Nnenna Freelon - Round Midnight

Nnenna Freelon live on tv in December of 1996, singing Round Midnight. Part of an ABC special called "A Celebration of America's Music", which was a broadcast of a benefit concert for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. Nnenna is accompanied by:
Herbie Hancock - piano
Pat Metheny - guitar
Christian McBride - bass
T.S. Monk - drums

[@GetRhythm2011]

I had the real pleasure of seeing/hearing her at the "Strings in the Mountains" in Steamboat Springs years ago. WOW. Indeed what a wonderful, personable woman and singer. If I recall, she had a sister in the group that night, also incredible, but Nnenna is in a league of her own. Takes me back to some olde days of Etta, Phoebe, Ella, Bessie, Keely, etc. Great stuff. Thanks for having this up for all of us to enjoy. :)

[@islezeus]

I kinda agree with you, I just can't stomach when the comparisons among truly talented artists and one is put down over the other.

[@RushInNinja]

She was about 5 feet from me when I watched her perform... Pure heaven.

[@voldpilot]

She is a doll ! and a great voice too, she sings the melody instead of messing around, then those great musicians backing her do a phenominal job without ever trying to overshadow her. That's the mark of true professionals - AND why they got there ! !

[@BroccoliBeefed]

Both. She's gorgeous and so is her voice, so are her clothes and accessories.

[@yogomonte]

OMG I got to see Nnenna live at my college last semester. I attend Appalachian State University, Boone, Nc. LOL She is great. I'm so glad I got to see her.

[@johnyoung7711]

A remarkable jazz singer who has a beautiful warm and enchanting voice. I have always loved her style.

[@susongbird86]

awesome!!!!!i met her and she sounds like that in person !!!!!just awesome!!!!!!

[@TonyBananas]

you know ..not alot of people know about her but shes great and very giving ..she came to my high school once to teach us about jazz it was an awsome experience and shes got a great voice

[@billaverbach]

A favorite of mine. Thelonius Monk! Nice performance great song great band

[@NoDoyPieConBola]

She's incredible!

[@jennifergarzamusictv]

GREAT POST! She is fab!

[@flyingbackhome]

Excellent performance by excellent musicians - any "battle" going on must be in the listener's head. As a singer who appreciates the musicianship of instrumentalists I play with - I just don't get why anyone would think there's a battle going on.

[@keepthemusicplaying0]

Dramatic voice and performance, great video!!! Thanks for posting 5x**

[@paolarosati66]

she is the top as jazz singer!

[@NotYourTypicalNegro]

Nneena is da TRUTH!

[@roxmann1900]

Che meraviglia: è sempre un piacere sentirla.

[@TSquared2001]

LOVE it

[@1955drv]

Thank you All 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Tryezz]

Excellent

[@NorisBarrios]

You are amazing! i hope that one day i can meet you, i'm a singer also and i live in Guatemala best wishes from here and blessings!

[@guitarmanpd]

Why on earth would you book a quartet composed of some of the greatest musicians on the face of the earth and not expect them to play with some freedom? Pat and Herbie are tasty players here as always.

[@demitacalvin2302]

What a voice soultry perfect for midnight romance

[@SeowYiZhe]

I am amused by all the comments on how Pat and Herbie are playing all over her. If it was a saxophonist up there it would've been a different story because it's classified under "instrumentals". However, with modern jazz and increasing complexity of music, these two actually ADDED to the music as Nnenna conversed with them through her phrasing and timing. They flowed together as a band and were constantly interacting rather than really "stepping over the vocalist"

[@alkh3myst]

Yes.

[@nancydrew5]

@bugnioctavio Good point Bugnioctavio. Pat Metheny and Herbie are both monster players but perhaps not so much for accompanying vocalists. They are instrumentalists musicians. That's why Sarah and Ella had certain instrumentalists that they used during their performance. Not every musician knows how to comp behind a singer. Pat is awesome! But they perhaps should have gotten out of the way more and been more 'melodic' in their playing less soloing on chord changes.

[@BroccoliBeefed]

I'd rather go see and hear this woman any day than what's their names?, oh Rihanna and Beyonce. Love me some jazz...Besides, this woman has class.

[@luckyleonardes]

You did no harm Sir Charles Thompson, You did no harm.

[@nancydrew5]

"There are no "rules" of comping that you can either break, or not break." Check out that video of the great Billie Holiday surrounded by all those wonderful horn players from Lester Young, to Gerry Mulligan to many others, and they were NOT all in her way when she was singing fine and mellow. They played and got out of the way.

[@Nummymuffincocobutter]

beautiful and a gorgeous voice..or is it the other way around?

[@vexedboy]

@nancydrew5 Y'know. I noticed Pat interplaying with Nnenna's singing but it didn't bother, it was cool. And she kept her cool and her game. She held the center. I thought. Pat is Pat That's what he does. Love'em.

