Scat. Not what you think.

Cafe Society
#1

I’m talkin’ 'bout jazz scat. Not an expert on it, nor can I do it, but I love, love, love it!

I just needed to post this vid of a 1969 Ella Fitzgerald performance that I’d never seen before. Wow. About halfway through the performance the band stops playing and she wows the audience. In my mind, the band (unseen) is behind her in silent worship: “We’re not worthy!” She’s really something.

I want more. Share your favorite scat. Of the musical variety, please.

#2

Ella’s great and hard to top. It takes at least three people to do what she could do.

Expecially if the three are Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross.

Here’s Annie Ross with her signature number, twisted.

#3

Excellent choice. I’ve heard *Twisted *before, but I’d not seen Ross’s performance. Very funny.

#4

I loves me some Ella! I never understood scat…always thought it was just meaningless gibberish. Then one day I really listened to the Lady do it, and I understood. She was several instruments at once.

#5

Jon Hendricks is hard to beat: fastest tongue in music. Nina Simone has some good moments.

#6

Kurt Elling’s pretty good at scat, though vocalese is more his thing.

#7

Scat. That’s what I used to call it. Before the web. Now I call “freestyle jazz vocal”. Thanks, Internet. :frowning:

#8

Anita Baker has touched on some scat moments in some of her songs that lead me to believe the lady was definitely holding back. No Ella F. but then who else is.

#9

I’d be willing to bet that anyone who enjoys jazz scat, also enjoys vocalese as referenced by the link to Annie Ross.

#10

One bit of trivia about the song: Ross wrote the lyrics, but she took the tune pretty much note by note from a saxophone solo by Wardell Grey (who is credited). The solo was never meant to be sung to, but she figured out how.

#11

Thanks for the info. After seeing your link, I googled her and came up with this 1990 Fresh Air interview on NPR. She’s got a lovely speaking voice as well.

After clip of the song is played, she talks about the fact that she was not in therapy when she wrote that song. (Just me or is that question pretty lame?)

#12

Cassandra Wilson, Blue Skies.

#13

There’s some scat at the end of Wilson doing 32-20 Blues.

#14

I dunno, I love Ella, but I guess I love her more when she’s slow and sentimental. See, I perceived the band (unseen) is behind her thinking, “shut the hell up you drunk bitch.” I even generally like scat but that performance annoyed me.

Diff’rent strokes and all.

#15

Aw man, you are so going to the Bad Place. :slight_smile:

It seemed unusual to me compared to what scat I’ve heard…Cassandra Wilson mostly, and unidentified stuff I hear late at night on the radio.