Greetings Jazz Vocalists:
I'm Jim Spencer, an LA industry artist developer and jazz vocal coach with 30 years performing and teaching experience. I'm also a jazz music programmer for the international radio podcasts COCKTAIL NATION at cocktailnation.net. The show has free podcasts with interviews with jazz vocalists, and is a retro cocktail lounge style show playing: jazz vocalists, cocktail pianists, easy listening orchestral, movie soundtracks and tiki exotica. I highly recommend this show for new jazz vocalists to discover 1000s of new recording jazz vocalists artists and legends.
Some thoughts for new jazz vocalists:
1. COLLECT JAZZ FAKE/REAL BOOKS: Many jazz leads can be downloaded for free from the internet. Others may be purchased at your local music store or on Amazon. Jazz fake books are your first introduction to Great American Songbook repertoire. You will want to become a master of knowing the following:
(song, composer/lyricist, if the song was featured in a musical, decade of the song, and any artists associated with recording the song) Here is an example: "My Funny Valentine" from the musical BABES IN ARMS by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart (1930s). Famous jazz recording Chet Baker.
2. Work WITH YOUR VOCAL COACH ON JAZZ STYLING: This means everything from mic technique, to delayed vibrato, head resonance timbre, portamento/slide, riffs and improvs. Vocal jazz covers many sub-genres such as: swing, scat, bop, cool/torch song, smooth jazz, acid jazz/r and b, bossa nova/Latin
3. PICK UP MY BOOK THE LOUNGE MUSIC COMPANION: My 500 page encyclopedia includes 1000s of bio entries with discography for jazz vocalists. The back of the book has very rare interviews with some of my jazz vocalist colleagues and friends such as: Sue Raney, Anne Phillips, Lola Albright and many others.
4. Build your jazz vocal listening library or add artists to your streaming. Listen to vocalist daily.
5. It is imperative your vocal coach also teach your jazz music theory, chord symbols, and other aspects of theory such as modality, riffing, pentatonic scales, blues scales and improv.
6. WATCH THE KEN BURN"S JAZZ SERIES: This is now avail. to watch on NETFLIX, AMAZON PRIME and YOUTUBE. Study study study the history of jazz!
7. SEEK OUT AND NETWORK WITH OTHER JAZZ ARTISTS: Attend jazz clubs, music festivals etc where you can hear jazz and become inspired. Network with other jazz performers, and jazz students.
8. VOCAL HEALTH: The best vocalists that have long careers, eat healthy (mostly plant based vegan), avoid alcohol, smoking and other vices). One only needs to listen to to stylists like Julie London in 1955, and then in 1975 after years of heavy smoking and booze to hear the damage down to the voice. Same for Sinatra in the early 1940s years with Tommy Dorsey compared to towards the end of his life. YOUR VOCAL HEALTH HIS MOST IMPORTANT!
9. Find a routine that works for you. Set up a quite practice space. Stay consistent with your practice.
10. Invest in a karaoke system or good mic and amp. Jazz artists need to learn how to use a mic correctly. Ask your vocal coach for tips.
Wishing you all great creativity.
Send me a private message or request me as jazz vocal instructor . I teach online as well as at my vocal studio in Long Beach CA (South LA County)
