Most jazz fans are familiar with leading American jazz vocal groups of the late 1950s and early '60s. These hip harmony-rich ensembles included the Four Freshmen, the Hi-Lo's, Lambert Hendricks and Ross, the Axidentals, the Pat Moran Quartet, the John Lasalle Quartet, the Metronomes and so many others. But did you know there were vocalese groups in France, Britain and Sweden during this period as well?
Here's France's Les Double Six de Paris singing Boplicity and Rat Race...
Here's Britain's Mike Sammes Singers singing Pick Yourself Up...
Here's Sweden's Gals and Pals in 1964 singing Varför ska jag va med?, a vocalese rendition of Oliver Nelson's Miss Fine, with Frank Foster's Shiny Stockings worked in...
And as a bonus, here's Gals and Pals singing Água de Beber...
A special thanks to David Chilver.
