Last updated: 7 hours ago
The founder of vocalese (putting recorded solos to words), Eddie Jefferson did not have a great voice, but he was one of the top jazz singers, getting the maximum out of what he had. He started out working as a tap dancer, but by the late '40s was singing and writing lyrics. A live session from 1949 (released on Spotlite) finds him pioneering vocalese by singing his lyrics to "Parker's Mood" and <a href="spotify:artist:05E3NBxNMdnrPtxF9oraJm">Lester Young</a>'s solo on "I Cover the Waterfront." However, his classic lyrics to "Moody's Mood for Love" were recorded first by <a href="spotify:artist:1zmrmtMHh44pQ9WrBVEe80">King Pleasure</a> (1952), who also had a big hit with his version of "Parker's Mood." Jefferson had his first studio recording that year (which included <a href="spotify:artist:0JM134st8VY7Ld9T2wQiH0">Coleman Hawkins</a>' solo on "Body and Soul"), before working with <a href="spotify:artist:4aEpM8RuVFDhH7ry8TUn4M">James Moody</a> (1953-1957). Although he recorded on an occasional basis in the 1950s and '60s, his contributions to the idiom seemed to be mostly overlooked until the 1970s. Jefferson worked with <a href="spotify:artist:4aEpM8RuVFDhH7ry8TUn4M">Moody</a> again (1968-1973), and during his last few years often performed with <a href="spotify:artist:6j60GJXKhcNX1XqzuP8TXe">Richie Cole</a>. He was shot to death outside of a Detroit club in 1979. Eddie Jefferson, who also wrote memorable lyrics to "Jeannine," "Lady Be Good," "So What," "Freedom Jazz Dance," and even "Bitches' Brew," recorded for Savoy, Prestige, a single for Checker, Inner City, and Muse; his final sides appeared in 1999 under the title Vocal Ease. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi
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