If the overall goal of a jazz musician is to achieve originality, then Abbey Lincoln's been a master since the late '50s.
Today she's considered one of the few divas of her genre. She's a bit of a firebrand, known for her passion and honesty. She's an artistic maverick who's spent a lifetime going her own way. In the process, she's become one of the most influential female jazz singers of our time, an achievement that isn't lost on her.
Her world-weary timbre gets at the root of a phrase. She plays with the time and the shape of melody in the tradition of Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and especially Billie Holiday. The result is an emotional punch that even today leaves audiences breathless.
Click the "Listen Now" link above to hear Roy Hurst interview Abbey Lincoln.
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