Terry Morel ( January 29,1925 – June, 24, 2005) was an American West coast jazz singer active in the 1950s and early 60s.
This wasn't quite enough for Terry though, because loved jazz, and wanted to sing the songs she liked, the way she liked. So she gave up a successful gig in a field she didn't really enjoy, to become a single, a jazz singer. It was not an easy path. The already crowded field had a limited audience at best, and bookings weren't easy to come by.
She took that new step in her career backed by a new local trio headed by 24-year-old pianist Tony Luis, and ably supported Ron Andrews on bass and Hank Nanni on drums. Despite his age, Luis had already showed he was an inventive jazz soloist. Aside from his individual qualities, he was also an accomplished accompanist, the perfect complement to Terry's voice, and so they immediately got an audience wherever they went.
As a result of the numerous requests for records from Terry's fans, the Prestige label rushed to record an EP of her with Tony Luis' Trio in March 1955. We find Terry singing with warm tenderness in four well known standards arranged by Luis. His backing is tastefully simple, and he swings with thoughtful conception during his only solo of the set in “But Not for Me.” There isn't a single frantic moment, and an aura of musical confidence permeates these pleasant sides.
Less than a year later, Bethlehem Records made the most of the fact that Terry was performing at the Montclair Supper club in Jackson Heights, New York, and arranged to record her right then and there. The label brought in sound engineer Rudy Van Gelder to capture Terry's live performance, who carefully chose the best songs after the set. The whole endeavour saw the light in the album "Songs of a Woman In Love."
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| Ralph Sharon |
Terry is serene and wistful in her interpretation. She swings lightly with a husky, pleasant voice, and with warmth, closeness, a feeling for words and melody. The Ralph Sharon trio, with Ralph at the piano, Jay Cave on bass and Christy Febbo on drums, provided some rhythmic structure, while the ever-inventive Herbie Mann contributed the distinguished flute passages that blend sowell into the vocal moods Terry creates.
In May 1957, Terry traveled to the West Coast for the first time, and appeared as a guest vocalist on the popular television show 'Stars of Jazz,' singing with the trio of pianist Gerald Wiggins. The following week she could be found on Steve Allen's Tonight. In November she was invited to Stars of Jazz once again, and this second time she was interviewed by the great songwriter Johnny Mercer, who acted as the temporary host and replacement of Bobby Troup, who was on holidays. In her appearance, she sang two popular standards with lyrics by Mercer, “Day In, Day Out” and “Skylark,” where she achieved a light and dreamy atmosphere with some nice shades.
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| Johnny Mercer |
As Mercer said: “We think that Terry is a very fine jazz singer indeed.” In her appearance, she sang two popular standards with lyrics by Mercer, “Day In, Day Out” and “Skylark,” where she achieved a light and dreamy atmosphere with some nice shades.
Morel had come back East and sang at the 1961 Newport Jazz Festival All Stars after being invited by George Wein. As Terry herself pointed out, she got good reviews, especially from Nels Nelson, who observed that she hadn't been wasting her time on the West Coast. Whatever the case, Morel was home. In 1965 and 1966 she was again gigging around Philadelphia; in Wilmington DE; at Henry's in Haddonfield, NJ; and even singing in the lounge at the Latin Casino in Jersey when Nancy Wilson was the headliner. Yet, for all that, she hadn't gotten much beyond the cabaret gigs that she was doing in the late 1940s and the British Invasion was in full swing, turning the world of pop music upside down and dealing a body blow to jazz.
The gigs started to diminish so she had to stop singing to obtain a liveable income. She held various jobs which included being a phone solicitor, an assistant at Schwab's drugstore on Sunset from 1967 to 1970 and also at astore called Harold's Place from 1975 to 1981. It's been many years since her television broadcasts, and except for a 1973 chorus background to a Jack Sheldon vocal performance of Bob Dorough's tune “Conjunction-Junction,” for the animated musical educational TV series for children Schoolhouse Rock!, little else is known about Terry Morel, who died from cancer on June 24, 2005. She was cremated and there is no grave site to visit. Her death certificate simply gave her occupation as "Singer."
(Taken from liner notes by Jordi Pujol with additional editing from All About Jazz) (Photographs are very scarce)