Vocalists hold an interesting and endearing position in the jazz world. When an instrumentalist improvises or even plays a melody, they are leaving their message up for interpretation. A vocalist can share the meaning behind a melody with exact precision, simply because they are using lyrics. They still have the same set of musical tools at their command - phrasing, dynamics, interplay, and more - but they also have the strength of the written word supporting their performance. Sharing meaning in a tangible way makes an instant connection with an audience; a good jazz singer makes such a strong connection that they can often hold an audience in the palm of their hands. Audience members naturally remember this connection fondly and many times they become major fans of that jazz singer. As a result, vocalists hold the potential of becoming the most adored musicians in jazz. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn . . . all the way up to modern singers like Diana Krall - they all hold a fond spot in the hearts of jazz lovers around the world.
Latin Jazz singers share the power of lyrics, but they face a whole set of additional challenges. Much of the jazz world is listening with their ears tuned to the English language, which doesn’t always fit as the most natural combination for Latin music. Vocalists need to bridge the gap between the English listening audience and the cultural aesthetics of Latin music. In some cases, this may mean finding a meaningful English lyric over a Cuban rhythm or simply forgoing the jazz audience and sticking with Spanish or Portuguese lyrics. At the same time, Spanish lyrics set up a listener expectation for salsa dancing, which often dilutes the music’s jazz element. Riding the blurry line between salsa and Latin Jazz doesn’t always best serve the Latin Jazz vocalist, as opportunities for improvisation diminish and their personalities get lost in the aesthetics of popular music. Latin Jazz vocalists really need to take an honest look at their options, history, and influences; they need to weigh these elements and take an organic path towards individual styles and sounds.
More singers are tackling the issues surrounding vocal Latin Jazz, creating distinctive musical personalities with their performances and recordings. They are applying creative problem solving to audience perception, language barriers, and artistic vision; the resultant musical settings are powerful testaments to their musicality. By all means, these artists are becoming an important piece of the Latin Jazz lineage. The strength of their musical presentation is gaining momentum, as they stand alongside their instrumental peers as authentic ambassadors of Latin Jazz. These singers are making significant statements in today’s Latin Jazz world - they need to be heard in any study of contemporary Latin Jazz. I’ve given a brief summary of their careers and a current album - take a chance to check them out!
Latin Jazz singers share the power of lyrics, but they face a whole set of additional challenges. Much of the jazz world is listening with their ears tuned to the English language, which doesn’t always fit as the most natural combination for Latin music. Vocalists need to bridge the gap between the English listening audience and the cultural aesthetics of Latin music. In some cases, this may mean finding a meaningful English lyric over a Cuban rhythm or simply forgoing the jazz audience and sticking with Spanish or Portuguese lyrics. At the same time, Spanish lyrics set up a listener expectation for salsa dancing, which often dilutes the music’s jazz element. Riding the blurry line between salsa and Latin Jazz doesn’t always best serve the Latin Jazz vocalist, as opportunities for improvisation diminish and their personalities get lost in the aesthetics of popular music. Latin Jazz vocalists really need to take an honest look at their options, history, and influences; they need to weigh these elements and take an organic path towards individual styles and sounds.
More singers are tackling the issues surrounding vocal Latin Jazz, creating distinctive musical personalities with their performances and recordings. They are applying creative problem solving to audience perception, language barriers, and artistic vision; the resultant musical settings are powerful testaments to their musicality. By all means, these artists are becoming an important piece of the Latin Jazz lineage. The strength of their musical presentation is gaining momentum, as they stand alongside their instrumental peers as authentic ambassadors of Latin Jazz. These singers are making significant statements in today’s Latin Jazz world - they need to be heard in any study of contemporary Latin Jazz. I’ve given a brief summary of their careers and a current album - take a chance to check them out!
