Annie Ross

Not just the canary female whose dexterous vocals highlighted recordings by the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Annie Ross recorded more than a dozen albums of solid vocal jazz and appeared in many movies. Though she was the last member to join LH&R, she had been pursuing the same pioneering fusions of vocal music with bop delivery for several years before she joined Dave Lambert and Jon Hendricks. Born Annabelle Lynch in Surrey, England, she moved to Los Angeles at the age of three, with the musical comedienne Ella Logan (either her mother or her aunt, according to differing accounts). By the age of five, she had begun acting and landed roles in the Our Gang series. She later studied acting in New York, then moved back to England where she began singing in nightclubs. Her recording debut came in Paris, with a quartet including James Moody. By 1952, Ross was back in New York and recording with most of the Modern Jazz Quartet for her first album, Singin' and Swingin'. Later that year, she recorded an album with vocalese pioneer King Pleasure.

This CD reissue brings back one of Annie Ross' most obscure albums of the 1950's. Recorded at a time when the singer was just starting to get known for her work with Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, the set is a swinging but largely straight rendition of the score from the play "Gypsy." The all-star backup band ( and what a band ) mostly functions as an ensemble during the Buddy Bregman arrangements.Ross is in excellent form and this is a wonderful sound recording.

Not just the canary female whose dexterous vocals highlighted recordings by the vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Annie Ross recorded more than a dozen albums of solid vocal jazz and appeared in many movies. Though she was the last member to join LH&R, she had been pursuing the same pioneering fusions of vocal music with bop delivery for several years before she joined Dave Lambert and Jon Hendricks.

By 1963, Annie Ross had permanently moved back to England and had started working more as an actress than as a singer. This interesting set (reissued by DCC as an audiophile CD) features Ross backed by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Johnnie Spence. The obvious high point is one of the darkest and scariest versions of "Love For Sale" ever recorded; Ross' desperate-sounding rendition is haunting. Otherwise, she performs a variety of standards in lightly swinging fashion, not scatting or using vocalese but instead working on interpreting the lyrics. Other highlights include "All of You," "Nature Boy," "Like Someone in Love" and "Limehouse Blues." This worthy set was also put out on CD by the Fresh Sound label.

Singer Annie Ross' first solo album after joining Lambert, Hendricks & Ross finds her at the peak of her powers. Ross is joined by two versions of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet with either Chet Baker or Art Farmer on trumpet, Bill Crow or Henry Grimes on bass, and drummer Dave Bailey.

This CD is a real treasure for jazz vocal enthusiasts, especially fans of Annie Ross. Harkit Records has issued 76 minutes from Ross's live 1965 performances at Annie's Room in London. Like many older recordings, especially those done outside of a studio, this won't win a prize for superb audio fidelity. But it does present standards like "Jumpin' at the Woodside," "Love for Sale," "I'm in the Mood for Love," "Soon It's Gonna Rain" and "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home" at least as well as they'd sound if you were catching her act in a busy nightclub. Finding this much new Ross material from a period of her career when her voice was at its best is good news for all jazz fans. I've played it a dozen or more times in the last three months.

After I finally accepted the fact that I had no future as a rock singer, I switched to jazz, which is a bit easier on the voice. I am still very nostalgic for this period of my life.

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross were an American vocalese trio formed by jazz vocalists Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. The group formed in 1957 and recorded their first album "Sing a Song of Basie" (1957) for ABC-Paramount Records. The album featured versions of Count Basie standards and was successful enough that the Count Basie Orchestra collaborated with them on "Sing Along With Basie" (1958). Sing a Song of Basie was awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998.

By 1963, Annie Ross had permanently moved back to England and had started working more as an actress than as a singer. This interesting set (reissued by DCC as an audiophile CD) features Ross backed by an orchestra arranged and conducted by Johnnie Spence. The obvious high point is one of the darkest and scariest versions of "Love For Sale" ever recorded; Ross' desperate-sounding rendition is haunting. Otherwise, she performs a variety of standards in lightly swinging fashion, not scatting or using vocalese but instead working on interpreting the lyrics. Other highlights include "All of You," "Nature Boy," "Like Someone in Love" and "Limehouse Blues." This worthy set was also put out on CD by the Fresh Sound label.