OPEN POST: Manor Music Monday With The Joyous Etta Jones!
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"What-whaaaaat, my bitches!" cries DJ Li'l Scratch at the Manor's "Tubesteak Lounge." Right now he's spinning Etta Jones. Yes, Jones. Etta Jones is not Etta James (let's clear that up right away).
Have you heard of her? I hadn't until my bestest galpal introduced me to her years ago, and I've been hooked on her ever since. She's another one of those singers who was popular with the public for a wee bit, then forgotten, then rediscovered to a certain extent through YouTube and blog sites in the early 2000s. But she's never been forgotten by jazz aficionados. They've been devoted all along.
Born in the 1920's and coming into her own professionally in the 40's and 50's, Etta endured long, grim years of struggle, toiling at rough factory jobs during the day, then performing at night with a 'who's who' of jazz performers. Years later, she partnered with sax legend Houston Person for nearly thirty years on the road, primarily for Black audiences, and with a non-stop schedule that took her all over the world until a mere two weeks before her death. Always the approachable diva, she was just as devoted to her fans as they were to her. Yet mass-market fame eluded her. She had only one hit, "Don't Go To Strangers," though she did earn three Grammy Awards.
So what do all those jazz aficionados know that we don't? You'll find out in 1962's "Hollar," my absolute favorite LP of hers. She's sometimes compared to Billie Holiday, but I've always found her smoother (something Holiday wasn't interested in), and more outwardly joyful, too.
The opening track below, entitled "And the Angels Sing," never fails to bring a smile to my face. She had her own way with tone and phrasing, too, and was likened in her heyday not other singers, but to horn players. You can hear that clearly in her take on "They Can't Take That Away From Me," in which she slides up, down and around the notes instead of hitting them straight on. It's just gorgeous.
What are you listening to right now? DJ Li'l Scratch wants to know! 🐾
Photo Credits: Getty Images
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