Scat Singing by the Lead Singer - Are there 'Rules' and/or Should There Be ?

[Dennis D]

What's too much, or way too much, and do you pro's ever have that conversation with the singer ? (( Is this a ' Bandstand ' topic ? ))

Curious, and thanks.....

[SoftwareGuy]

Maybe the same question could be asked about guitar lead lines.

[drbhrb]

It’s usually the singer’s gig which means they make the rules

[Dennis D]

It’s usually the singer’s gig which means they make the rules

Fair enough - I didn't think of that, thx.

[Doctor Jeff]

Depends on how pretty she is.

Our current singer can scat or sing the phone book all she likes!

[oldane]

It's very much a matter of personal taste and preference. For me, Matt Murphys and Betty Carters mannerisms tend to be too much, while Ella Fitzgerald did it just beautiful. In my book, the two first has better finish after half a chorus, while Ella may go on for half en hour. But hey, that's just me, and others will surely beg to differ.

[Dennis D]

It's very much a matter of personal taste and preference. For me, Matt Murphys and Betty Carters mannerisms tend to be too much, while Ella Fitzgerald did it just beautiful. In my book, the two first has better finish after half a chorus, while Ella may go on for half en hour. But hey, that's just me, and others will surely beg to differ.

Ella yes, Sarah Vaughn yes.....

Then w/ the remaining mere mortals, it gets real dicey for me, after even a half chorus.........It's like that really bad hairpiece that someone starts wearing...If they're his friends, they * have * to tell him it's no good ..: )

MHO of course

[Bobby Timmons]

I hate scatting. I don't really want to hear jazz singing anymore either. At least the greats could follow the changes. If you get an amateur up there not following the changes and using those stupid syllables, I'm like get that tf away from me. :P

[pamosmusic]

Bad singers are really bad, but good singers are a blast.

To be fair, I also really like vocal standards. I’m not calling Isotope, but if I’m feeling spicy, you might hear me call If I Loved You.

[Dennis D]

I hate scatting. I don't really want to hear jazz singing anymore either. At least the greats could follow the changes. If you get an amateur up there not following the changes and using those stupid syllables, I'm like get that tf away from me. :P

Here's the singer who made me raise the question. She occasionally scat sings but she's at such an advanced vocal level at such a young age, it got me wondering whether it's a ' thing ' ( again ? ) , or ?....

[pamosmusic]

Here's the singer who made me raise the question. She occasionally scat sings but she's at such an advanced vocal level at such a young age, it got me wondering whether it's a ' thing ' ( again ? ) , or ?....

Mind if I ask why you were under the impression it was no longer a thing?

Samara Joy, Cecile McLorin Salvant

Little older … Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit.

etc

[Dennis D]

Mind if I ask why you were under the impression it was no longer a thing?

Samara Joy, Cecile McLorin Salvant

Little older … Kurt Elling, Jane Monheit.

etc

I guess it was just wishful thinking....

[wintermoon]

Love the lyrics on this one! “Don’t Let It Go to Your Head” (Hadamik, LaVere, Nast)
I heard it on Nat King Cole’s After Midnight.... | Instagram

ps thanks for the heads up Dennis, I usually can't take singers from the post classic era but along w Samara I really like Laura. That's at least 2 young ladies to carry on the tradition.

[fep]

Here's the singer who made me raise the question. She occasionally scat sings but she's at such an advanced vocal level at such a young age, it got me wondering whether it's a ' thing ' ( again ? ) , or ?....

Bravo

[Dennis D]

Love the lyrics on this one! “Don’t Let It Go to Your Head” (Hadamik, LaVere, Nast)
I heard it on Nat King Cole’s After Midnight.... | Instagram

ps thanks for the heads up Dennis, I usually can't take singers from the post classic era but along w Samara I really like Laura. That's at least 2 young ladies to carry on the tradition.

You're welcome WM and then some !

Everyone here who'd responded offered observations all of which were complimentary.
I was hoping someone had at least heard of her and would respond, but no one did until a member ( ' jazzereh' ) said he'd once hired her, so that was encouraging.
I just wish her a lot of good luck.

I'd also forwarded those vid's to several pro vocalists, and their responses were the same. They very much complimented her vocal skills, and then her careful attention to her choice of music and to her fellow musicians.
But then they added they are grateful as am I, that Laura is so capably preserving this music. I can personally say I'm 75+ and thought I'd never again hear ' Boy Next Door' and others she's done, performed so flawlessly, and by someone so young !

[wintermoon]

agreed, I've never even heard anyone do 'don't let it go to your head' again after Nat Cole [not the popular Jean Carn R&B tune that came later]
Laura's bio says she was influenced by her folks musical taste and she obviously ran with it. I'd love to forward a couple of her tunes to a few singers I've worked with that have inflated opinions of themselves as they're currently getting a lot of attention, but they're so catty they'd probably think I was trying to insult them. hopefully they'll hear Samara and Laura on their own and be humbled a bit.

[mr. beaumont]

Here's the singer who made me raise the question. She occasionally scat sings but she's at such an advanced vocal level at such a young age, it got me wondering whether it's a ' thing ' ( again ? ) , or ?....

Man, she's great!