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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 ZBABS, Alice(b Alice Nilson, 26 January 1924, Kalmar, Sweden; d 11 February 2014) Singer; film and TV star in Europe. She recorded prolifically in Sweden from 1939 with bands led by Arne Domerus, Harry Arnold, many others; she formed a trio, the Swe-Danes, with violinist Svend Asmussen and guitarist Ulrick Neumann in 1958: all three of them sang in an incredibly hip, tight formation; her beauty, her delightful personality and her incredible voice made them a success. She had a UK hit single in 1963 with 'After You've Gone'. She made the album Serenade To Sweden with Duke Ellington in Paris that year, sang in his Sacred Concerts in 1965 NYC and in 1973 in London; with him again in Sweden on Phontastic '73. She sang at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1975. Ellington said, 'Alice Babs is a composer's dream, for with her he can forget all the limitations and just write his heart out.' |