Jazz Vocalist Janis Siegel Releases Album The Art of Vocalese
Singer Janis Siegel returns with a solo album dedicated to the art of vocally transposing instrumental solos, following the end of The Manhattan Transfer's career.
Janis Siegel, known for her work with the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer and her solo career, has released a new album, The Art of Vocalese. It is her first work since the group left the stage in 2023.
The album is dedicated to vocalese — the art of performing instrumental jazz solos with lyrics. Siegel discovered unpublished lyrics by her friend and mentor Jon Hendricks for solos by Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and others, and recorded them with an ensemble of first-rate musicians.
The recording features pianist John Di Martino, bassist Lonnie Plaxico, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, and guests including Raul Midón and Laurel Massé.
Siegel says vocalese is a way to understand improvisation more deeply by listening to trumpet and saxophone players and adopting their phrasing. The album continues her experiments, which began in her early solo works.
The album's release will be celebrated with a concert in New York on November 4.
Source: JazzTimes