Even though pop/rock vocalists take over the airwaves as well as the TV, jazz music is still alive and kicking. There are quite a few female vocal artists in the modern day music industry, that are still influenced by traditional female jazz artists. Even though you hear mostly R&B in today’s influences, there are some popular and well-known female vocalists that let that amazing and sultry jazz sound slip out from time to time. Some even perform jazz on a full-time basis.
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is one of the most popular female jazz singers of today’s modern age. She has sold more than 50 million records all over the world, and has won many awards, including Grammys. Her debut album Come Away with Me was critically acclaimed and commercially successful as her blend of jazz, pop, and country was truly something to be reckoned with. Billboard even named Norah Jones as the top jazz artist of the decade. She is the daughter of famous sitar maestro Ravi Shankar.
Diana Krall
Diana Krall is a famous Canadian jazz singer and pianist known for her beautiful contralto vocals. She has currently sold more than six million albums all over the world and she was named the second best Jazz artist of this decade under Norah Jones. She is currently one of the best-selling jazz artists of all time. She is known for her blend of traditional pop sound combined with jazz and sultry vocals. Krall has been putting out albums since 1993 and is still going strong.
Amy Winehouse
Even though Winehouse sadly passed away back in 2011, she truly created a sound that was all her own. Amy Winehouse was an English singer/songwriter who was known for her eclectic mix of music genres and her deep intense vocal ability. She combined genres such as R&B, jazz, pop, and rock to create her own sound that no one could truly compete with. Her album Back to Black provided her with five Grammy Awards in 2008 and made her the first English female to win five separate Grammys. She was influenced by the likes of Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin. Sadly, she passed away of alcohol poisoning in 2011.
All of these women have played a big role in bringing jazz music back to the forefront. So if you love jazz music, you can still enjoy it in a wide variety of eras.
When it comes to female vocal artists Sylvia Brooks takes the cake in the jazz category. Visit her website check out her music.
