Vocal Jazz
Vocal jazz centers the human voice as the primary instrument, often featuring clear singing alongside improvisational techniques like scat and vocalese, typically supported by a jazz ensemble with a swinging rhythm and sophisticated harmonies. This subgenre emerged from early jazz traditions, evolving to highlight vocal expressiveness and storytelling within the instrumental framework. Iconic artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Billie Holiday defined its sound and popular appeal. Its enduring legacy continues through contemporary artists, showcasing the voice's versatility and emotional depth in jazz.
More about Vocal Jazz
Vocal jazz places the human voice at the centre of jazz, treating it as a full instrument capable of improvising, phrasing and swinging like a trumpet or saxophone. Born in the cabarets and speakeasies of 1920s America, it reached its golden age with legends such as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra, who defined the codes of an art based on personal interpretation of standards, mastery of timing and unparalleled emotional expressiveness.
The musical characteristics of vocal jazz include scat — the vocal improvisation technique using non-verbal syllables — syncopated phrasing, vibrato use, expressive dynamic variations and an intimate relationship between the singer and their instrumental combo. The repertoire is often drawn from the Great American Songbook, though the genre has expanded to include original compositions. Piano, double bass and drums generally form the ideal supporting trio.
The contemporary vocal jazz scene shines through artists like Cécile McLorin Salvant, Grammy Award winner and considered one of the most extraordinary voices of her generation, and SAMARA JOY, a young prodigy who has thrilled the jazz world. MELODY GARDOT brings a unique sensibility bridging jazz and chanson, while DIANA KRALL and Marlena illustrate the richness and diversity of this timeless genre.
Jazz festivals are the preferred stages for vocal jazz: Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Jazz à Vienne, the Nice Jazz Festival and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival bring together the greatest voices of the genre each year. These international events offer vocal jazz artists a setting befitting their art — elegant, intimate and demanding — and allow this genre of exceptional richness to cross generations.