Fritz Helder has showcased his talents with some of the finest producers in the game. In addition to countless smashes with Azari & III, Helder has collaborated individually with everybody from Booka Shade and Andrea Oliva to Sinden and Yolanda Be Cool – making his mark with his smooth, emotive vocal performances. Ahead of his debut solo EP on AVSR, Helder took five to join us, sharing the iconic vocals that for him continue to stand the test of time as inimitable performances. Do you agree?
1. Mahalia is Jackson singing “trees”
It was a difficult task… but I selected my current fav 5 out of a huge list all time great vocal performances.
Mahalia Jackson, to me, has the perfect voice. Her smooth, velvety warm tone and flawless diction is the stuff sweet lullaby dreams are made of!
An oldie but goody for me.
2. Nat King Cole -“When I fall in love”
Like Mahalia, Nat is a classic from a time when vocalists had supernatural control and clarity in their voices… No one sounds like Nat and no one ever will!
3. Leontyne Price. farewell performance as Aida at the Metropolitan Opera.
Ive recently been turned onto Opera and its phenomenal vocalists… specifically the late great Leontyne Price. I joined the party too late to hear Mrs. Price sing live… but Ive been studying her greatest hits at the university of YouTube. Her farewell Performance of Aida is mesmerizing. You just don’t hear vocal gymnastics like that in pop music…ever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUV3fzlZJkA
4. Clare Torry on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. “Great Gig in The Sky”
I also really love wild… free form… uninhibited vocalist. Hearing Clare Torry wail on “Great gig in the Sky” is one of my earliest music memories. She apparently did it in one take, or so the legend goes… if that’s true… even more of a reason to be on my list!
5. Grace Jones – libertango
I get into a lot of arguments about Auntie Grace…vocally…I think she’s one of the best.
Although shes not a “trained” singer or a typical pop/radio voice… her animal like growls and moans are otherworldly and are consistent in their razor sharpness. Her spoken word is like a killer whispering from behind into your ear… Shes a hero to me. She went against the grain and broke the Internet (before there was even an Internet to break!!)… still an icon and still growling into the mic! Fierce!
And also… Kurt Cobain – “plateau / oh, me / lake of fire” …or all of the Nirvana MTV unplugged concert for that matter.
I was in Junior high school when I first heard Nirvana, but it wasn’t a fan until I watched the MTV unplugged. There is something very dark but incredibly beautiful in his voice. No one captured angst and pain like Kurt…
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