Renée Fleming - If it ain't got that swing!

[mkurnat]

I love her... but this is not swinging. At all. Soprano + jazz = H'Whack.

[pnyc1969]

This is great on a lot of levels. It shows how to blur the boundaries between genres, dispel competition and concepts of high/popular art and have interest in going outside a comfort zone. (Now may the opera fans stop criticizing Aretha Franklin for Nessun Dorma!) But my favorite part is hearing her speak fluent German. It's rare to hear an American speak another language and if anything can make my unpatriotic heart swell with pride for my country, it's something like this! Well done, Renee!

[Reneefan1]

I love that you can hear the smile in her voice when she sings, even if you aren't watching the video. You can hear it clearly when she sings When did you leave Heaven on her Haunted Heart cd. One in a million!!

[MakingTheDifference3]

Just so people know, she did Jazz much before classical or Opera. It's not like she's trying to quit Opera to be a jazz singer. Jazz is just one of her first loves.

[TheMrGuustavoo]

queee lixoooo

[Katrine28091996]

I adore her voice! It's fantastic and fun)

[SondraHarnes]

I love this! Operatic/Jazz Fusion! What a great job she did, and it was a joy to watch her having so much fun! Amazing ending! :-)

[keanekkk]

It is actually refreshing to hear a singer branch out......not always what you expect. I think Renee is having fun.

[primohomme]

Singing jazz with a soprano voice is not a good idea, but her true jazz singing in the low register is fantastic, listen to her album "Haunted Heart".

[ChenoBwayBabe]

She just does not have the correct tone for this. I ADORE Renee Fleming, but she is an opera singer for than anything else. That is where she needs to stay.

[inuzumarose]

While jazz singers can, with the right training, make a fairly successful transition to classical, classical singers (especially those who wish to continue with their classical careers) cannot make a god transition to jazz. Jazz requires a freedom of technique and the ability to use your voice in a way that would be ultimately damaging to a classical singer. Still, with the amazing musical gift Renée Fleming gave to the world, I think we can allow her to return to her jazz roots for some fun.

[catface1965]

If, , "jazz people are circulating this video around to point howunequipped this woman is to sing jazz"the are not being genuine. her jazz singing should be judged on the merits of her "Haunted House" album. I really don't think this was an attempt to sing jazz style" . Unless jazzheads are ignorant they should know that" standards" were mostly composed in high keys and sung with legit theater voices even classical voices. For ex Gershwin can be sing jazzy or legit. But I admit not this tune.

[LittleLotte7793]

You know, she used to sing jazz before she sang opera. I wish she would sing this is her JAZZ voice.

[Angeltots]

er.. im not really into it.. blech.

i see jazz as a more relaxed singing and not like that.. =(

[ppicciotti]

Well folks..you might be interested to know that jazz people are circulating this video around to point how TERRIBLE this is..and how unequipped this woman is to sing jazz. As a an ex classical singer, who has made the change to jazz..I will tell you that this is stupid..not only because it cannot stand on its merits..but also because it shows this singer's taste..which is non existant. This is how one destroys one's credibility..in one easy lesson.

[bigredpaul]

There are as many points of view as there are styles of jazz - personally I found this fusion of jazz and classical interesting and refreshing.

But I also have her Haunted Heart CD, and am quite impressed with her taste and sensibility.

[MIGUEL2005LIMA]

HAUNTED HOUSE??spooky.....

[elvenlove]

I had serious reservations on Ms. Flemings ability to cross over genres, but then i bought her C.D "Haunted Heart". I just wish more of the tunes were on Youtube. It's on iTunes. Go check it out. The songs are much more suited to her voice. Fantastic!

[youkali22]

well, the issue for her is, which part of the voice do I use? she relied on her great training and her spectacular head/mask voice - where she might have used her chest voice - Ella and Billie, well, they had no training, they listened and used their musical intelligence to create vocal jazz moments - such a difficult thing!

[operaholic001]

I'm in chock :O Renée how could you ??

[phantomnumber20]

I'm a huge Renee Fleming fan. I don't think she does a bad job but her voice, although incredible, just doesn't seem to fit this piece. It's not bad but just doesn't fit

[raaadja99]

I´m her fan but this is so not! Jazz is about something completely different but the perfection of the voice. It´s about emotion and deep enjoyment....Her reindition brings nothing new to the song. This is so so not. Never again.

[tulrich125]

I think it's the tone color, which is totally appropriate for opera... but I don't think it fits for this genre very well.

[gamgee87]

weird...I love her jazz cd...but this not so much...

[lumpylumps579]

I am normally a huge, HUGE Renee Fleming fan, but I don't know how I feel about this one. Just that it makes me a little uncomfortable.

[karoosie]

Do not ever sing jazz ever. please. I love you but no.

[apexpark]

oh no no, that isn't her jazz voice! listen to her haunted heart cd, its INCREDIBLE

[singinfoo]

@karoosie hahahaha

[tenor220]

@karoosie You realize that she released an entire Jazz album.

[karoosie]

@tenor220 I'm fully aware. And fully aware that it's awful.

[vocalvideos]

I love it and she looks like a doll!

[musikenergy]

I love Renee, but no. Jazz shouldn't be sung like a Puccini aria.

[sharkenduro]

who does it like her then?

[ADyingFaith]

I dont know if i like it or not.

[sopranoms]

I think that's the most wondeful swing version I've heard!

[newtenor]

Now I LOVE renee but this is horrible!

[Babs22h]

her doo wah's are so... ick

[BrockSamson10]

Duke Ellington is rolling over in his grave. She is the Hillary Clinton of jazz.

[Judill]

hahahahah!!!

[trekkie2006]

she looks SO gorgeous!!

[blackbluetiger]

she speaks fluent German?!....he doesnt.....

[trekkie2006]

yeah, she speaks fluent German and French :) i think he has to speak it cuz he answers the question, but maybe just.. didn't wanna speak in German for some reason?

[harryheftug]

I like it when people try a differnet style of singing, but this doesn't work out, although I like het classical performance

[danaissharp]

wow she has horrible intonation. no wonder why she had to make a career in opera

[ciociosan]

HAHAHHAHA!

[puccinilover]

I'm sorry are you implying that to sing opera you don't need good intunation?? becasue thats bull

[musicamaxima]

Are you implying that to be an intelligent person one should know how to at least spell the word that labels the concept about which he is arguing?

[puccinilover]

oh give me a break I made a mistake my point, though misspelled still stands

[torvaldivar]

When was this?

[torvaldivar]

When was this?

[garconfrancais01]

i wasnt sure she was going to be able to navigate this song jazzy and not operatic...but she did a very good job, she uses dif technique. she is one smart cookie.

[pequitasazules]

I agree! She is a VERY smart cookie. I recommend her book "The Inner Voice".

[pinkbeachloverable]

@pequitasazules YES!!! LOVE THAT BOOK!

[fernandobicudo]

Great swing and singing!!!

[zafireh]

grande