[jtyler]

I want to practice a few songs that I can play sax for most of it, then sing some vocals at the end. I want them to be like Frank Sinatra's The Best is Yet to Come. I haven't found many jazz songs with vocals that I particularly like other than that one. If anyone has any suggestions, thanks.

 

[waroffn]

I heard a great jazz guitarist/vocalist named Jimi Tunnell the other night in Denton TX. He sang a chorus of the beautiful ballad, "My One and Only Love", and played tasteful guitar at times. It was groovy, baby. It wasn't very much like Sinatra but it was very sensitive and sexy.

 

[jrvinson45]

If you like Frank, you have to do "in Other Word"/Fly Me To The Moon"

"Cry Me A River" is pretty easy.

"Little Girl Blue" is wistful and kinda nice.

We're talking Great American Songbook here... Maybe you want something less ripe...

How about Al Jarreau's We're In This Love Together there some backing tracks out there for that including Jamie Aebersold's.

"''Round Midnight" works for a lot of people too.

Heck I'd do any or all of them except... I can't sing worth a whit.

 

[tenoreleven]

Jazz Blues Songs with Vocals

paging louis jordan...

 

[Jazzaferri]

Check out John Coltrane and johnny Hartmans. My one and only love. Its not a blues though

Are you looking for blues forms or sad ballads

 

[scargo]

How about "I'm Through With Love" (I like Monheit's version) or "Since I Fell for You" (Vereen/Sanborne)

 

[haddock]

My suggestion is Sugar in my bowl, Nina Simone.

 

[jaker]

TOM WAITS TOM WAITS TOM WAITS TOM WAITS TOM WAITS. pretty much everything he did up to -82

 

[Jazz Is All]

Check out Bill Henderson for some great vocals. I feel in love with this guy's singing in the 60's and still think he's one of the best, but sadly he never got the recognition he should have and is unknown to most people.

 

[Jazz Is All]

A song that is a real grabber is Nature Boy. I don't know if it's strictly a blues, but it sure has a melancholy and blue feeling to it. I like this version by the late Abbey Lincoln, which has some great trumpet and sax (Roy Hargrove and Julien Lourau) on it too.

Along the same lines is Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life, although it's clearly not an easy song to sing well. The classic version of it is Johnny Hartman's with Trane, but surprisingly Donna Summer did an excellent version on her album "Donna Summer" that proved she wasn't just a disco diva. Quincy Jones produced it and it features some great musicians, including Ernie Watts on saxes. Check it out too for some ideas.