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Ernestine Anderson
From intimate trio formats to big band, she does it all with seductive sophistication. Her sultry, sensuous voice is intimate in small club settings and soars with passionate intensity in the festival arena. Whether it's Ellington or Sting, Ms. Anderson's interpretation of a song is infectious. On stage, she's charming and vivacious, her joy in the music delighting audiences from Sweden to Japan.
Ernestine Anderson has recorded more than 30 albums, performed at all the major jazz festivals, and has received four Grammy nominations. She was one of 75 women chosen for the book, I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America, by Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Brian Lanker, joining such company as Rosa Parks, Leontyne Price, Barbara Jordan, and Toni Morrison.
Born in Houston, Texas, on November 11, 1928, into a musical family, Ernestine grew up listening to the blues. As a child, she joined her father and grandmother singing gospel. When she was twelve, Ernestine entered a talent contest and so impressed trumpeter Russell Jacquet that he hired her on the spot to sing with his big band.
When she was 18, she left Seattle, where her family had moved in 1944, to tour for a year with the Johnny Otis band. In 1952, she went on tour with Lionel Hampton's orchestra. After a year with the legendary band, she settled in New York, determined to make her way as a singer. In 1955, she cut a few tracks with alto saxophonist GiGi Gryce, which brought her to the attention of the larger jazz world.
A few months later, she was asked to go on a Scandinavian tour, where she was a huge sensation, the adoring Swedes dubbing her “Stina”. Anderson recorded her first solo album in Sweden, which was released here in 1958 by Mercury Records and retitled “Hot Cargo.” Her star rose rapidly; she was asked to perform in the first Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, named “Best New Vocal Star” in Down Beat's 1959 Critics Poll, and was featured in Time magazine. In the 1960s, changing musical tastes made it tough for American jazz musicians, and like many others, Ms. Anderson moved to Europe to pursue her career. After a few years in London, she returned home and went into semi- retirement, performing only occasionally in local clubs.
After joining the Buddhist church, she felt a renewed interest in singing. With the urging of bassist Ray Brown, she resumed her career and signed with Concord Records in 1976.She stayed with the label for fifteen years, making nearly 20 albums. Two - “Never Make Your Move Too Soon” (1981) and “Big City” (1983) - received Grammy nominations.
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Just You, the Secret Service and Me - Celebrating Johnny Mercer
by Mary Foster Conklin
Besides a celebration of songs by Johnny Mercer, the broadcast includes new releases from pianist Andrea Petrity, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, vocalists Margaret Whiting, Karrin Allyson, Sonia Johnson, and the latest project from drummer Terri Lyne Carrington+Social Science plus more birthday shout outs to bassist Jen Hodge, vocalists Janet Lawson, Holli Ross, LaVern Baker, Ernestine Anderson, cellist Nioka Workman, pianists Ellen Rowe, George Cables, Diana Krall and Cynthia Hilts, among others. Playlist Lauren Sevian “Blueishness" from Bliss (Posi-Tone) ...
read moreErnestine Anderson: A Song for You
by Dr. Judith Schlesinger
There's no doubt that American Idol, that immensely popular TV vocal competition now in its eighth season as of this writing, has redefined the public's idea of what constitutes “great" singing. In many quarters, the old criteria of good pitch and time, pleasing tone and honest feeling are no longer sufficient, for why hold onto one long note when you can cram three octaves into every bar? Far too often, the meaning of a song is reduced to its melisma, ...
read moreErnestine Anderson: I Love Being Here with You
by Dave Nathan
This nicely packaged, but hard to follow (I'm still not completely sure who's playing what on which CD) two CD set compiles excerpts from four live performances by Ernestine Anderson, mostly as a guest. The album covers three live performances from 1987 and one from 1990, when the singer was doing some very good work. The CD 2 is a complete replication of the Live at the 1990 Jazz Festival album. Since as far as I know, this album is ...
read moreErnestine Anderson, 1928-2016
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Ernestine Anderson died on Thursday at the age of 87 at a retirement home in Seattle. The singer’s career of more than six decades began in that city when she was a teenager. She went on to be featured with the big bands of Johnny Otis and Lionel Hampton, record the classic album Hot Cargo and receive Grammy nominations and rave reviews for recordings she made after a comeback in the 1970s. For an extensive account of Ms. Anderson’s life, ...
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CD: Ernestine Anderson
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Ernestine Anderson, Hot Cargo (Fresh Sound).
