Jessye Norman's commanding soprano voice makes her the quintessential operatic diva for many listeners. But she frequently draws inspirations from jazz: She ranks singers like Billie Holiday, Mabel Mercer and Sarah Vaughan high on her list of influences. "I love singing jazz," Norman says. "I don't like the idea that classical music should be over here and jazz should be someplace else. It's all wonderful, and we should be open to enjoying it all." Early in her career, Norman says, hearing singers like Holiday taught her that interpretation is as important as a written score. In her view, this applies to opera as much as it does to improvised music. "One has to draw upon one's own musical thoughts, and one's own musical acumen, and not to be afraid to let that come into one's work," she says. "Perhaps that comes with more experience, but perhaps it also comes with daring, and believing that you should." Norman sat down recently with WBGO's Rhonda Hamilton to play some of her favorite jazz records, and to discuss her musical inspirations. "We singers have a different level of responsibility from other musicians," Norman says. "We have words that we must convey; we have meanings that we must convey through these lyrics." Jessye Norman also hosts a special performance in New York on Sept. 24 of the musical Lady Day, which stars singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, to benefit WBGO. The musical opens at Broadway's Little Shubert Theater on Oct. 3. Read more: <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/do5ZmQQM8AE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
When an opera diva turns to pop and jazz, she's likely to have mixed results, and dramatic sopranoJessye Norman's 2010 double-CD collection,Roots: My Life, My Song, is no exception. Of the 23 tracks recorded in concert in Munich, Frankfort and Berlin there are some truly remarkable performances, but there are also some that miss the mark.
The repertoire is not solely pop and jazz; included is a nice helping of spirituals, a show tune or two and even a classical piece. In the liner notes, Norman explains she has chosen "music that comprises my personal universe and allows my fellow musicians and me to explore, to expand our own musical language and to pay homage to the icons who created the music that we celebrate and love."
This is the "music of her heart," and there is little question that whether she is singing a French cabaret torch song or an upbeat Dixieland standard, she is enjoying herself immensely, and that joy is infectious.
Her passionate, swinging version of the traditional "God's Gonna Cut You Down," which closes the first CD to a huge ovation, shows her at her powerful best. The lullaby "Pretty Horses" shows the softer side of her voice and echoes with a simple beauty.Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk" andDuke Ellington's "Heaven" give her the opportunity to do some interesting scat and vocal improvisations.
On the other hand, her performance of "Mack the Knife" seems mannered and artificial at times. Her voice sounds shrill in moments during "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." She uses "Somewhere" fromWest Side Storyto show off her operatic chops, if only for about a minute and a half.
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