Europe's First Lady of Jazz

bertone

Hi,

I've been an avid listener of jazz for 30+ years but didn't know there was a European first Lady of Jazz til I stumbled across some Youtube videos of Rita Reys... here's a quick sample -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7HbYgiqFUI

She's got to be the only singer to have recorded with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in the 50s and the Rosenberg Trio in the 90s. Even so. the CD featuring some tracks with the Rosenberg Trio ("The Lady Strikes Again", released ca. 1999) doesn't seem to be readily available. Has anyone heard this, or have any more information on Rita?

Thanks in advance.

Barengero

Yes, Rita is great. Did you visit her website? There are more informations and links to some more Youtube videos.

http://www.geocities.com/ritareys/

Best,
Barengero

Wirralgitane

The mentioning of girls brings me to a question. Do any woman or young (7yr old prodigy type) girls play GJ on the guitar?

V-dub

Does anyone know where I can find Rita's recordings with the Rosenberg trio? Is it on any of their albums?

Wirralgitane wrote:

The mentioning of girls brings me to a question. Do any woman or young (7yr old prodigy type) girls play GJ on the guitar?

I don't know of any that are actively performing and recording, but I filmed these at samois last year:

Gypsy girl playing Dark Eyes solo:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... gypsy+girl

Annie Staninec (young bay area violinist, not guitar)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 0939760606
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 6535160132 (with sammo and gonzalo!)

Wirralgitane

great, thanks for the link V-Dub!

bertone

Thanks for the link too Barengero.. apparently the Rita Reys CD featuring the Rosenberg Trio was reissued in 2005 in a series called "Hollands Glorie", info here:

http://www.spotcost.com/specs/oqqqjjxxlh/

I found and just bought a used copy stateside on Ebay. The Rosenberg Trio is only on two tracks, Honeysuckle Rose and Ain't Misbehavin', but Stochelo is featured with Rita's bassist Ruud Jacobs on "Cry Me a River" also.

I can post a review when I get it if anyone's interested.