There
have been some great woman musical artists in a variety of genres. We started with a combination some of
our favorites. We'll be adding to this list so stop back.
Because Aretha's single and double collections miss several of my very favorite tracks
we highly suggest her box-set, Queen of Soul. It includes
most of her songs through This Girl's In Love With You
as well as a fair sampling of material after that, of which that I am less interested in.
It may cost more, but it is worth it. It includes a book with
detailed credits with musicians, an Atlantic discography, photos,
essays, etc. This is an excellent box-set!
Donna Jean and the Tricksters is a band composed
of the revamped Zen Tricksters with the addition of Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay.
Donna Jean is best known for her work with the Grateful Dead.
Though, prior to that she did session work at Muscle Shoals
Sound studios and appeared on notable recordings including Elvis Presley's
"Suspicious Minds," and Percy Sledge's "When a Man
Loves a Woman," among many others.
Their
exciting collaboration offers a myriad of styles yielding
fresh sounds that are must hear. Released January 29, 2008,
their self-titled debut should not be overlooked. For a full
review of the release, visit our Donna
Jean and the Tricksters section.
Fleetwood
Mac has several worthwhile cd's to choose from. Their album Rumors as well as their
self-titled debut would be our top recommendation.
Supplement those with their live album or DVD, The Dance, to pick up some of
their missing key tracks as well as hear different arrangements
of some of their treasures. This release captures the classic
line-up in fine form. CD
or DVD
Their two-disc, The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac is a good
compilation. While
its song selection is excellent as well as it having nice
photos, essays, and in-depth song credits, it has two faults.
First, the songs are not sequenced chronologically and a few
songs are the single rather than album versions.
Norah
Jones is undeniable exceptional. What grabs me is how easy her
music is to listen to. More impressive is how she reaches across
so many genres and yields such a pleasant sound. She meshes elements
of '70s singer / songwriter-style, jazz,
pop, blues, and even country into her music.
Presently she has three albums of which we
prefer the debut. It has a mellower flavor. But, the
follow-up, Feels
Like Home is also recommended.
Norah
Jones contributed to Tim Ries cd, The
Rolling Stones Project. She sings a gorgeous rendition of
"Wild Horses" that features Bill Frisell on guitar and
superb sax work by Ries.
Album
Description:
Rickie Lee Jones' career ascent began
after famed rock front man Lowell George recorded her
composition "Easy Money" for a Little Feat album. As
an inimitable song stylist, she first made her indelible mark
with the scat-flavored hit "Chuck E's In Love" from
her acclaimed 1979 self-titled debut LP. The single hit #4 on
Billboard's Pop chart, the album claimed #3, and she won the
Grammy for Best New Artist. Ever since, Jones has blazed an
artistically idiosyncratic path on a long string of beautiful,
adventurous, and personal albums. Her more-than-distinctive
vocals encompass rock, jazz, blues, classic pop, folk, and
R&B inflections . . . Textured with fluent wordplay and
delivered with true heart, Rickie Lee's sound is one of the
most authentic and original in contemporary music.
THE FACTS:
The first-ever retrospective collection from
this hugely acclaimed artist.
54 career-spanning cuts on three CDs.
Over three hours of newly remastered music.
Compilation co-produced by Rickie Lee herself!
Features the signature songs "Chuck E's In Love,"
"Coolsville," "The Last Chance Texaco,"
"Satellites," and "We Belong Together."
Plus the favorites "Pirates," "Flying
Cowboys," "Bye Bye Blackbird," "Easter
Parade" with The Blue Nile, and her Grammy-winning duet
with Dr. John, "Makin' Whoopee!"
Debuts 12 previously unreleased tracks, including a rare live
take on "Cloud Of Unknowing," plus demos for
"Rodeo Girl," "Pretty Poison," "Theme
From Gravity," and more.
Deluxe booklet features rarely seen photos, commentary from
Jones, hearty testimonials from other artists, and an
insightful essay by famed New Yorker scribe Hilton Als.
Carole
King’s album Tapestry is one of the best albums ever; it's
that good.When you
contemplate the abundance of strengths from this record some may
favor the piano playing, others the vocals. However, what I find most
impressive is the songwriting and orchestration.Don’t get me wrong because the singing and piano playing is
top notch.But the manner the accompanying instruments, and background
vocals are coordinated to complement King is what places Tapestry
miles above the norm. In particular, the bass parts are structured
perfectly.
