NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC:           

Two for the Blues (Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross)
CD: Sing a Song of Basie
Originally released 1958, 2001 The Verve Music Group

1957 MARKED THE FORMATION OF ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR VOCAL GROUPS IN JAZZ HISTORY ? LAMBERT, HENDRICKS, AND ROSS.  THEY GOT TOGETHER ALMOST BY ACCIDENT WHEN DAVE LAMBERT AND JON HENDRICKS HIRED A GROUP OF SINGERS TO DO SOME BASIE CHARTS.  THEY HIRED NEA JAZZ MASTER ANNIE ROSS TO COACH THE SINGERS.

Annie Ross:  They hit every note perfectly, but it didn't swing, it didn't have the Basie swing.  So the money'd been spent, the producer was tearing his hair out.  And finally, Dave Lambert who was very into electronics, he said, I have an idea?

HIS IDEA WAS TO HAVE ANNIE ROSS, JON HENDRICKS, AND DAVE LAMBERT RECORD THE MANY VOCAL PARTS THEMSELVES. THEN THEY'D LAY DOWN THE TRACKS IN THE RECORDING ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER ? A STUDIO TECHNIQUE KNOWN AS MULTITRACKING ? RARELY USED BACK THEN.

Hearing back first with just one track? and then with two tracks? and three tracks? I mean, it was the MOST incredible moment.  It was MAGIC. 

MUSIC:   same ? up and fades

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH VOCALIST ANNIE ROSS WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.