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CDA: Cleo Laine

  • Writer: ladiesvoices
    ladiesvoices
  • Jul 28
  • 1 min read

My beloved Cleo Laine died last week at the age of 97. I discovered her when I was in my 20s and went hook, line, and sinker. Her voice is so distinctive, expressive, and just plain spectacular. Her obit said that in her prime she had a four-octave range. A great singer is lucky to have two octaves and change!


My favorite CD of hers is Wordsongs, an album she did with her husband and lifelong musical partner John Dankworth. Here she is singing Dankworth's setting of Shakespeare's sonnet 18, "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?" Added bonus: we have Dankworth on saxophone.



And here's Laine doing a duet with my jazz diva of record, Sarah Vaughan. Maybe the weirdest medley I've ever heard. And I've heard a few.



And I just read about the death of Tom Lehrer, also 97. I was never nutty for him but I truly love a handful of his songs and understand why he has such a firm place with the cognescenti. Here's my favorite. Ave Maria, gee it's good to see ya!





 
 
 

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