The essence of classic and classy jazz-lounge performers was, for me, the duo of Jackie Cain and Roy Kral. Jackie and Roy had a way—their special way—with the musical duet. Lots of singers do duets; there are some great and some not-great pairings singing duets of their or somebody else’s hits. Those combinations are not even close to the musical alliance that was Jackie and Roy.
Their collaboration was a total togetherness and intimacy of
vocal blending. They excelled at lyrical back and forth and harmonies and they loved
finessing rhythms. Their voices moved perfectly around, and in-between, over
and under, and alongside one another’s. They would swing but it was with a cool
and sophisticated style, and even when scat singing, they used a more refined
and relatable approach to their improvisation. They did it all so well and with
a subtlety that insisted you listen carefully so as not to miss a bit of what
they were presenting.
If, for some strange
reason, you didn’t get that message, Ms. Cain had no problem gracefully, but
firmly helping you to get it. I saw her do just that one night in the lounge of
the Buffalo, N.Y. Statler Hilton Hotel and took it for a lesson learned in my
own career. The respect she had for
herself, the other musicians, and the music itself came through clearly as she
reminded a much-too-loud audience member that when they were performing, he should
be quiet. The rest of us would have applauded but we were too busy doing as she
asked, and we were rewarded with truly fine music.
The combos they worked with were another ingredient that
made for the highest quality musical mix. They were aware of the value of a total
sound, not just interested in spotlighting their vocals. You’ll get a feel for
what I mean when you listen to these offerings by Jackie and Roy.
Jackie and Roy shared a harmonious private life too. They were married for over 50 years until
Roy’s death in 2002.
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