Eddie Jefferson

Eddie Jefferson (August 3, 1918 – May 9, 1979) was an American jazz vocalist and lyricist. He is credited as an innovator of vocalese, a musical style in which lyrics are set to an instrumental composition or solo. Jefferson himself claims that his main influence was Leo Watson. Perhaps Jefferson's best-known song is "Moody's Mood for Love" which was recorded in 1952 by King Pleasure and catapulted the contrafact into wide popularity (King Pleasure even cites Jefferson as a personal influence). Jefferson's recordings of Charlie Parker's "Parker's Mood" and Horace Silver's "Filthy McNasty" were also hits.

Biography Jefferson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. One of his most notable recordings, "So What", combined the lyrics of artist Christopher Acemandese Hall with the music of Miles Davis to highlight his skills, and enabled him to turn a phrase, into his style he calls jazz vocalese. The suspect was charged with murder, but was later acquitted in a Detroit criminal trial.

The Manhattan Transfer honored both Jefferson and Coleman Hawkins in their vocal version of "Body and Soul" on their album Extensions in 1979.

Discography Letter from Home (Riverside, 1962) Body and Soul (Prestige, 1968) Come Along with Me (Prestige, 1969) The Bebop Singers with Annie Ross, Joe Carroll (Prestige, 1970) Things Are Getting Better (Muse, 1974) Still on the Planet (Muse, 1976) The Jazz Singer (Inner City, 1976) The Main Man (Inner City, 1977) The Live-Liest (Muse, 1979)

With Richie Cole New York Afternoon (Muse, 1977) Alto Madness (Muse, 1977) Keeper of the Flame (Muse, 1979) Live at the Douglas Beach House 1978 (Just Jazz, 1995) Hollywood Madness (Muse, 1979)

With Dexter Gordon Great Encounters (Columbia, 1979)

With James Moody Moody's Workshop (Prestige, 1954) Hi Fi Party (Prestige, 1955) Flute 'n the Blues (Argo, 1956) Moody's Mood for Love (Argo, 1957) Hey! It's James Moody (Argo, 1959) Cookin' the Blues (Argo, 1964) Don't Look Away Now! (Prestige, 1969) James Moody's Heritage Hum (Perception, 1971)

With Frank Wright Kevin, My Dear Son (Recorded: October 1978) (Chiaroscuro, 1979)