This week, I’ve had Etta Jones’ version of “If I Had You” #OnRepeat. There are plenty of versions of this standard out there, but this one in particular caught my attention because of Jones’ voice.
Etta Jones is a Jazz singer from South Carolina who toured with Jazz pianist Buddy Johnson’s band when she was in her teens. She has several Grammy nominations and some of her most well-known songs were “Don’t Go to Strangers,” “Salty Papa Blues,” and “Long, Long Journey.”
Jazz standards are constantly in danger of becoming stale since they have been performed so much in so many different ways, however, Etta manages to make this version stand out. Jones’ version of “If I Had You” is so enjoyable for me mostly because of her voice. Its rich, warm, deep timbre adds a calm, laid-back feel, yet at the same time, her tone is bright and her enunciation is sharp, showcasing her refined sound, reminiscent of someone like Julie London. Her musical choices for each phrase are contrary to what you think a singer would pick to sing, reminding me of Billie Holiday’s musical taste and make you want to listen to the song repeatedly just to try to figure out her musical lines.
Check it out below:
Do you have any Jazz standards that you can’t stop listening to? Leave a comment below!