Jan Lennard will debut ‘Diamonds Of Swing’, a tribute to female singers of the American big-band era.
Joined by vocalist Di Clark and the J’z Jazz Crew, Jan has put the show together in honour of the ‘canaries’ of the 1940s; women who sang with the big bands, before going on to forge their own successful solo careers. “It started with a title, ‘Diamonds Of Swing’. I was in my diamond year – so that was the link. I started researching the singers from that era and the rest came afterwards.”
Touching on the history of the short-lived, big-band era, Jan says this is as much a story of women’s liberation, as it is about music. “Men were going to war, so there were more vacancies for women in the band. They were encouraged to sing, but they were only allowed to sing one chorus. So she'd stand-up and look cute, then sing the chorus when it came up, and then sit back down.”
Performing with the likes of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Harry James, there was one woman who changed it all. “Her name was Helen Forrest. She was fed up with Benny Goodman and she wanted to join-up with Harry James. He was looking for a more jazz-orientated singer – he didn't think she was the part really – but after the audition the band really liked her, and wanted her to join. She said ‘there's one condition: I don't care how much you pay me, and I don't care about the arrangements, but I want to sing the whole chorus and the verses'. Then he said ‘OK, you've got it'.”
A British expat and jazz singer for over 12 years, Jan has performed many different styles in her career. “I didn't start singing professionally until I was in my 40s. My first big break was to get a three-month contract at Twin Towns. That was working as a duo… doing rock, pop, country, dance music, anything in between really. In England I had voice lessons and I was into musical theatre, choir work, big choral works, even church choirs.”
Her multi-disciplinary talents helped her give the show some contemporary vigour. “They're songs that people know but they're got a slightly different arrangement to them. I've just seen 'The Voice', and there was a singer on there called Bec Whitehead, and she did ‘A-tiskit A-tasket’. It was funny because that’s one of the first songs in the show. Even though it's a fanciful song based on a nursery rhyme, it was actually Ella Fitzgerald’s first million-dollar seller.”
Popular, local jazz singer Di Clark will join Jan in performing the hit songs of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Doris Day and Billie Holiday. “[Di] is a well-established singer – she has sung at the Brisbane Jazz Club a number of times in her own right and overseas in Prague.”
Jan hopes to take ‘Diamonds Of Swing’ to more venues, with a second date at the Arts Centre Gold Coast Arts booked for October.
Jan Lennard performs ‘Diamonds Of Swing’ at Brisbane Jazz Club 8 August.
