tony mads usa
Senior Member
Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 14376
Loc: East Greenwich RI USA
WOW ... just got a chance to listen to this amazing voice ... perhaps it is because I know the song, but even with 25%+ loss of hearing in my right ear, I understood every word ... I am happy that I now know the right terminology for this vocal practice, as I usually to refer to it as 'vocal histrionics', and at the risk of offending my Canadian friends, I always felt the biggest violator is Celine Dion ... Since Ms. Houston's is the version I've heard the most (and my personal preference), I kind of expect the song to be sung in this style, and at least this young lady NAILED it ...
brickboo
Senior Member
Registered: 02/04/01
Posts: 2071
Loc: Fruita, Colorado, USA
Kris (off key) Kristofferson, Johnny (out of tune) Cash, Dean (extremely uncontrollable vibrato) Martin and Boxcar Willie are the greatest vocalist that ever lived. If you don't believe me count their record sales against Ella Fitzella, Mel Torme, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, and the list goes on and on. I mean how else can you tell who are the best singers if you're not going to count sales and the big bucks they make. So the top of the list for best vocalist just has to be, Elvis, Beatles, and the list goes on and on. What a screwed up society we have the pleasure of belonging too. Oh, and the best "MUSIC" in the history of mankind, has to be "RAP" especially the ones that use M%#*er F(*@$r the most. Right? What do you think?
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I'm not prejudiced, I hate everybody!! Ha ha! My Sister-In-Law had this tee shirt. She was a riot!!!
I think melisma (vocal gyrations) can be cool (especially in jazz and/or gospel...in pop, not so much) but many times it prevents the natural beauty of the song's melody from getting through, as it does in the above example, in my opinion, of course.
Perhaps some singers like to think it shows their emotional involvement in the song, and how it exhibits their vocal control, but, for this listener, most times, all melisma does is interfere with the flow of the lyrics, melody, sometimes even the rhythm itself.Ian
ianmcnll
Senior Member
Registered: 07/27/05
Posts: 10606
Loc: Cape Breton Island, Canada
I like Tony Monaco's playing...he's no Jimmy Smith, but, by gosh, he's pretty darn good.
"Melisma"...the word sounds like some sort of skin disease.
I think melisma works in some tunes (especially gospel, R&B and jazz), and I can tolerate it in pop tunes if used in moderation.
Many people put great store by technique. They love the tricks. Not surprising, especially if you are at an age and level that admires those kind of things - fast cars, showy playing/singing - two sides of the same coin.
But, some will have an awakening at some point. They admire great technique, but expect it to be in the service of a musical vision. Technique without musicality lacks soul.
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