Inside the song
Nancy Wilson: “A Sleepin’ Bee”
In this lesson, we introduce the late songstress and Columbus-born jazz vocalist, Nancy Wilson and dive into five key elements of her vocal style. We use the classic song “A Sleepin’ Bee” from the famous 1962 record Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley to explore elements of her tone, swing feel and phrasing. Grab your headphones and follow along as we do a deep dive into Nancy!
As a side note, the first step in learning how to sing like Nancy Wilson on this tune is to grab a lead sheet and really understand how the melody works. This is a great rule of thumb before diving too deeply into any singer’s interpretation- this way you’ll really come to appreciate the intricacies of their melodic treatment! Sheet music of this tune is attached for your convenience.
Here are some further things to consider when listening to “A Sleepin’ Bee:”
Nancy Wilson uses clean and clear diction to place her quarter note swing feel in line with the band, specifically locking in with the bassist. Try this in your own practice and see if you can emphasize beats 2 and 4 specifically. Check out our video on swing feel (“Swing When You Sing”) for more tips on this.
Wilson often used vibrato to end phrases of the melody, or to connect them together. She also uses a straight tone to mimic a horn-like sound. What descriptive words would you use to talk about a brass instrument, like a trumpet? Do these qualities seem to cross over to the sound of Nancy?
She was famous for her forward, bright vocal placement throughout the song, especially in louder dynamic moments. In your own practice, see if you can incorporate sounds in warm-ups that encourage a bright tone, such as a baby cry (“wah”.) You can sing this word on triads, scales or arpeggios!
She often incorporated pitch bending and blues inflection as stylistic choice from the influence of Dinah Washington. Can you find a recording of Dinah Washington that reminds you of the sound of Nancy Wilson in your own listening? What moments sound similar specifically?
Finally, she uses dynamics to tell a story. Why do you think this is an important aspect to incorporate in singing in general?
Want to send this video to your students? Use this link: https://vimeo.com/686478373