Three beautiful women and three marvelous voices: Vanessa Williams, Brenda Russell, and Randy Crawford.
Vanessa has always been better known as an R&B artist (as well as an actress and Miss America Pageant winner). Her most acclaimed recording was The Comfort Zone (1981). That said, I took a liking to The Sweetest Days (1984) from day one, and for me, that’s pure jazz and her best recording EVER. I’d venture to pick my favorites from that recording, but I’d have to name each and every song. Start at the beginning, hit play, play til the end. It’s like a playlist all its own.
Brenda travels back and forth from the soul, pop, dance and, of course, jazz genres Her fourth recording, Get Here (1988), produced her biggest hit, Piano In The Dark, and the album went on to become her biggest success. My greatest joy from Brenda Russell comes from Soul Talkin’ (1993), which produced 10,000 Words, Life Is Waiting, and The Universe Is Calling, all of which have been played by yours truly, on repeat, for more occasions than I care to admit.
Randy specialized in R&B and jazz. One of her biggest and best-known song was Street Life, which she sang with The Crusaders, and the song came from an album of the same name by The Crusaders. However, my absolute favorite Randy Crawford song is Cajun Moon, which comes from the album Naked And True (1995). Sadly, I cannot locate that song nor album on Spotify. I am also enamored with Rio De Janeiro Blue (2007), Last Night At Danceland (1980), and Diamante (2001), all springing from three different offerings.
Sometimes it’s not jazz – it’s just jazz(y). Laid back, chilled, tranquil, stress-free . . . jazz(y).
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Listen to Three Jazz(y) Ladies on Spotify.
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Smoothe 