Lorez Alexandria

Lorez Alexandria (actually Dolorez Alexandria Nelson, nee Turner, born August 14, 1929 in Chicago, Illinois; † 22 May 2001, Los Angeles ) was an American gospel and jazz singer.

Life and work

Lorez Alexandria began her career in the 1940s when she appeared in her youth as a singer in churches; then she was eleven years as a member of an a cappella choir. She later turned to jazz, worked in the clubs of Chicago and took from 1957 to 1959 for four albums on King Records, among others accompanied by members of the Count Basie Orchestra and Howard McGhee. In 1958, she appeared with Ramsey Lewis; Early 1960s created albums for Cadet and Argo including with Jimmy Garrison. Then in 1962 moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.

She became famous in the 60s, especially their album Lorez Alexandria the Great, in which she was accompanied in some pieces by Wynton Kelly Trio and the 1964 at Impulse! Records appeared. Although Bob Thiele 1965, brought more titles produced during the sessions on the market; but the influence of blues, gospel and swing style of the singer did not fit in the realignment of Impulse! as avant-garde label. Yet were her two albums for Impulse! the springboard for a national prominence, but the end of the 60 subsided noticeably.

Between 1965 and 1976, only a few shots for Paul Gaytens created small Pzazz label; then published Lorez Alexandria a few albums for the label trend, Muse and Discovery Records as her Songbook series with songs by Johnny Mercer ( Harlem Butterfly ); while she worked with Gordon Brisker, Ray Drummond, Sammy Figuera, Stanhope, Gildo Mahones, Houston Person, Andy Simpkins and Mike Wofford Quartet; but they occurred only rarely. Mid-90s, she sat down to rest; shortly afterward, she suffered a stroke.

In the opinion of Ashley Kahn Alexandria had an airy and immaculate sense of swing and extensive dynamic bandwidth, fully developed and suited, to be spread between Broadway and blues, jazz standards and pop material more recent. According to Alex Henderson at Allmusic she sang in a style similar to Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington, but not nearly as successful as this.

Disco Graphical Notes

  • This is Lorez Alexandria with the King Fleming Quartet (King, 1957)
  • Deep Roots ( Argo, 1962)
  • For Swingers Only ( Argo, 1963)
  • Lorez Alexandria the Great ( Impulse, 1964)
  • More of the Great Lorez Alexandria ( Impulse, 1965)
  • Sings the Songs of Johnny Mercer - Harlem Butterfly ( Discovery, 1984)
  • Star Eyes ( Muse, 1993)

Swell

  • Ashley Kahn: Impulse! The label, which created Coltrane. Rogner and Bernhard Verlag, Berlin, 2007. ISBN 3807710264
May 22 Gospel music Vocal jazz Argo Records Impulse! Records Jazzstandard Leonard Feather Johnny Hartman Jon Hendricks Integrated Authority File
529488
de