Sunday, December 19, 2010

Lion in Wynters


Versatile Cleo Laine brings special style to Louisville

Louisville - For a woman who has been described by critics "not only as an astonishingly original jazz artist but the greatest living all-around singer," Cleo Laine is extremely modest.

"I've always wanted to sing and be onstage," she said. "Early in my career I wasn't fussy. I would have sung with anybody."

Luckily her husband, British saxophonist Johnny Dankworth, whose band she joined in 1953, was more than just anybody. The two artists created a musical union that has thrilled audiences for more than three decades.

Laine and Dankworth will appear at a Yellowstone Superpops concert with their Quartet and the Louisville Orchestra on Saturday.

Over the years, Laine, a native of England has received Grammy nominations as best female vocalist in three categories: jazz, classical and pop.

"I can't say I knew much about jazz until I joined John. People called me a blues singer simply because I was a contralto. I guess the timbre of my voice was ideally suited for that bluesy sound," Laine said.

In 1966, she won the best jazz vocal performance Grammy for her RCA recording "Cleo at Carnegie - the Tenth Anniversary Concert. That same year, she starred on Broadway in the Tony Award winning musical "The Mystery of Edwin Drood."

Which does she prefer: acting or singing?

"Singing is much easier for me than acting because I do more of it," Laine said. "But when I get into a stage play or a musical, I enjoy it immensely. I love it while I'm doing it."

Laine's voice is an amazing instrument. She can pass through several octaves with skill of an opera singer.

How did she develop her unique style?

"I never wanted to copy anybody," Laine said. "But I had to listen to other singers. I wanted to attain the technical skill of one singer, the glorious sound of another and the dramatic ability of another one."

Laine's latest album, "Woman to Woman," is a showcase of songs written by women. They range in style from Melissa Manchester's "Come in From the Rain" to Billie Holiday's "Fine and Mellow."

Her Louisville performance is sure to be as eclectic. Dankworth will conduct the Louisville Orchestra during the concert.

Dankworth said he and Laine first began performing with symphony orchestras during the mid-1970s.

"Suddenly I found myself having to write musical charts for symphony orchestras instead of big bands," Dankworth said. "No doubt the one in Louisville will please us, and we will get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

Danny O'Bryan
Lexington Herald
February 4, 1990

from the up-coming book Derby City Jazz.

Since the Hog has been living in a world of synchronicity, it's not surprising that he should have run across this old review in one of his journals a day or so before hearing singer Gail Wynter's perform at "Ramsi's Cafe of the World" last night.

One thing I particularly remember from the Laine interview was when she said "People don't have any ears," meaning the general public and many so called "musicians" have little ability to discern whether a singer is good, bad or indifferent.

A case in point is Wynter's, who moved to Lexington, Ky last year after living in Louisville for nearly ten years in virtual anonymity despite having lived and worked in New York City with some of the finest jazz musicians on the planet for nearly 20 years starting in the 1970s.

In the "Big Apple" Wynter's was praised by iconic jazz writers like John S. Wilson in the New York Times and Annie Ross, of the famed singing group "Lambert, Hendricks & Ross named Wynter's as her favorite jazz singer in Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler's final "Encyclopedia of Jazz."

But the proof is in the pudding. This morning the Hog is listening to several cds Gail Wynters lent him last night to have duplicated. They are some of her past performances with a cast of heavy weight musicians like bassist Rufus Reid and saxophonist Arnie Lawrence.

They are simply astounding. Wynter's voice which has a touch of Billie Holiday with a gospel/blues coating is powerful. She knows how to hold notes and paint emotional pictures that tear at the heart. Her timing is impeccable

Wynters is much more than a singer, she is a member of the band.

At a concert recently at the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville pianist Harry Pickins introduced Gail Wynters to the audience "a musician." It's about time she got that recognition.

The good news is that Wynter's will soon be inducted into "The Kentucky Music Hall of Fame" in Renfro Valley. Better late than never.

luv, yardhog

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