Barbara Morrison (September 10, 1949 – March 16, 2022)^[1] was an American jazz singer.

Biography[edit]

Born in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and raised in Romulus, Michigan, Barbara Morrison recorded her first appearance for radio in Detroit at the age of 10. In 1973 she moved to Los Angeles at the age of 23^[2] and sang with Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson‘s band. Between the mid-1970s and early 1990s, she recorded several albums with Johnny Otis.^[1]

In 1986, Morrison toured with the Philip Morris Superband, completing a 14-city one-month tour of Canada, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, playing with jazz organist Jimmy Smith and backed by saxophonist James Moody, guitarist Kenny Burrell, trumpeter Jon Faddis, and Grady Tate on drums. Morrison also completed a 33-city tour in the US in an all-star tribute to composer Harold Arlen. In 1995, Morrison appeared in a televised tribute to Ella Fitzgerald with Mel Torme, Diane Reeves, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, and Lou Rawls.

She has worked with Gerald Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, James Moody, Ron Carter, Etta James, Esther Phillips, David T. Walker, Jimmy Smith, Dr. John, Kenny Burrell, Terence Blanchard, Joe Sample, Cedar Walton, Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Tony Bennett, Keb’ Mo, Count Basie Orchestra, Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra and Doc Severinsen. She has performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Nice, Pori, Carnegie Hall, North Sea, Darling Harbour, Sydney Opera House, Monterey, Long Beach, and in tributes to Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Golson. In 2011 Morrison began performing with Jack Hale, a guitarist, arranger, and bandleader.

Barbara Morrison passed away on March 16, 2022 at the age of 72.^[3]

Discography[edit]

• Love Is a Four-Letter Word (with the Leslie Drayton Orchestra) (Esoteric/Optimism, 1984)
• Love’n You (with Joe Sample, David T. Walker, Wilton Felder) (P.C.H./Pony Canyon, 1990)
• Doing All Right (Aris/Mons, 1992 [1995])
• Blues for Ella: Live (with the Thilo Berg Big Band) (Mons, 1993 [1995])
• I Know How to Do It (Blue Lady, 1996; Chartmaker, 1997)
• I’m Gettin’ ‘Long All Right (Chartmaker, 1997)
• Visit Me (Chartmaker, 1999)
• Ooh-Shoobie-Doo! (with Johnny Otis & his band) (J & T, 2000)
• Live Down Under (Blue Lady, 2000)
• Thinking of You, Joe (Blue Lady, 2002) – note: this is Barbara’s special tribute to the great jazz vocalist, Joe Williams.
• Live at the 9:20 Special (with Danny Caron, Ruth Davies, Charles McNeal, John Haynes, Steve Campos, John R. Burr) (Springboard Productions, 2002)
• Barbara Morrison (Arietta Discs, 2003)
• Live at the Dakota (with Junior Mance, Earl May, Jackie Williams, Houston Person) (Dakota Live, 2005) – Note: includes Barbara’s signature song, “They Call Me Sundown”.
• Double Standards (Blue Lady, 2006) – 2-CD set
• Los Angeles, Los Angeles, The City by the Sea (CD single; 2 songs) (Garrison, 2008)
• By Request: Volume One (Fertility, 2011)
• By Request: Volume Two (Fertility, 2011)
• A Sunday Kind of Love (featuring Houston Person) (Savant, 2013)
• I Love You, Yes I Do (featuring Houston Person) (Savant, 2014)
• The L.A. Treasures Project: Live at Alvas Showroom (with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra) (Capri, 2014)
• I Wanna Be Loved (featuring Houston Person) (Savant, 2017)
• Warm & Cozy (featuring Stuart Elster) (Barbara Morrison Productions, 2021)

As sidewoman[edit]

• Back To Jazz With Johnny Otis & His Orchestra And Introducing Barbara Morrison (Jazz World, 1977)
• Johnny Otis! Johnny Otis! The 1984 Johnny Otis Show ‎(Hawk Sound, 1984) – note: Barbara sings on “Stand By Me”, “Do It Again, Baby” and “Soothe Me, Baby”.
• Otisology – Johnny Otis Show ‎(Kent, 1986) – note: Barbara sings on ‘Roll With Me Henry”, “Let’s Go, Johnny” and “I’m Scared Of You”.
• Prime Time – Jimmy Smith (Milestone, 1989) – note: Barbara is featured on “Farther On Up The Road”.
• Al Aarons And The L.A. Jazz Caravan – Al Aarons (Los Angeles Jazz Society/LAJS, 1995) – note: Barbara sings on “Back Door Blues” and “Make The Man Love Me”.
• Swingin’ The Blues – Doc Severinsen & His Big Band (Azica, 1999) – note: Barbara sings on “Every Day I Have The Blues”, “Don’t Touch Me” and “The Hucklebuck”.
• Big Wide Grin – Keb’ Mo’ (Sony Wonder/OKeh, 2001) – note: Barbara sings a duet with Keb’ Mo’ on “Grandma’s Hands”.
• From Me To You: A Tribute To Lionel Hampton – Terry Gibbs (Mack Avenue, 2003) – note: Barbara is featured on “Evil Gal Blues”.
• Sweet Jimmie Sings The Blues – Sweet Jimmie (Brown Door Records/BDR, 2003) – note: Barbara is featured on “Don’t Touch Me”.
• How Sweet It Is – Danny Caron (Caron Music, 2008) – note: Barbara sings on “The Promised Land” and “I Need Your Love So Bad”.
• Home Cookin’ – Henry Franklin (Skipper Productions, 2009) – note: Barbara is featured on “Philanthropy”.
• Never Been Blue – Johnny Boyd (Cliffdive Records, 2010) – note: Barbara sings a duet with Boyd on “Rockin’ Good Way”.
• Sweet Spot – Mark Winkler (Cafe Pacific, 2011) – note: Barbara sings a duet with Winkler on the title track.
• Live In Compton – Chris Miller Band (CMME Productions, 2011) [6-song EP] – note: Barbara is featured on “Down Home Blues”.
• Take Your Time – Bernie Pearl (Bee Bump Music, 2013) – note: Barbara sings 3 duets with Pearl.
• The Road To Love – Kenny Burrell (HighNote, 2015) – note: Barbara sings on “The Road To Love”, “Crazy He Calls Me” and “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be”.
• Unlimited 1: Live At Catalina’s – Kenny Burrell (HighNote, 2016) – note: Barbara is again featured on “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be”.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official site