Wine, Women, and Song

Yesterday was an absolute gorgeous day in Chicago, so I opened a bottle of wine last night to wind down with my wife. Being a wine fanatic, I searched my wine basement (the wine cellar will come some day, just like my Ferrari) for a wine to match the day. My selection was a 1990 Daniel Rion Nuits Saint Georges Les Lavieres. Yes, it had some age, but still a great wine; a fine pinot noir from Burgundy. The best things sometimes are from the past. Well, if one has wine, one must have women and song, and what better combination than some female jazz vocalists, both old and new. As far as I am concerned, the queen of all jazz vocalists is Ella Fitzgerald. I don't believe she will ever be surpassed. In addition, I have thrown in a variety of singers from Billie Holiday to Patricia Barber. Check out Nina Simone's version of "Wild is the Wind." It is mind-blowing! Click here to listen.

"Mr. Paganini" - Ella Fitzgerald
"Wild Is The Wind" - Nina Simone
"Peel Me A Grape" - Anita O'Day
"Get Out Of Town" - Shirley Horn
"Black Coffee" - Peggy Lee
"The Lady Is A Tramp" - Rosemary Clooney
"Lullaby Of Birdland" - Sarah Vaughan
"Postmodern Blues" - Patricia Barber
"Blue Skies" - Dinah Washington
"Look What I Got" - Betty Carter
"Nature Boy" - Abbey Lincoln
"East Of The Sun" - Carmen McRae
"Canadian Sunset" - Etta Jones
"Song Of Silent Footprints" - Nnenna Freelon
"Someone To Watch Over Me" - Nancy Wilson
"Do Nothin' Till YOu Hear From Me" - Ernestine Anderson
"Confessin' The Blues" - George Shearing/Dakota Staton
"Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" - June Christy
"Big Spender" - Shirley Bassey
"Afro Blue" - Dianne Reeves
"Skylark" - Cassandra Wilson
"You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" - Julie London
"Don't Smoke In Bed" - Holly Cole Trio
"Go" - Jackie Allen
"Strange Fruit" - Billie Holiday