands don't know who she is or have heard of her. She also has a ton of music out there. Here is one clip of her if you don't know who she is...

Patricia Barber Quartet "Norwegian Wood" - YouTube

[JohnMichael]

I am a fan. She does the best "Miss Otis Regrets" I have heard. She is one artist I need to have more of her music.

[Luvin Da Blues]

I can't remember who (Brian?) sent me a PB disk a few years back. Been a big fan since. She's my go to girl when I feel like some nice vocal jazz.

[frenchmon]

Hey JM....this is one of my all time favorites by Shirley Horn...have you heard it? Its on her Summer CD.

Shirley Horn trio "estate".mov - YouTube


Summer

Estate
You bathe me in the glow of your caresses
You turn my timid no's to eager yesses
You sweep away my sorrow with your sigh

Estate
Oh how your golden sunlight bends the willow
Your blossoms send their perfume to my pillow
Oh who could know you half as well as I

Always feel you near me
In every song the morning breeze composes
In all the tender wonder of the roses
Each time the setting sun smiles on the sea

Estate
And when you sleep beneath a snowy cover
I'll keep you in my heart just like a lover
And wait until you come again to me

Estate

[mlsstl]

I'm in the camp that isn't particularly moved by Barber. To me, she overplays the pretentious, laconic "cool" factor a bit too much. However, I do give her kudos for consistently having great musicians in her group.I find things much more interesting when she's not singing... ;-)

[blackraven]

I sadly missed her appearance at the Dakota Jazz club here last month.

[frenchmon]

I do think shes not a very good singer...but neither is Neil Young and I love his stuff as well...but having said that, I do understand your sentiments

[mlsstl]

I do think shes not a very good singer...but neither is (fill in the blank....)

There are a lot of singers I like that, by a number of standards, aren't traditionally "great" singers. Their voice may not have the purity, clarity, power, pitch perfection or whatever else one might wish, but they can still be enormously engaging to those who appreciate their style.

Besides Neil Young, look at Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and many others - nothing about their voices really reflects anything one would put on a list for a "great" voice, but many of us happen to love what they do with what they do have.

In Patricia Barber's case, her style just doesn't resonate with me. It's not that I dislike her voice or music - I'm rather blase about her - but I do scratch my head as to what others find so interesting about her.

One can only chalk it up to the oddities of personal taste.

[LeRoy]

There are a lot of singers I like that, by a number of standards, aren't traditionally "great" singers. Their voice may not have the purity, clarity, power, pitch perfection or whatever else one might wish, but they can still be enormously engaging to those who appreciate their style.

Besides Neil Young, look at Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and many others - nothing about their voices really reflects anything one would put on a list for a "great" voice, but many of us happen to love what they do with what they do have.

In Patricia Barber's case, her style just doesn't resonate with me. It's not that I dislike her voice or music - I'm rather blase about her - but I do scratch my head as to what others find so interesting about her.

One can only chalk it up to the oddities of personal taste.

I do enjoy PB's music, voice, style, etc....but I have to be in the mood for her music....at times I do think she goes overboard on the gloom and doom lyrics but her delivery is pun intended...deliberately crass.

I find Cafe Blue particularly a real treat to listen to... her overall musicianship...her keyboarding is to my ears flawless, and her vocal range is amazing to me....then throw in she is the band leader too...PB is the whole package.

I understand she is not everyone's cup of musical tea though.

[frenchmon]

Hey!!!! I love Armstrongs voice! Pops can sing man!

EDIT: Just to clear things up a bit....PBarber when singing is no Ella Fitzgerald, but no one is Ella....but Barber hits all the notes and does have good range. IF you dont listen to her as she hits the notes and goes up and down the scale, the tone of her voice will be a little odd. But after you listen to her hit her notes, her voice seems to be more appealing. That has been my experience.

[mlsstl]

... But after you listen to her hit her notes, her voice seems to be more appealing. That has been my experience.

Classic mistake. You're assuming that you can talk someone else into appreciating an artist to the same degree as you. That's generally not a productive exercise. ;-)

[frenchmon]

Really?? I had no idea I was doing that..
.sorry to give you that idea...all I was doing was giving you my experience.

