Maria Muldaur. Her version of “Santa Baby” is easily the best.
I can’t help you, but can you enlighten me on what “torch-ey” means and where it comes from?
I saw Nicole Atkins singing “The Way it Is” a few years ago on Letterman’s show and fell in love with her voice immediately (the Letterman clip is also on YouTube). She’s only released two albums, the first of which (Neptune City) is pretty good, the second (Mondo Amore) not as good, but still worth a listen.
Dianne Schuur.
Would Julia Fordham count?
God, no matter how many times I see her doing that it gives me chills: truly a masterclass on How It’s Done.
I’ll second Nicole Atkins. Check out that letterman clip. It’s amazing.
And I love Eva Cassidy, but she is sadly, no longer with us.
And consider Renee Olstead:
Not to mention Corinne Bailey Rae:
Speaking of, my Pandora ‘Imelda May’ channel did me the favor of introducing me to Devil Doll which may (for some songs) fit the OP.
She’s featured on **Jeff Beck’s Rock n’ Roll Party **CD/DVD featuring rockabilly and Les Paul-type 40’s pop-jazz. Really good.
another vote for k. d. lang
See what I did there?
Thank you!
For a real old-school shiver, Carmel McCourt’s “Bad Day” is a great listen, even though she doesn’t have your typical torch voice.
Try Jevetta Steele’s pretty amazing “Calling You” too.
The Style Council’s “Paris Match” (with Everything But The Girl’s Tracey Thorn on vocals) was always a go-to torch song on my old radio show.
Well if you are going to mention Tracy Thorn, then surely you must mention ‘Missing’. Maybe a little bit too up tempo but here is a slower version
I can’t think of a particular Mary Black song, but she must have something in her repertoire - this one would not quite be it but its still pretty fine all the same
I imagine Natalie Marchant has something but just can’t think of anything at the moment.
Shame you have to stick to living artists - listen to Sandy Denny - a song about leaving someone - getting to the point of decision
Barring Keith Richards, of course.
Of course - hence the “rarely,” as opposed to “never.”