In these 1956 sessions, Anderson's early singing has lost none of its naturalness, musicality or appeal. Her accompaniments by Harry Arnold's big band and Duke Jordan's trio sound equally fresh. I wrote earlier that this was one of the best vocal albums of the 1950s. I am revising that assessment. It is one of the best vocal recordings of the last half of the twentieth century. Sweden's Metronome label originally released this perennially new ...
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Jazz Legend Avoids Home Foreclosure, for Now
Source:
All About Jazz
Quincy Jones among those who helped raise $43,000 for Seattle singer SEATTLE - Jazz vocalist Ernestine Anderson's home has been saved from foreclosure -- for now. Thanks, in part, to music legend Quincy Jones and contemporary jazz artist Diane Schuur. More than $43,000 poured in -- including donations from Jones and Schuur -- after recent news stories about the Seattle jazz legend's financial woes, said Carmen Gayton, a friend of Anderson's family. The money to stop the foreclosure was delivered ...
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Aid for Ernestine Anderson
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
It appears that Ernestine Anderson is going to be able to stay in her house--at least for now. News of the seventy-nine-year-old singer's impending eviction traveled quickly around the world last week, and people responded. Help came from fans, old friends--including Quincy Jones--and just plain folks who sympathized. Here are the most recent essential facts from The Seattle Post Intelligencer.
Folks over the weekend held benefits. And dozens upon dozens in the city, across the state and nationwide ...
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Ernestine Anderson's Predicament
Source:
Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
Around 1955 (I must have been in kindergarten), I went to a concert at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle and for the first time heard Ernestine Anderson. She sang with a big band. I was impressed with the quality of her voice, her phrasing, her time, the lack of gimmickry in her delivery and how she looked in her beautiful red gown. A year or so later, when she was in Sweden she recorded with Harry Arnold's band. The ...
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Lafayette Harris Upcoming Appearance with Ernestine Anderson at Dizzy's Wed-Sun, Mar 28-Apr 1
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Pianist Lafayette Harris is pleased to announce his appearance with vocal legend Ernestine Anderson Wed-Sun, Mar 28-Apr 1 “Sing Into Spring Festival" Ernestine Anderson & Houston Person Featuring Ernestine Anderson, vocals; Houston Person, tenor saxophone; Lafayette Harris, piano; Chip Jackson, bass; Willie Jones III, drums. at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola Frederick P. Rose Hall Jazz at Lincoln Center Broadway at 60th Street 5th Floor Reservations ...
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Lafayette Harris with Ernestine Anderson at the Jazz Standard This Week Through Sunday
Source:
Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services
Pianist Lafayette Harris is pleased to announce his appearance this week with vocal legend Ernestine Anderson WED - SUN FEBRUARY 14 - 18.
At The Jazz Standard 116 East 27th Street Reservations: 212-576-2232 http://www.jazzstandard.net/ Sets at 7:30 & 9:30 Fri. & Sat. 3rd Sets at 11:30
Ernestine Anderson with special guest Frank Wess on tenor sax and flute Lafayette Harris on piano Chip Jackson on Bass ...
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Les Paul (Tonight), Mingus Big Band (Tue.) Nov. 23-27 Ernestine Anderson and Friends at The Iridium Jazz Club
Source:
All About Jazz
November 21, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] IRIDIUM JAZZ CLUB 1650 BROADWAY (Corner of 51st) NEW YORK, NY 10023 RESERVATIONS: 212-582-2121, www.iridiumjazzclub.com Sets at 8 & 10PM EVERY MONDAY LES PAUL AND HIS QUARTET EVERY TUESDAY THE MINGUS BIG BAND Sunday Gospel Brunch Resumes January 15, 2005 Until then nothing happening Sunday Afternoons at Iridium This Week at The Iridium Nov. 23-27 ERNESTINE ANDERSON and Friends featuring Frank Wess, Clark Terry and the ...
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This Week at Dizzy's: Ernestine Anderson/Frank Wess
Source:
All About Jazz
This Week at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola: The Music of Billie Holiday: Ernestine Anderson, Frank Wess, David Hazeltine, Dwayne Burno and Willie Jones III After Hours with Lage Lund, Robert Glasper, Vicente Archer, Jonathan Blake (New York, NY) March 28, 2005 - Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola -- located in The House of Swing, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall – presents “The Music of Billie Holiday” with vocalist Ernestine Anderson and the Frank Wess Quartet, featuring ...
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Ernestine Anderson
Instrument: Vocals
Born: November 11, 1928
Died: March 10, 2016
