Lambert, Hendricks & Ross

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross was an American jazz vocal trio, formed in 1957 by the singers Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. Lambert had already sung with Gene Krupa in the 1940s and with groups of his own, Hendricks wrote most of the lyrics, and Ross had earlier sung jazz solos in the style of vocalese. In vocalese an existing instrumental piece or solo is given words, which the singers then sing exactly to the music.

Music and breakthrough

The debut album Sing a Song of Basie appeared in 1958 on ABC-Paramount and contains songs from Count Basie's repertoire. It was so successful that the Count Basie Orchestra took part in Sing Along with Basie. From 1959 the trio recorded three albums for Columbia, including Sing Ellington, and in 1962 High Flying won a Grammy. Readers of DownBeat voted the group best vocal group from 1959 to 1963. In 1962 Ross left the trio and Yolande Bavan took her place. In 1964 the group broke up.

Influence

The three sing at breakneck speed, tightly attuned to one another, as if they were the brass section of a big band. Lambert died in 1966 in a traffic accident, which made a reunion impossible. The trio's influence is great on later jazz singers, such as The Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau and Bobby McFerrin.

Listening

• 
  Cloudburst · Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, 1959

Discography

Studio albums

• 1958Sing a Song of Basie
• 1958Sing Along with Basie
• 1960Sing Ellington
• 1961High Flying
• 1962The Hottest New Group in Jazz
• 1962The Real Ambassadors (soundtrack)
• 1988The Swingers!
• 2021Home Cookin’
• ?Lambert Hendricks & Ross

Mentioned in other articles

• Vocal jazz GenreIn vocalese, singers set words to existing instrumental solos; Lambert, Hendricks & Ross made it their speciality.

See also

• The Hottest New Group in Jazz
• Vocal jazz