Happy birthday to vocalist Jeanne Lee! From NYC, she was not only a vocalist but a choreographer for classical, modern and jazz settings. She formed a musical partnership in the early '60s with Ran Blake, but the duo had more success across the pond. In the mid-'60s she was collaborating in avant-garde, sound-art, poetry and Fluxus happenings and in the late '60s/early '70s was contributing to work by Archie Shepp, Marion Brown and Carla Bley (Escalator Over The Hill), as well as with her husband Gunter Hampel (Galaxy Dream Band, etc). She has also appeared with Anthony Braxton, John Cage, Mal Waldron, Jimmy Lyons, Jane Bunnett, Reggie Workman and has written pieces for opera. She also wrote a book for children about jazz history.
The title song from this 1969 album by Archie Shepp (Blasé) is one of my favorite tunes to feature her. "You, who shot your sperm into me...but NEVER set me free"...