Jeanne Lee facts for kids
Jeanne Lee (born January 29, 1939 – died October 25, 2000) was an American jazz singer, poet, and composer. She was famous for her amazing voice and how she could sing in many different styles. Jeanne Lee worked with many important musicians and composers, including Gunter Hampel, Andrew Cyrille, Ran Blake, Carla Bley, Anthony Braxton, Marion Brown, Archie Shepp, and Mal Waldron.
About Jeanne Lee
Jeanne Lee was born in New York, USA. Her father, S. Alonzo Lee, was a singer in concerts and churches, and he inspired her from a young age. She went to the Walden School and then to Bard College. There, she studied child psychology, literature, and dance. While at Bard, she created dances for music by different classical and jazz composers.
In 1961, she earned her degree from Bard College. That same year, she performed with pianist Ran Blake at the Apollo Theater's Amateur Night contest. They won, and soon after, they made their first record called The Newest Sound Around. This album became quite popular in Europe, where Jeanne and Ran toured in 1963. However, it wasn't as well-known in the United States. At this time, a singer named Abbey Lincoln was a big influence on Jeanne Lee.
In the mid-1960s, Jeanne Lee explored new kinds of art. She worked with sound poetry, which is poetry that focuses on the sounds of words. She also explored happenings, which were spontaneous art events, and other experimental art forms. She even composed music for sound poems by other artists.
Later in the 1960s, she returned to the jazz world. She quickly became known as a very unique and creative artist. Just a few years after her return, she had a major role in Carla Bley's big musical work, Escalator over the Hill (1971). She also recorded albums with famous musicians like Archie Shepp and Marion Brown. In 1967, while in Europe, Jeanne Lee began working with vibraphonist and composer Gunter Hampel. They later got married and had two children, Ruomi and Cavana.
In 1976, Jeanne Lee represented the African-American spiritual music tradition in John Cage's Apartment House 1776. This piece was created for the 200th anniversary of the United States. This experience inspired Jeanne to focus more on writing her own music and creating longer works. One of her first big compositions was Prayer for Our Time, a jazz oratorio (a large musical piece for voices and instruments).
Jeanne Lee continued to perform and record music until she passed away in 2000. She recorded for many different record labels. She also sang on many albums by Gunter Hampel. In her later years, she led the Jeanne Lee Ensemble, which combined poetry, music, and dance. She also worked and toured with pianist Mal Waldron.
Jeanne Lee was also a teacher. She earned a master's degree in Education from New York University in 1972. She taught at different schools and universities in both the US and Europe. She wrote short articles about music for the Amsterdam News and also wrote educational materials, including a textbook on the history of jazz music for students in grades four through seven.
Jeanne Lee passed away from cancer in 2000 in Tijuana, Mexico, at the age of 61. She was survived by her husband and children.
Discography
- The Newest Sound Around with Ran Blake (RCA Victor, 1962) – recorded in 1961
- Conspiracy (Earthforms, 1975) – recorded in 1974
- Don't Freeze Yourself to Death Over There in Those Mountains (1984)
- African Moods with Archie Shepp (Circle, 1984)
- You Stepped Out of a Cloud (Owl, 1989)
- Natural Affinities (Owl, 1992)
- Here and Now with David Eyges (Word of Mouth, 1994)
- The Newest Sound You Never Heard with Ran Blake (A-Side, 2019) – recorded in 1966-67
With Andrew Cyrille
- Celebration (IPS, 1975)
- Nuba (Black Saint, 1979)
With Gunter Hampel
- Gunter Hampel Group + Jeanne Lee (Wergo, 1969)
- Spirits (Birth, 1971)
- Waltz for 3 Universes in a Corridor (Birth, 1972)
- Familie (Birth, 1972)
- Angel (Birth, 1972)
- Enfant Terrible (Birth, 1975)
- Freedom of the Universe (Birth, 1979)
- Oasis (Horo, 1979)
- Companion (Birth, 1982)
With Mal Waldron
- After Hours (Owl, 1994)
- White Road Black Rain (Tokuma, 1995)
- Travelin' in Soul Time (BV Haast, 1997)
With others
- Sunny Murray, Homage to Africa (BYG Actuel, 1970) – recorded in 1969
- Carla Bley, Escalator over the Hill (JCOA, 1971) – recorded in 1968-71
- Anthony Braxton, Town Hall 1972 (Trio, 1972) – live
- Marion Brown, Afternoon of a Georgia Faun (ECM, 1970)
- Bob Moses, When Elephants Dream of Music (Gramavision, 1983) – recorded in 1982
- Reggie Workman, Images (Music & Arts, 1990) – live recorded in 1989
- Reggie Workman, Altered Spaces (Leo, 1993) – live recorded in 1992
Selected Compositions
- In These Last Days, a poem and musical piece (1973)
- Prayer for Our Time, a jazz oratorio (a large musical work) (1976)
- La Conference des oiseaux, a jazz opera
- Emergence, a five-part musical suite
See also
In Spanish: Jeanne Lee para niños
