Jazz Songs?

[royalmess]

Posted: 7/20/18 at 1:20am

I have a solo performance coming up but my teacher is making everyone do Jazz songs. I'm clueless as to what to do. I like singing songs like 'I Can Do Better Than That' and 'Popular'. I think I'm a mezzo-soprano but I definitely feel more confident singing songs that don't go too high (like I Can Do Better Than That). I'm 16, if that makes a difference to my song choice.

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 7/20/18 at 7:04pm

I haven’t invested in The Last 5 Years, so I can’t say anything about your first option. But I wouldn’t meccasarily count Popular as jazzy; unless you’re talking about the jazz trio version. It’s a good choice though.

If you have to sing along with the routine, maybe Always True to you in My Fashion or Buddy Beware. Both are fairly age appropriate and a ton of fun, especially Buddy Beware.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 7/20/18 at 7:41pm

Since every song ever written (almost) is available on iTunes, you can do some research by sampling (without having to buy every song).

Check out any cut by Linda Lavin, Cleo Lane or Megan Mullally (I'm talking about their solo albums, not OBC recordings.) I'm not always sure how "jazz" is being defined, but I'd look for something where you sing off the beat (hopefully in syncopation) and include at least a bit of vocal improvisation. (Believe it or not, "Johnny One Note" was a jazz song in its day and is perfect for a teenager with a big belt.)

Some common songs for women that are given the "jazz treatment":

"Sing for Your Supper" - Rodgers & Hart, THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE

"I Can Cook, Too" - Bernstein, Comden & Green, ON THE TOWN (the lyrics here are mild double-entendres and may be too old for a 16-year-old; rather, I should say "too old for a teen's audience"--I'm sure the lyrics won't bother you)

"Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?" - I like Bobby Darin's version, but you might relate better to Ann-Margret's or Pearl Bailey's; just for fun, check out Darin's jazz version of "Artificial Flowers" from TENDERLOIN.

"You've got Possibilities" - from IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S SUPERMAN! It is sung by the aforementioned Linda Lavin as jazz on the OBC recording, and it's even jazzier on her solo albums.

On iTunes, check out a recording called "Female Jazz Vocals". These are old-timey recordings, but almost every song on it is now a standard and you can hear what jazz vocalists used to do with these songs. (I.e., they sing them in a jazz or swing style; it isn't progressive jazz or a lot of scatting.)

Any song from CITY OF ANGELS

Almost any song from WONDERFUL TOWN

If you want something more recent, almost anything from BANDSTAND

I don't mean to overwhelm you: you don't need to research ALL of the above. I'm just trying to give you some places to start your search. Break a leg!

[royalmess]

Posted: 7/23/18 at 8:38am

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm looking into Bandstand and Kiss Me Kate. 

The songs I mentioned above are not jazz, they were just there to give you guys an idea of the kind of sings I like to sing in general, in case it helps narrow down my search based on the style.