Tapestry's
first three songs are all hits, yet different in mood.The first track “I Feel the Earth Move” is up beat, while
“So Far Away” is slow, and “ItsToo Late” is on the jazz side in a Van Morrison, Moondance,
kind of way.The
album leans towards ballads and love songs, but the pace picks in
songs like the blues based “Smokewater Jack,” and the album
closes in stunning fashion with “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural
Woman” that is perhaps her strongest song vocally.
Carole
King's album Tapestry contains five standout classic
supplemented by several very good compositions, and no throwaways.
Again, this is one of the best albums ever.
Box-set Carole King's box-set
Natural Woman:
The Ode Collection 1968 - 1976,
includes the complete Tapestry album in the original
order, plus loads of additional material, most of it worthwhile, and
some truly sensational. For more details check our Carole
King section.
This album brings back a smaller ensemble
than her past albums, sort of going back to the Nat King Cole
Trio formula with the addition of drums.
The result is nothing short of phenomenal. The
Girl in the Other Room yields a very easy to listen to
laid back combination of jazz, and blues numbers. Some tracks
emphasize piano, while others are more heavy on guitar (not
too hard) and some tracks will dazzle you with both.
The cover of Joni Mitchell's "Black
Crow" is great, it captures elements of Joni, while also
giving it a Krall touch. The blues treatment on "Love Me
Like a Man" is the most dynamic song that is fairly
straight blues until the end where it has a big, all jazzed up
finish.
"I'm Coming Through" displays
Anthony Wilson's talents with jazzy guitar solo,
as well as the complementary voicings he plays throughout the
album behind Krall's singing..
The bottom line on The Girl in the Other
Room -- excellent arrangements, singing, piano playing,
light guitar phrasing, and rhythm section.
Diana
Krall Live in Paris is quite good too. It is available in
audio and DVD format, though, the tracks are not identical.
She has an excellent backing band. On a few songs she is
accompanied by the Orchestre Symphonique Europeen, and Paris
Jazz Big Band.
Order - CD
| DVD
A few of the better options for Linda
Ronstadt are noted below. There is very little or no overlap
at all, and we do recommend them both.
The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt is a solid
21 disc compilation. It focuses more on her folk, country, and
rock material than her pop standards and Latin phases.
Capital's
2006 album, The Best of Linda Ronstadt: The Capital Years
is more of a complete material reissue than a
compilation. Her third self-titled album includes several
members of the soon to be formed Eagles were members of Linda Rondstadt back-up band: Frey,
Henley, Meisner, and Leadon.
It is on two cd's and it includes: Hand Sown..Home Grown her 1969 solo debut,
Silk Purse, 1970 Linda Ronstadt self-titled third album Heart Like a Wheel,- 1974
plus five bonus tracks, two of them capturing her live at
The Troubadour.
Carly
Simon was on the most popular woman artists to arise
out of the singer/songwriting genre of the 1970's. For a
time, she
had hit after hit.
Simon's self-titled first album from 1971
contained her first solo hit, "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be,"
Her second album, Anticipation, included the Top 40 track by
the same name. She also won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Her third album, No Secrets, contained two
hits, the immensely popular "You're So Vain," (Mick Jagger
sings backup) on the recording. "The Right Thing to
Do."
Her fourth and fifth albums were also very
successful. In 1977, she sang the theme song for the James Bond film
The Spy Who Loved Me, "Nobody Does It Better"
that was a gold Top Ten hit.
A great way to collect these hits is through one
of her compilations. Top choices include a multi-label single
20 song set, Reflections:
Carly Simon's Greatest Hits, or her two disc expansive
Anthology.
The
recording entitled Sarah Vaughan was recorded in 1954
with a superb back-up band. It is sometimes referred to and
was even titled on some reissues as Sarah Vaughan and Clifford
Ray. Though as the liner notes point out Clifford Ray is
brilliant on trumpet, but his role is no bigger than the other
session players. I really enjoy the pianists contributions,
Jimmy Jones.
The re-mastered version includes a bonus
track of an alternate version of "Lullaby of Birdland."
Personnel:
Sarah Vaughan - vocal
Clifford Brown - trumpet
Herbie Mann - Flute
Paul Quinichette - tenor sax
Jimmy Jones piano
Joe Benjamin - bass
Roy Haynes - drums
Ernie Wilkins - arranger
Liner notes - Michael Ullman, the original
album liner notes, some photos, etc.