[hifitommy]

i first heard patricia on the radio and felt strongly motivated to hear more. modern cool was the album at the time and now i have nearly her whole catalog. her first-a distortion of love-is certainly worth snagging and cafe blue is a solid goldmine.

i saw her live in long beach california a few years ago and would not hesitate to fork over more cash to see her again. unfortunately she doesnt wander much and chicago is where to see her frequently at the green mill where kurt elling performs a lot.

its funny, either you like her a lot or not so much. i am in the 'a lot' camp as well as the same for kurt elling. he is another thats people definitely polarize over.

[RGA]

I am in the non fan camp. Technically good but uninvolving - a number of stereo systems are like that I suppose.

I much prefer someone like Sophie Milman. More soul IMO.

Sophie Milman - I can't make you love me - YouTube

[hifitommy]

she has an entirely different style as does stacy kent or diana krall. patricia isnt my only choice of female singer.

i am also taken by shirley horn. i like a lot of karyn allison's output but jane monheit only a bit.

[RGA]

Yes you are correct about style - perhaps I need to listen to someone who sings a similar style - but I never could get into Patricia Barber - it sounds all over - slow and nothing I can latch onto. I played Cafe Blue so many times to try and get it but I never could.

[hifitommy]

when i was at brooks berdan's store, he expressed that he just couldnt get into it. todd krieger at aa cant get kurt elling either so nobody can like everything you enoy hearing.

its like esperanza spalding, she can play her instrument for me but i would rather she not sing.

[Woochifer]

Caught the tail end of one of her sets in Chicago at the legendary Green Mill a few years ago (don't know if she still has her Monday night residency, but that club is a mandatory visit if any of you are ever in Chicago). From what I understand, those live shows can veer off into any number of directions, because she had a residency and could experiment with different arrangements and set lists every week. The night I saw her, the band was doing all sorts of crazy free-form improvising. Not much in the way of singing, but a lot of great ensemble playing. Very impressive stuff. Also, I think any assessment of Barber also needs to account for her prowess as an improviser and arranger.

[JoeE SP9]

I've only got one of her recordings. If Cafe' Blue is indicative of her musical style I'm kind of underwhelmed. I do like Yellow Car II a lot.

[hifitommy]

back to Shirley Horn. that could be a whole 'nother thread. her ability to sing glacially slow and still swing was unmatched.

i first was attracted to her when i heard the title tune 'you wont forget me' while driving to work in the dark at 0615 and i first hear miles' trumpet and thought: "oboy, another new miles record".

then she devastated me with her low moan of the key words-'you wont forget me'. great GOOGELYMOOGELY! i was hooked! that album and the ones that followed it became nearly an obsession for me to obtain.

[JoeE SP9]

back to Shirley Horn. that could be a whole 'nother thread. her ability to sing glacially slow and still swing was unmatched.

i first was attracted to her when i heard the title tune 'you wont forget me' while driving to work in the dark at 0615 and i first hear miles' trumpet and thought: "oboy, another new miles record".

then she devastated me with her low moan of the key words-'you wont forget me'. great GOOGELYMOOGELY! i was hooked! that album and the ones that followed it became nearly an obsession for me to obtain.

Thanks for the tip about Shirley Horn. Any specific LP's or CD's that you recommend?

[hifitommy]

oh yeah, the album i mentioned-you won't forget me (the title song is buried at cut #13 but thats what the skip button is for. you will want to hear that cut first when you get the disc.

actually ANY of her records are worth acquiring but you can start with the verves starting in '88. the main ingredient is maybe the second and here's to life with her singing johnny mandel songs is next. then wing it.

enjoy.

[frenchmon]

Shirley Horn is one of my favorites. No one....I mean no one does ballads any better in my opinion. And she is a classically trained pianist. As she moved away from classical she said Oscar Peterson became my Rachmaninov, and Ahmad Jamal became my Debussy. I love her. When she died the jazz world really lost a great one.

[blackraven]

WOW! I just listened to Shirley Horn on CD Universe. Totally awesome voice. I will be ordering a few of her CD's as well as her Hybrid SACD-Here's to Life. I have a nice expanding vocal jazz collection and her music will be a nice addition.

[frenchmon]

WOW! I just listened to Shirley Horn on CD Universe. Totally awesome voice. I will be ordering a few of her CD's as well as her Hybrid SACD-Here's to Life. I have a nice expanding vocal jazz collection and her music will be a nice addition.

Wait till you get her on that AVA hybrid.....her voice has that warm rich sound that will be great with tubes.