This document discusses four pioneering female jazz vocalists: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Diana Krall. It provides biographical details and describes their unique vocal styles. Billie Holiday had a rough, sultry tone and slowed tempos to sing with emotion. Ella Fitzgerald had a clear tone, excellent diction, and was famous for her scat singing. Sarah Vaughan's voice was considered near-operatic with a wide range and liberal use of vibrato. Diana Krall has a low, soothing contralto range and a smoky, bluesy vocal style similar to Julie London.

1. FEMALE JAZZ VOCALISTS:
THE TRAILBLAZERS AND
THEIR CRAFT
By Gia Greene

2. Female Jazz Vocalists
• Jazz has been prominent from as early as the 1930s into
the present day
• Female jazz vocalists have defined the genre with their
own unique sound
• The main women focused on here are, in chronological
order, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and
Diana Krall

3. Billie Holiday – The Life and Times
• Born 1915 as Eleanora Fagan in Baltimore, MD
• Dropped out of school; worked in a brothel
• Started performing in Harlem clubs at 14
• Discovered by Benny Goodman and John Hammond
• Debuted on a record label at 18
• “Strange Fruit” was her most popular and controversial song
• Fell into crime, drugs and abusive relationships
• Died in 1959 of liver and heart disease due to drug use

4. Billie Holiday – Her Sound
• One of the earliest female jazz singers
• Vocal tone is distinguishably rough and sultry
• Was an early torch singer (songs about unrequited love)
• Slowed down most original tempos in order to sing slowly and with much
emotion
• Conveyed pain and suffering through her voice

5. Ella Fitzgerald – The Life and Times
• Born in 1917 in Newport News, VA
• Grew up in New York City as a dancer primarily, singer second
• Performed at the Apollo Theatre as a singer and won a prize to play with
the Tiny Bradshaw Band and the Chick Webb Band
• Signed to Decca in 1942 to pursue her solo career
• Made famous for performing the Great American Songbook
• Performed right up until her death at 79 in 1996

6. Ella Fitzgerald – Her Sound
• Was known for her clear tone and excellent diction
• Frequently sung with vibrato uncommon in the jazz idiom
• Utilized sliding techniques and jazz/swing phrasing
• Famous for scat-singing in the imitation of a trumpet
• Very notable for improvisational skill

7. Sarah Vaughan – The Life and Times
• Born in 1927 in Newark, NJ
• Learned piano at 7 and played organ as well as
sang at the New Zion Baptist Church
• Dropped out of arts high school in order to
explore the New York jazz scene
• Won a contest in 1942 at the Apollo Theatre that
led to an opportunity to open for Ella Fitzgerald
• Signed with Columbia in 1948 for a solo record deal and toured with big
bands
• Performed about a decade until her health declined and her death in 1990 of
lung cancer

8. Sarah Vaughan – Her Sound
• Voice considered near-operatic
• Wide range from baritone to soprano
• Liberally used vibrato
• Experimented with vocal textures
• Naturally graced with almost perfect pitch

9. Diana Krall – The Life and Times
• Born in Canada in 1964
• Began plying piano at age 4
• Graduated Berklee College of Music and studied jazz there
• Returned to Canada in 1993 to record her first album
• Had a world tour in 2000 with Tony Bennett
• Has been signed to Verve since 2002 and has won two Grammy Awards
and had eight of her albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums

10. Diana Krall – Her Sound
• Has a contralto range
• Sound described as low and soothing
• Sings in a smoky way; sounds effortless
• Bluesy vocal stylings much akin to Julie London
• Skillfully uses phrasing to emote in song