Did anybody catch Barbara Hendricks singing a tribute to Gershwin on TV (Ovation) tonight? In my book she sounds ludicrous. I don't know how the trio, which included Monty Alexander on piano, could have played for her with straight faces. She did Summertime in A minor, with a range from E above middle C to the E an octave above that. It sounded to me like she was always in head, even on the bottom E, wobbling like crazy. She sounds like a caricature of an opera singer who is clueless about this music. I think she would have done much better in D minor, taking the song down a fifth and singing from A below middle C to the A above. Then she could have used her chest voice (if she still remembers how!) and done at least a decent version.
She also did "I Got Rhythm" in Ab, ending on an Ab or Gb above the treble clef. Didn't anyone in her trio have the nerve to tell her the truth?
Gershwin must be rolling in his grave.
John Link
http://www.cdBaby.com/JohnLink Check out my CDs: http://www.cdBaby.com/JohnLink2 (John Link Sextet) http://www.cdBaby.com/JohnLink (John Link Vocal Quintet)
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