Singers & Vocalist Jazz Singers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which jazz vocalist is known as the 'First Lady of Song'?
- Billie Holiday
- Sarah Vaughan
- Nina Simone
- Ella Fitzgerald (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald is called the 'First Lady of Song' due to her unmatched technical precision, pure tone, and interpretive genius across a six-decade career.
Question 2: What is 'scat singing' in jazz vocal performance?
- Singing folk songs outdoors
- Improvising melodies using nonsense syllables instead of words (Correct answer)
- Singing in foreign languages
- Performing without accompaniment
Correct answer: Improvising melodies using nonsense syllables instead of words
Scat singing is a jazz vocal technique where the singer improvises melodies using nonsense syllables like 'doo-ba-dee-dat' to mimic an instrument.
Question 3: Billie Holiday is associated with which landmark jazz venue in New York City?
- Birdland
- The Cotton Club
- Apollo Theater (Correct answer)
- Carnegie Hall
Correct answer: Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in Harlem was central to Billie Holiday's career, and she was among the legendary Black artists who performed there during the Harlem Renaissance era.
Question 4: What does it mean when a jazz singer 'phrases behind the beat'?
- Singing faster than the rhythm section
- Singing notes slightly after where they fall in strict time for a relaxed feel (Correct answer)
- Forgetting the lyrics
- Singing in a lower key than written
Correct answer: Singing notes slightly after where they fall in strict time for a relaxed feel
Phrasing behind the beat means intentionally placing notes slightly after the strict rhythmic pulse, creating a laid-back, expressive quality favored in jazz.
Question 5: Which jazz singer is known for the recording 'Round Midnight' and a voice often described as celestial?
- Sarah Vaughan (Correct answer)
- Carmen McRae
- Betty Carter
- Abbey Lincoln
Correct answer: Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan, nicknamed 'Sassy' and 'The Divine One,' recorded 'Round Midnight' and was celebrated for her rich, wide-ranging voice with operatic quality.
Question 6: What is a 'standard' in the context of jazz singing?
- A song written specifically for jazz clubs
- A well-known song from the Great American Songbook widely performed by jazz singers (Correct answer)
- The correct way to tune an instrument
- A beginner-level jazz piece
Correct answer: A well-known song from the Great American Songbook widely performed by jazz singers
A jazz standard is a well-known, enduring song from the Great American Songbook — typically from Broadway or film — that jazz musicians regularly interpret.
Singers & Vocalist Jazz Singers 1
Which jazz vocalist is known as the 'First Lady of Song'?