Women: The Best Jazz Vocals, A Refined Collection of Female Jazz Singing

Women: The Best Jazz Vocals is a stylish and carefully chosen female jazz vocal compilation that captures the elegance, intimacy and emotional force of great vocal jazz. Released as a 2-CD Various Artists compilation through Verve Records and Universal Music Belgium in 2001, the album brings together a strong selection of modern and classic jazz singers in one refined package. Some later listings also identify a 2002 Universal edition, which suggests the album circulated in more than one European version. (Discogs)

The strength of the album is its atmosphere. This is not a loud or flashy jazz collection. It is built around voice, phrasing and mood. The cover already tells the story: minimal, pale, quiet and elegant. The music follows the same idea, presenting the best jazz vocals as something intimate rather than commercial.

The tracklist includes major names in vocal jazz, including Diana Krall, Silje Nergaard, Ruth Cameron, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Abbey Lincoln, Cassandra Wilson and Shirley Horn. Songs such as “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” “Something Cool,” “Angel Eyes” and “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” show the album’s focus on classic songwriting, smoky ballads and sophisticated interpretation. (musik-sammler.de)

What makes Women: The Best Jazz Vocals work is the contrast between the singers. Diana Krall brings cool control and late-night elegance. Cassandra Wilson adds depth, shadow and blues-colored phrasing. Dee Dee Bridgewater delivers theatrical power, while Abbey Lincoln gives the music a deeper emotional and historical weight. Shirley Horn, always understated, reminds the listener that silence and space can be just as powerful as volume.

For fans searching for best female jazz singers, classic vocal jazz albums, smooth jazz vocals, Verve jazz compilation, audiophile jazz vocals or jazz music for relaxing, this album is a strong choice. It works beautifully for quiet listening, high-quality hi-fi systems, evening playlists and anyone building a serious jazz vocal collection.

The production style also helps the album age well. The voices are placed at the center, with arrangements that support rather than overpower them. Piano, bass, brushes, horns and soft orchestration create a warm setting where the singer remains the main instrument. That makes the album especially attractive for listeners who value high-quality jazz recordings and natural vocal tone.

As a compilation, Women: The Best Jazz Vocals is more than a simple collection of famous names. It is a portrait of female jazz singing as art: elegant, expressive, sensual, intelligent and timeless. The album offers a gateway into the world of female vocal jazz, but it also has enough depth for experienced jazz listeners who already know these artists.

In the end, Women: The Best Jazz Vocals remains a tasteful and memorable jazz release. It celebrates the voice as the emotional center of jazz and proves why singers like Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Abbey Lincoln and Shirley Horn continue to define the sound of sophisticated vocal jazz.