IT’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY TODAY

Women Jazz Singers, yes, we don’t have to go very far locally to hear really talented female singers such as Zoe Gilby (she’s Champion!.. geddit?); Ruth Lambert, who performs regularly with the Customs House Big Band; Lindsay Hannon, who teaches at the Sage, from whence emerged Gaby, Claire and lots of others- please don’t be offended if I haven’t mentioned you, people should get themselves along to the Jazz Cafe sessions on Sunday afternoons to hear some of these people, to say nothing about the exciting women instrumentalists who are on the scene, but they would deserve to have a separate piece written about them. I think readers will have caught my drift by now. Yes, women singers have made a tremendous contribution to Jazz, and we all know the names of the Greats from the past, such as Ella and Billie. I’d just like to mention one of my personal favourites. This singer was already dead before I learned about her, when I attended Chris Yates Jazz Appreciation classes in Newcastle. I’m referring to Anita O’Day (1919-2006), who was born Anita Belle Colton, and packed lots into her lifetime, such as surviving heroin addiction, difficult personal relationships, and performances all over the world, including Ronnie Scott’s and, I'm told by our editor, Newcastle City Hall (see poster). She spent the Depression years as a marathon dancer, and learnt drumming. That must be how she acquired stamina and a great sense of rhythm. Anita sang with the bands of Stan Kenton and Gene Krupa as well working with musicians such as Barney Kessel and the studio orchestras of Billy May and Buddy Bregman. She comfortably bridged the Big Band Swing and Bebop eras. She is not so much of a household name as other singers and I’m not sure why this is. She’s very much a Jazz singer, without much influence of Blues or Gospel. One of her best performances was at the Newport Jazz Festival of 1958, featured in the film ‘Jazz on a Summer’s Day’. She does Sweet Georgia Brown and Tea for Two. See it for yourself on YouTube or on DVD. Ann Alex