Vocalese

Vocalese is a style of jazz singing in which the game of instruments such as the saxophone is simulated by the singer. In contrast to the scat singing not nonsense syllables are used, but an (often parody render, sometimes improvised ) lyrics. The underlying piece is usually an originally purely instrumental jazz standard. The name comes from the English " vocalize " or the term " Vocalise " for a classical vocal performance (originally for practice ) without text and the suffix " - ese " ( in the meaning of language as in English "Japanese" ). Pioneer of vocalese was in the 1940s, Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure texts whose 1952 hit made ​​( " In the Mood for Love" ). Very well known is the technique by the vocal trio " Lambert, Hendricks and Ross " in the 1950s, vocalese and the name was then by Leonard Feather to describe their music influenced ( album " Sing a song of Basie " 1957). In recent times, the vocalese has been particularly well maintained by the singing group " The Manhattan Transfer " ( " Birdland" ), often in collaboration with Jon Hendricks. Known representatives were also Slim Gaillard, Cab Calloway, Leo Watson, Kurt Elling, Mark Murphy or Babs Gonzales.