Who is your favorite gal to sing Jazz? U prefer the older singers, or the new breed?

My favorites are Stardust ofcourse, especially the private sessions, and Billie Holiday.

She has a voice with lots of blues in it, that's why I prefer her sad songs: Gloomy Sunday, Strange Fruit, Solitude,.....
My all time favorite would be Strange Fruit for the passion, the guts, the sadness and the honesty it's sung with. Very touching....

I saw Dee Dee Bridgewater live once at the Blue Note in New York, still not really sure if I liked her singing, or if I was impressed with the fact I was there!! Heard three songs later of her, and they sucked! They were discojazzy songs, and I despite that!! I think she sang more standards there, and I think I liked her voice, really can't remember.

I really like Anita O'Day and when Nina Simone kicked, that was pretty tough.

Anita O'day, was she that superhappy blonde white girl?

yup.
she sang with Krupa and the mighty Raymond Scott!

Sarah Vaughan, and Nina Simone. Strait dapps.

Ella.

yeah, my thought exactly. Billie Holliday has an amazing voice. Although I like ella's voice too. Billie's voice is much rawer, and it's full of passion. You can hear the hurt she has been trough in her voice. And when she sings strange fruit, it makes me want to cry.

If bossa nova counts, then Astrud Gilberto has my favorite voice. Smoky, smooth, sexy, sensual... ah I'd kill to be able to sing like that. And she'd had no training when she sang on Girl from Ipanima!

Ella Fitzgerald

Angelique Kidjo. Listen to her version of Summertime, puts Ella to shame.