The earliest recorded manifestation of close harmony singing may date back to 1773, when Captain James Cook observed indigenous people in New Zealand singing in this style.
Cultural Impact
Scat singing, a technique used by the Swingle Singers, was supposedly invented by Louis Armstrong when he improvised nonsense syllables after his sheet music fell during a recording session.
Recording & Production
Ward Swingle, whose arrangements are featured on this album, was the Vasari Singers' patron until his death in 2015, establishing a natural connection between the artists.
Performer Biography
Christiane Legrand, sister of composer Michel Legrand, was the lead soprano of the original French Swingle Singers.
Composer Biography
George Shearing, a jazz pianist blind from birth, composed 'Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare' by combining his English musical background with American jazz influence.
Compositional Technique
Close harmony singing, as featured on this album, is the vocal equivalent of a jazz big band, with voices replacing instruments and often moving in parallel motion.
Composer Biography
Ward Swingle, an American musician, founded the Swingle Singers in Paris in the early 1960s, a double quartet known for applying scat singing to classical instrumental pieces.
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