Eva Cassidy...was she the best?

Subject: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 03:30 PM

A few years ago I came across an Eva Cassidy CD called 'Songbird'. IMHO she was the best pop/rock/folk/blues singer of the 20th century...I've yet to hear one with her, seemingly endless/effortless resevoir. Agree? Disagree?...Thank you!

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 03:31 PM

She was great, ya...

But there is no BEST...

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: michaelr
Date: 08 Apr 02 - 09:12 PM

I was recently given "Songbird" for my birthday. I would say Eva was certainly one of the most versatile singers I've heard, effortlessly encompassing folk, blues, cabaret, and jazz stylings. There is a heartbreaking purity to her voice that I've seldom found (Sandy Denny and early Mary Black come to mind).

Damn shame about her untimely death...

Michael

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: mooman
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 03:49 AM

I agree with Clinton on this. Great...certainly, no question! But I don't like the tag "best" as there are just too many greats.

As with some other "greats", e.g. Jo-Ann Kelly, taken from us at a terribly early age.

Best regards,

mooman

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: greg stephens
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:48 AM

She was still warbling away on Terry Wogan this morning.."What a wonderful world". Driving through leafy blossomy sunlit Cheshire lanes at the time, I thought yes, why not, good on yer gal.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Col K
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 10:42 AM

Def she was one of the best but who dare to define best

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Amy
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 10:53 AM

Yeah she was a great singer, but I wouldn't say the best. Some of her renditions I can't stand to listen to. But I do admire her ability to cross over so many genres.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:19 AM

Will look up Jo-Ann Kelly. As for the tag 'best', I disagree...I think one 'can' make a case for Eva. Most 'great' singers can, usually sing in one or two styles well and simply 'approximate' others. She did it all. She never oversold herself at the expense of the lyrics or was tentative where a push was called for. What I'm speaking of here is versatility...while I've never heard a classical recording of her I would think had she tried she would have nailed that genre as well. The fact that she would be 'so' uncomfortable with the tag 'best' only adds to MHO. While Mary Black and Sandy Denny are/were great I can't imagine either of them being able to come close to what Eva does on "Golden Thread". She 'out Aretha's' Aretha for goodness sake. Can you imagine Streisand's take on 'Fields of Gold'? She'd butcher it. Or Cleo Laine singing 'Songbird'? I'll give you a dead heat on Garland's 'Over the Rainbow', but imagine Judy doing 'Wayfaring Stranger'?...OUCH!! Beverly Sills on 'Wade in the Water'?...off with your heads! All things considered, she was the best. God rest her soul.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,old head
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:21 AM

the most beautiful white voice i have ever heard in my life.i'm a 58 yr. old singer/musician.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:27 AM

Thank you Old Head! Couldn't agree more!

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: brezey
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 12:02 PM

well put owain.
but there are many others.
Norma Waterson although a bit wobbly on triangle!

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 12:11 PM

Will research Norma Waterson as well as Jo Ann Kelly. Thank you for the info.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From:
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 12:28 PM

but what you may not know is "I wandered by a brookside" on one of Eva's albums was sung to a tune written by Barbara Berry, a fine singer from Oxforshire.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 01:17 PM

All depends on your point of view. IMO Eva Cassidy can ruin even the best songs and what some may call versatile I would call unable to hold a tune!!

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Geordie
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 01:18 PM

I plead ignorance but am intrued..could we hear more about Miss Cassidy please.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,celtic cousin
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 01:41 PM

Oh my goodness Mrs. Duck what planet are you from!? On what do you base your perspective? Even though 'best' is a subjective term to suggest Ms. Cassidy 'ruined' any songs is ridiculous. Please, enlighten as as to where we might find these travesties. Geordie, obtain at your earliest a copy of the CD entitled 'Songbird'. Or simply put 'Eva Cassidy' into your search engine and I'm sure there will be several websites available.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 01:56 PM

Shall I start wuith Somewhere over the Rainbow? Which used to have a tune before Ms Cassidy slaughtered it.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Geordie
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 02:05 PM

Thanks for the infp. Is there anyhing of gers you could suggest.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:14 PM

