Jazz Singers

The genius of vocalese, Jon Hendricks is not just one of jazz's best singers and a superior lyricist but arguably the hippest of the vocalese artists. In the late 1950s when he was teamed with Dave Lambert and Annie Ross as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, his skills at writing words to fit the recorded solos of instrumentalists constantly gave the group new material. He has since penned a countless number of lyrics (both for vocalese recreations and conventional songs) during his very successful solo career. At 88, he is still active today as a performer and an educator.

Freddie Freeloader, recorded in 1990, is one of Jon Hendricks' most classic projects. On the title cut, taken from Miles Davis' Kind of Blue album, the entire piece is turned into vocalese with Hendricks contributing words for every solo. Bobby McFerrin sings pianist Wynton Kelly's part, Al Jarreau is cast as Miles Davis, George Benson as Cannonball Adderley and Hendricks as Coltrane. It is a remarkable performance but only one of many during this memorable CD.

Jon Hendricks uses such performers as The Manhattan Transfer, the Count Basie Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, Al Grey and his own vocal group, the Jon Hendricks Vocalstra, to create surprising and celebratory music. Judith Hendricks sings Louis Armstrong's solos on "Stardust" and "Swing That Music," while other numbers include "Take The A Train," "Jumpin' At the Woodside," Thelonious Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning" and "Sing, Sing, Sing."

Freddie Freeloader is a gem that belongs in every serious jazz collection.

—Scott Yanow