jazz singer

noun

1. a singer whose vocal technique is similar to that of a musical instrument, and whose singing has a strong jazz feeling, chiefly imparted through phrasing, melodic improvisation, and rhythmic subtlety.

Word History and Origins

Origin of jazz singer¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

The first talking picture, “The Jazz Singer,” starred Al Jolson as a cantor’s son who wanted to go pop.

From Los Angeles Times

Its popularization is credited to Los Panchos, a famed Mexico City trío romántico from the 1940s that’s known for such hits as “Besame Mucho” and “Sabor a Mi,” recorded with American jazz singer Eydie Gorme.

From Los Angeles Times

In another appearance with Cassavetes, “Won’t It Ever Be Morning?,” she portrays a jazz singer who finds herself on the witness stand when her devoted manager is wrongly accused of murder.

From Los Angeles Times

The project is a step in a new direction for the Grammy-nominated jazz singer, one rooted in the defining rhythms of Afrobeats and focused on presenting a version of Latin pop from the perspective of Black woman — something she finds to be absent from the genre.

From Los Angeles Times

Gaining acclaim on the island as a jazz singer led her to release her first solo album, “Nueva Era” in 2015 — a Latin-inspired jazz infusion featuring African-style chanting and soulful vocals.

From Los Angeles Times