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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZJONES, Salena(b Joan Elizabeth Shaw, 29 Jan. '44, Newport News VA) Jazz and cabaret singer from same home town as Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey, though she says her favourites were Lena Horne and Sara Vaughan. She went to NYC, won a talent competition at the Apollo singing 'September Song', made demos for Horne, Peggy Lee, Brenda Lee; sang at the Village Vanguard. Wanting to see the world and concerned about social unrest at home, she left for Europe, stopped in Madrid and arrived in London '66 where her first engagement at Ronnie Scott's was extended to seven weeks. She made albums in London for CBS labels For Swingers, The Moment Of Truth, Everybody's Talking About Salena Jones and Platinum; also In Person on Sue, then Alone And Together '73 on RCA. England continued to be her base, but her appearances were few and fans wondered why there were no more albums: in fact she made about 20 albums for Victor in Japan, where she was very highly rated and visited at least once a year. She worked all over the world with Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington and many others, allegedly giving 'King' Curtis his nickname; an unaffected singer, allowing the words to speak for themselves, with a lovely voice smoky in the lower registers, her forte was ballads, but she could swing with the best of them. In Rio not long before Antonio Carlos Jobim's death she made Salena Sings Jobim With The Jobims '94 (licensed from Japanese Victor by Vine Gate Music UK) with Paulo Jobim on vocals, flute and guitar, grandson Daniel Cannetti Jobim on piano and the composer himself on two duets, Kenny Burrell on one track: 14 Jobim songs plus Michael Franks's tributes 'Antonio's Song (The Rain- bow)' and 'Abandoned Garden'. Finally HMV recorded It Amazes Me early '96 (on Vine Gate, a benefit for the Save the Children fund), her first album for the West for over two decades, arr. by pianist Paul Sawtell, with guests incl. Stan Sulzmann and Guy Barker. Late in '96 TER (see that entry) released Salena Jones On Broadway: Only Love '96, backed by a Sawtell trio, guests Alan Barnes, Pat Crumly and others, followed by In Hollywood: Making Love '97. Another album will compile her work with Burrell and Richie Cole. |