Celtic Cousin, Mrs. Duck is entitled to her opinion. Mrs. Duck I would suggest you obtain a copy of her version of 'Over the Rainbow' off the 'Songbird' CD. I've played that one back to back with Judy Garland's version and while they both move me Eva's version has flawless technique in addition to being more truthful, emotionally. At her peak Judy Garland was great, but would degenerate into a theatricality you wont find in any of Eva's recordings. She would oversell herself in relation to the music. Barbra Streisand does the same thing. Eva was 'always' submitted to the emotional truth of the lyrics. This is what sets her apart from the 'also-ran greats'. I'm not trying to change your opinion of her, merely respectfully disagreeing. There are great pop singers of every generation, including the current one. Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera come to mind as modern greats, but all oversell themselves or have limitations in one genre or another. Eva simply doesn't.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Murph10566
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:29 PM

About a year ago a local FM station featured 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' as sung by Eva Cassidy... I was so enthralled by her voice that I immediately ordered the CD 'Songbird'...

It's questionable if anyone could truly be called 'The Best' in an area of Music blessed with so many Greats, (a few were mentioned in earlier posts)... Perhaps Eva isn't 'The Best' to some - but she's certainly 'The Best' I'VE ever heard...

She's surely singing with the Angels now -

Regards, M.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:29 PM

NOBODY out Aretha's Aretha!! I suspect the 'purity' that many find in Eva Cassidy's voice is a lack of soul. Aretha has it, Judy had it, Eva didn't. (Nor does Whitney, Maria, Celine etc. etc.) Sorry Owain, you can have all the 'flawless technique' in the world, but give me a bit of grit -- ever hear an opera singer trying to do pop music?

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Stringman
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:43 PM

Re Eva Cassidy's Who can say, you like what you here, that's all there is to it. raw.Well that's life as long as you injoy that's it. All I will say, is she is better than alot of the so called pop(stars) who could't shine her shoes.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:45 PM

Owain, from your list of modern singers I suspect we have very different ideas about talent! I have listened to songbird, more than once to make sure I wasn't missing something and also tried one or two other Eva Cassidy recordings but sorry I still came up with the same conclusion - the woman could not sing. I have exactly the same thoughts about Maria Carey and Whitney Houston - never heard of Christina Aguilera so don't know.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: waterdragon
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:55 PM

I must agree with Mrs Duck,while Eva sings some things exceptionally,eg Fields of gold,I still think some of her renditions are strident to say the least!

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 05:09 PM

BF Jones, Again I, respectfully disagree and refer you to her version of 'Wayfaring Stranger' or 'Golden Thread' and ask that you listen to her version of 'Fields of Gold' and 'Autumn Leaves' and try to imagine Aretha and Judy submitting themselves as effortlessly as Eva does. No way either of them could have pulled those two songs off without some useless, self-perpetuating, overwrought vocal gymnastics. Of all the singers I can think of, probably only Patti LaBelle would come close. And I mentioned Beverly Sills trying to sing 'Wade in the Water' in an earlier post as an example of an opera singer trying to tackle anything other than opera. Murph10566 has it right "she's the best 'I've' ever heard". My sentiments exactly. Has anyone seen a copy of my all-time favorite...'Kate Smith Sings Disco'? Funniest thing I ever heard is her version of 'Get Down Tonight'. Sorry, I digressed...

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 05:42 PM

Mrs. Duck, That's just a short list of names that popped into my head. Still, they 'are' great vocalists, all. And yes, we 'do' have a very different idea of talent to be sure. Christina Aguilera is a pop-singer in the Britney Spears mode...except she can 'really' sing.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,celtic cousin
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 07:16 PM

