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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 ZANDERSON, Ernestine(b 11 November 1928, Houston TX; d 10 March 2016, Seattle WA) Jazz singer, persistently underrated, although Quincy Jones described her voice as like 'honey at twilight'. She began in a Russell Jacquet band in Texas '43; then with Eddie Heywood; her father had moved the family to Seattle to protect his daughter because he had heard it was a sleepy town: in fact it already had a lively jazz community. She recorded 'K. C. Lover' with Shifty Henry's band '47; worked with Johnny Otis '47-9, Lionel Hampton '52-3; found club work in NYC; records with Quincy Jones '53, Gigi Gryce '55. She went on tour to Sweden in the summer of '56 with all-stars (Cecil Payne, Duke Jordan etc) led by Swedish-American trumpeter Rolf Ericson, and was asked to stay on, headlining her own dates; made LP Hot Cargo with Harry Arnold Orchestra, released in USA on Mercury to critical acclaim. There was an album Ernestine Anderson with Pete Rugolo '58; she won down beat critics' New Star award '59; made more LPs for Mercury and others; lived in Europe for a while. Back in the USA she sang 'He Says He Loves Me' for the soundtrack of the Sidney Poitier film The Lost Man '69, but had been largely forgotten; she returned home to the Northwest. She sang at Turnwater Conservatory backed by bassist Red Kelly, Select Jazz Weekend at Qualicum Beach BC '75, attracting the attention of Ray Brown, who became her manager; she was a hit at the Concord Jazz Festival '76, leading to a contract with the new Concord label: her first album in many years Hello Like Before '76, with Brown, Hank Jones, Jimmie Smith, led to more: Live From Concord To London, Sunshine, Never Make Your Move Too Soon (nominated for Grammy '81), Big City '83, When The Sun Goes Down '84, Be Mine Tonight '87 with Benny Carter; she sang on Live At The Alley Cat '87 with the Capp/Pierce big band; Boogie Down '89 with the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, was included in a Concord compilation Great Moments '93; also Now And Then on Qwest, Blues, Dues And Love News '95 on WB. She was Grammy-nominated for four times. |