We began with an idea and it just veered off in another direction, then it veered off in another direction, and we kept shedding layers. Her introduction to music, however, did not include the blues, which was viewed as a common form practiced by unsophisticates. Her singing style, at that point, owed much to Carter and Lincoln. SoundScan reports that 14,000 units had been sold as of Jan. 16. We set it up in our listening stations near the racks.
People listen to it, they like it.
Radio programmers obviously feel the same way. A random survey of 80 jazz stations across the country reveals that more than half have the record in heavy or medium rotation. That's six plays per week and up. With this kind of cross-generational appeal, the record seems ripe for a marketing push. The woman once viewed as jazz's next torch-bearing traditionalist, albeit one with a pronounced hip in her hop, might yet become a darling of the pop set.