This is one of deepest categories.
Sarah Vaughan is the best of all, especially in her first period. She had bad periods, when she was singing inferior songs or gave into her mannerisms. At her best, she was sublime.
Billie Holiday is incomparable in emotional impact. Sarah learned from Billie.
Ella has probably the most consistent career. She is as good as the other two I have named before her. The song-book albums are classic.
After them come Dinahs Washington. What a pure sonority and blues feeling. And Nancy Wilson, with marvelous diction and ability to put across the lyrics.
Carmen McRae and Betty Carter... They are ok, but I almost always feel they aren't as good as my big 5. I'd rather be listening to someone else, like Eva Cassidy or Anita O'Day. All these are good as well, though not as well known.
***
Singers I don't like: Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln. They sing off tune, rather than altering the melody in PRECISE ways like Sarah or Billie. Blossom Dearie... She is good, but doesn't have a good-sounding voice. Diana Krall. Not my favorite either. Dianne Reeves is much better.
For some reason some variant of the "Diane" name is ascent among female vocalists of the 20th century, like Diana Ross or Diane Schurr, Dinah Shore, etc...
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