They’re Members of a Swinging Sisterhood

After I wrote a story a few weeks ago about the search for new female jazz vocalists, it was no surprise to realize that the stack of albums by singers--both newly arriving and already on the scene--was quickly growing larger. The most interesting aspect of this roundup is that--even though many of the names may be unfamiliar--the quality level is generally high and the individual styles are extraordinarily diverse.

Claire Martin, “The Very Best of Claire Martin” (***1/2, Linn Records). English singer Martin burst onto the British jazz scene a decade ago, but she has failed to achieve similar visibility in this country. It’s hard to understand why, because she has all the attributes one could desire: a highly personal, instantly identifiable sound; an urgent sense of swing; the enviable capacity to remain in firm touch with the spirit of a song while embarking on jazz variations; and, above all, flawless musical intelligence and taste. This collection, which features selections she made from her first seven albums (including lovely readings of “Estate” and such offbeat items as Joni Mitchell’s “Be Cool” and Cy Coleman’s “Would You Believe”), is a fine introduction to the work of this first-rate jazz artist.

Jackie Ryan, “Passion Flower” (***, OpenArt Records). San Francisco-based Ryan is one of many gifted, mature artists at risk of slipping through the cracks as record companies seek ever younger artists. That’s a shame, because Ryan, whose Mexican-Irish-French heritage has blessed her with an abundant stylistic range, is another world-class talent. That range is fully evident in her musically insightful renderings of songs ranging from Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Luiza” and Percy Mayfield’s “Please Send Me Someone to Love” to Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” and Carlos Almaran’s “Historia de Un Amor.”

Luciana Souza, “Brazilian Duos” (***, Sunny Side Records). Souza is a member of a second generation of Brazilian musical royalty that also includes Bebel Gilberto, Moreno Veloso and Paulo Jobim. The daughter of songwriters Walter Santos and Tereza Souza, she was an accomplished recording artist by the time she was 16. For this outing, she has chosen to frame her exquisite voice in the simplest of settings--with solo guitar accompaniment (including Romero Lubambo, Marco Pereira and her father). Her choice of repertoire is equally impeccable, with her fluid contralto moving with consummate ease through songs by Luis Gonzaga, Edu Lobo, Antonio Carlos Jobim and, of course, her parents.

Jane Blackstone, “Natural Habitat NYC” (**1/2, Motief Records). Blackstone has the sound, rhythm and heart of a jazz singer. She has surrounded herself with some first-rate accompanists (including the veteran Sir Roland Hanna on piano) and chosen an attractive set of material. She’s at her best in rhythm tunes such as “Where You At?” and “Nothing Like You,” and she will reach the upper level of jazz vocalizing when she more firmly masters her pitch placement and emphasizes the warmer, rather than the edgier, qualities of her sound.

Rachelle Ferrell, “Live in Montreux 91-97” (**1/2, Blue Note). Two sets of performances, recorded in 1991, shortly after Ferrell arrived on the scene, and in 1997, display both the appealing and the bothersome aspects of her remarkable talent. Ferrell is the Sarah Vaughan of contemporary jazz singing--blessed with amazing vocal skills, a near perfect ear for harmony and an ineffable ability to swing. But too often her interpretations are about virtuosity rather than communication, about technique rather than message. A pair of songs from the 1991 performance--”My Funny Valentine” and “Blackbird”--and two French-language numbers from the 1997 tribute to Charles Aznavour display how nuanced she can be when she places her skills at the service of the song, rather than vice versa. But too often her remarkable abilities are dissipated in over-the-top theatrics.

Grazyna Auguscik, “River” (**1/2, GMA Records). Well, yes, the name is definitely difficult. Born in Poland, residing in Chicago since 1992 (after attending Berklee College in Boston), Auguscik pronounces her name Gra-je-na Aw-goose-chick. Her singing, however, is considerably easier to grasp, since she is firmly rooted in the free-flying arena of contemporary vocal jazz. Her material ranges from tunes by Kenny Garrett, Egberto Gismonti and Terry Callier to the Jimmy Webb ballad “The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress” and Villa-Lobos’ “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5.” Add to that some Auguscik originals and interpretations that make stunning use of her lithe, mobile voice, and the result is a singer to be watched. Although her cutting-edge musical manner may not be to every taste, she--like a number of regional artists--is doing important work in advancing the potential for imaginative jazz singing.

Diane Hubka, “You Inspire Me” (**, VSOJAZZ Records). Hubka, like Souza, has recorded an album in which she is prominently accompanied by guitarists (including Gene Bertoncini, Bucky Pizzarelli and Lubambo, among others). In this case, however, the instrumentation is occasionally enhanced by bass and drums, providing a felicitous setting for Hubka’s cool-toned vocals. Following a current trend among jazz vocalists, she has expanded her repertoire, balancing familiar numbers such as “Blue Moon” and “Wave” with less frequently heard tunes--Hoagy Carmichael’s “Winter Moon,” Blossom Dearie’s “Inside a Silent Tear,” and Mancini and Mercer’s “Moment to Moment.” But Hubka’s renderings are not nearly as emotionally layered as her choice of material, and she needs to balance her otherwise attractive musical instincts with a more penetrating look into the heart of her songs.

Flora Purim, “Sings Milton Nascimento” (**, Narada Jazz). Purim’s early work with her husband, Airto Moreira, and Chick Corea (in the original Return to Forever) represented her most admirable musical efforts. In the past two decades, however, her work has been frequently plagued by too many musical uncertainties. With this new outing, however, she returns to her Brazilian roots with a collection of uneven, if often attractive, interpretations of songs by Nascimento. In the process, she leaves behind much of her earlier style but, unfortunately, not all of her more recent problems with singing in tune.

*

Don Heckman writes frequently about jazz for The Times.