Great tenor ballad performances you might never have heard

[Ian Thumwood]

This thread is prompted by listening to the brilliant2009 album by Odean Pope called "Odean's List" which incudes a tremendous tenor bass duet on a ballad called "Say it over and over again." It really reminds me of Sonny Rollins and is a fantastic performance.

[Hornspieler]

I have a wonderful 78 rpm, now translated to CD of Heddle Nash, singing the Serenade from "The Fair Maid of Perth"

Compared with those three screaming Italian tenors, on the one hand and the brittle Peter Pears on the other, it is a refreshing example of how the tenor voice should sound.

No doubt others will disagree with my admittedly biased opinion.

HS

[charles t]

Hornspieler (& Ian):

Hakon Kornstad is a 'tenor' rarity...words fail...take a look:

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

[Tenor Freak]

Not been around a while but felt I had to respond to this as the tenor ballad is a minor art form in its own right. LN: Ben Webster playing "Old Folks" in Copenhagen with Teddy Wilson on the keys.

I am still very partial to this performance by Stan Turrentine of a Michel Legrand song. He doesn't do much to it which is pretty much the point. Other than this there's a piece by Trane which I'll share in a mo:

https://youtu.be/iCHy5W0bnwg

[Tenor Freak]

And it's this:

https://youtu.be/ju02Q2dfYDw

A different style and yet just as affecting.

[burning dog]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_You_at_the_Fair

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Booker Ervin's Can't Get Started from The Freedom Book. Stretched and wonderful. And even more stretched, David Ware's deconstruction of Angel Eyes.

BN.

[burning dog]

Ware stretches Autumn Leaves so far it snaps




but not this one

[burning dog]