Vocals by Non-Vocalists

JOv2

Well-Known Member
Put down that horn, pick up a mic and sing a tune!

Could you imagine Miles Davis giving us a few choruses of Happy Together or Bill Evans belting out Let the Good Times Roll?

There’s something engaging about a song sung by a melodically strong yet untrained voice. For instance, part of the lure of '60s Brazilian singers was an uncomplicated, unassuming vocal delivery. As Miles once said about Gilberto: "He could read a newspaper and sound good".

Tell us your favourite songs sung by recording artists who are not recognized as singers.
There's one ground rule:
  • It must be a complete song -- sung (with lyrics) by a musical artist not normally associated with singing.
    • No chanting (Trane, Pharoah Sanders)
    • No half singing (Roland Kirk)
    • No hollering / yelling / screaming (Mingus)
 
Two of my favourites:
  • Dizzy Gillespie / Something In Your Smile [Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac (’67)]
  • Kenny Dorham / I Remember Clifford [This Is The Moment (’57)]

 
Maynard Ferguson would very rarely take a vocal on a tune. This is from Live from San Francisco and aside from the usual solos in a big band chart, he takes a shot at singing.



Dr. Lonnie Smith does "Come Together" but it doesn't count, since he kind of scats/growls through the tune. 😁

 
Maynard Ferguson would very rarely take a vocal on a tune. This is from Live from San Francisco and aside from the usual solos in a big band chart, he takes a shot at singing.



Dr. Lonnie Smith does "Come Together" but it doesn't count, since he kind of scats/growls through the tune. 😁


Denis DiBlasio also sings a bit on Maynard's tune.
 
From the focus of this website, we could probably add:

Julius Wechter did a vocal track on "I Don't Want To Walk Without You" on FRESH AIR

Sergio Mendes has taken his turns in front of the microphone, singing full songs like:
- Desenredo (Horizonte Aberto)
- Where Are You Coming From? (Ye-Me-Le)
- Iemanja (Primal Roots)

Burt Bacharach, not known as a vocalist, sings one of the better interpretations of "A House Is Not A Home"

I'd add Herb Alpert, but he actually started as a vocalist!
 
Carlos Santana is not known as a singer but he does take the mic here and there on some of his early albums, but his solo vocals are pretty uncommon. "Just in Time To See the Sun" from Caravanserai is probably my fave of the songs he sang.
 
From the 1988 self titled Chet Atkins C.G.P.
I have that one along with almost all of his Columbia 80s albums on CD along with Chet's collaboration with Mark Knopfler "Neck in Neck" which has a couple Vocals by Chet and Knopfler in duets and one with just Chet "Yakety Axe" its a fun listen
 
The late Chet Atkins instrumental song "Lighthearted Lisa" (from the self - titled 1988 CD) is a great song!! Heard that song on COZY FM (WCZY) 104.3 FM in Mount Pleasant, Michigan around 1991 till 1994!!
 
Drummer Osie Johnson did a nice version of "All I Want Is My Clothes". BUT.... the very best example of this would be guitarist Kenny Burrell who had an excellent vocal lp on Columbia entitled "Weaver Of Dreams".
 
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