Just thought I'd check back... Owain even though you started this thread save your admonitions for the Mudcat Children's section. We're all capable adults here. Mrs. Duck, Bullfrog Jones and Waterdragon you share another thing in common besides your disagreement that Eva is/was the best...you're all wet! Mrs. Duck why don't you try typing Christina Aguilera into your search engine and get in the 21st century along with the rest of us. Bullfrog since when does one have to have 'grit' to have soul? You sound like one of those English Rocker/Art School Sissies that wanted to be black for a week(Clapton, Beck, Page, Townsend, Richards, ad nauseum). Eva had 'soul' to burn. 'Soul' being defined as 'emotional truth'. And she could be a screamer when she needed to, also. Would you be able to say Maura O'Connell or Mary Black lack soul? Patti Smith? And Waterdragon if you want strident try listening to 'anything' Celine Dion does. While one can take issue with the label 'best' I can't readily refute Owain. She was at least within the top 5 which then becomes a matter of taste...or lack, thereof.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 12:29 PM

All those with taste swim this way:-) You'll excuse me Celtic cousin but if Christina Anguilera is as Owain suggests a pop-singer in the Britney Spears mode then I feel no need to put her into any search engines! Owain, let's just agree to differ it is after all a question of preference - I don't like chocolate cake either but others do.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 01:25 PM

Ahh Mrs. Duck a true gentlewoman you are to suffer such fools. Christina Aguilera may not be to your taste, nor is she to mine, but when listened to objectively her vocal ability is undeniable. Go to the nearest record shop, tell the salesperson you're reviewing a CD you may want to purchase for your niece(?), put on the headphones and spend 30 mins broadening your musical perspective. Consider it as a research project. There's been a barrage of blondes in pop music of late as video gets to be more and more of a force. She does stand out as a cut above the rest. Also, would suggest you obtain a copy of the first Mariah Carey CD and do the same. She was only 19 when she recorded it. Again, not to your taste or mine, but the vocal ability is substantial.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 01:25 PM

I've re-visited this thread several times with growing interest at the polarity of opinions. I first became aware of Eva Cassidy about a year ago through a posting here on Mudcat. About six months later I picked up a CD of hers - I think, "Songbird"?? - out of curiosity.

Surprisingly, she just didn't turn my crank. Good singer, interesting material, but just didn't grab me. I am still wondering why? On the other hand, the first time I heard Joan Baez, and Mary Black, I was really moved.

I'm a 58-year old male, and I really wonder if certain sound timbre and frequencies register differently with age and gender?? For instance I, and several other men I know, find Alison Krause's voice sexy and pleasing. A number of women I know deride her "little girl" sound. Do you think there is a difference in the way males & females discern voice quality?

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,jonesey
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 01:44 PM

Hi Les, I've been doing the same...It seems you're on to something here. Start another thread and see where it goes.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 03:28 PM

Jonesy - done! See "Do sex & age make a difference" thread. Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: JenEllen
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 07:38 PM

Eva Sound Clips

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: Amos
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 10:14 PM

No. She has a beautiful voice, but I'd argue for Piaf and Nana as just as fine or better. Opinions are easy, huh??

A

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 11 Apr 02 - 11:25 AM

Respectfully disagree Amos, Both singers mentioned guilty of being overwrought. While great cabaret singers I can't give either of them a nod when it comes to straight folk or blues. Like I said in an earlier post most singers can do 2, maybe 3 styles of singing very well and take a stab at the others. She was at home, authentic, and right on the button no matter where she was. She could sing in the Minnie Riperton range and go low ala Cleo Laine. Screech like Patti LaBelle, squawk like Big Mama Thornton, straighten out and do it clean like Mary Black. Nobody, but nobody could do it all except her. And she could rap, too. That's what's meant about her being the best. The thing that pleases me about this thread is the responses and the info that's been gathered about other singers of whom some posting perhaps hadn't heard. Jo Ann Kelly and Norma Waterson to name a couple have opened my eyes. Go to the Eva website at www.evacassidy.org and read the interviews with some of the people that worked closely with her. The only negative comment with which I'll agree is with the poster who used the word 'strident'. There are a couple of cuts live with the band where she sings a few phrases you can bet she wishes she had back, but who doesn't blow one now and again? Overall, I'll stand by the assertion...she's the best...so far. May she rest in peace.

Subject: RE: BS: Eva Cassidy...was she the best?
From: GUEST,Owain
Date: 11 Apr 02 - 04:16 PM

Sorry English majors...it should read "what please me most "are" the responses...etc.. Tut Tut on me!!