[@taddyd1]

BTW, My initial complaint didn't put them down, merely stated they got more exposure. But since you provided the forum.... you must have read my mind.

[@andreasswarfeld]

mamaged to sing it and miss all the juice notes dont get that . A x

[@NYCBG]

There's a world of difference between a "solo" and "fill-ins".

[@billtimmick112]

She has got an ALL STAR lineup as far as the band, I just have never have cared for her voice, nor her interpretations of jazz. Seen her play singing 10 feet away from me and bored to tears.

[@mrjimmienoone2130]

Get yourself a new taste, and throw the old one in the garbage. Listen to this rhythm! She's a great singer.

[@harrietjohnson1930]

She’s a GREAT singer! But I’ve found it depends on her take on a song as to whether or not I’m moved. I saw her in SF several years ago and wasn’t moved by her song set. But here on KZbin I’ve found some stellar recordings: Song of Silent Footprints, Infant Eyes, Ballad for Aisha, Over Joyed, If I Had You. 👌🏾

[@alkh3myst]

Well I guess you've never heard the composer of this piece playing with other musicians. There are no "rules" of comping that you can either break, or not break. It's a continuum, and you either like how somebody played, or you don't. Since you are so critical of PAT METHENY, living legend, when's your next album coming out?

[@jazzmunky]

Wow she's a honey!

[@akiemurad1999]

@nancydrew5 Good observation.

[@taddyd1]

she's had 3 #1 Billboard jazz lps, grammy noms etc but you are right, NONE of the Jazz Divas get there props today. Dee Dee, Dianne Reeves, Rachelle F are invisible compared to Jill Scott or Dianne Krall.

[@nancydrew5]

"Well I guess you've never heard the composer of this piece playing with other musicians" Yup, I love Monk's composition, but what has that got to do with anything? This piece was a musical composition, now in this context, we have a soloist and musical accompanist who need to know how to 'get out the way' and not solo all over the 'soloist. Even if they are stars.That's basic 101 comping rules. Doesn't matter who wrote the piece, it's the context in which it is being played that matters.

[@winpointmedia]

Nneena is a hell of a singer but...SHE IS FINE AS HELL..Boy I love some Ms. Freelon. I hope I didn't offend anybody. If I did too bad..cause she's fineeeeee. I want to be the jam in a Nneena Freelon, Cassandra Wilson sandwich

[@klapsker714]

Charles Thompson ..not at all....me too.

[@harrietjohnson1930]

LOL!

[@foxchapel335]

@nancydrew5 Metheny is a great player, but he ALWAYS steps on vocalist. I don't understand why any singer would want him to accompany. He's a feature instrumentalist that needs front and center. There was a point that Metheny and Herbie Hancock were trading licks in the middle of a verse. They're all great players.. just need to give a little room.

[@Cream1959]

anything to compare ?

[@nancydrew5]

Give it a rest dude. There are 'rules' to comping but you like a lot of other guys think they don't apply to singers. But any soloist whether it is a horn player or a voice (the first instrument) has 'rule's for comping and you don't play all over someone else. A person doesn't have to have an 'album coming out' in order to know that. This is why certain well known singers had certain instrumentalist that they played with for years. They liked how they played with them.

[@bugnioctavio]

Why are Pat and Herbie playing constantly while she´s trying to sing? Great solos guys, awful comping ;)

[@nancydrew5]

@vexedboy "Pat is Pat That's what he does. Love'em." Pat is great, but on 'this performance' he was too much out front. See it was not about him, but about the singer and his role was to accompany her' not be the star. Joe Pass would never do something like this and he was the maestro and I've heard him accompany legendary singers from Carmen McCrae to Ella to Sarah. He knew that no matter how much he brought to the table, the first rule when he is accompanying a singer, is to do just that.

[@steve42lawson]

As I was listening to this, I was thinking, what's wrong?! She's usually better than this. Then, as I listened I heard the characteristic Pat Matheny style -- very much in conflict with her style. I love both these artists, but NOT TOGETHER! She did a stellar job untangling herself from his poor accompaniment.

[@Vayshen]

That didn't look like Christian McBride to me.

[@taddyd1]

D Krall is not a professionl quality singer. Jill scott is good but gets placed on "Jazz" themed TV shows rather than Dee Dee or Nneena, when she gets plenty of hip-hop exposure already. Much of Billy's props came after her death and MUCH more so after the Ross movi

[@sysphus13]

Pat's a little to busy for Nnenna's good here...

[@Anoush23]

lol

[@mikeandmike]

agreed, good singing but just didnt have the feel in the notes

[@islezeus]

Hey Jill and Dianne K are good too.... don't put down one set of musicians to make the othe set look better. Betty Carter never got her props while Billie Holiday got plenty, despite her drug-induced period.