Posted on 08/08/2025 4:24:46 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A Portland jazz legend has died at the age of 85.
Nancy King was known the world over, praised for her voice and her improvisational skills on stage.
Words like “treasure” and “unique talent” are often spoken by those who knew King.
Vegetation fire on Hwy 58 prompts ‘Go Now’ evacs “Nancy King, to many, was perhaps the best jazz vocalist to ever live. And she just so happened to live in Portland, Oregon,” said Portland State University Jazz Professor Sherry Alves.
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Alves knew King well, having interviewed King many times for her doctoral dissertation.
A Grammy nominee, King grew up outside Springfield, started her career at the University of Oregon and said she was asked to leave because of her civil rights activism in the 1960s.
She was known for her ability to “scat,” an improvisational vocal style in bebop and jazz.
She was also known for her signature rose-colored glasses.
“She was absolutely magical as a musician and a person. And it’s kind of hard to describe a person who can move so many people in so many ways,” Alves said.
Alves said King could “sing circles around any song,” including well-known standards that she would make her own.
Over her career, she performed with other jazz legends, including Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis.
Never heard of her, so she wasn’t “known the world over.” And I was a music major in college so I’m familiar with all musical genres.
Never heard of her. Must have been a trade secret.Too bad, I should look for recordings of her.
What matters is : Where Is She Now ??
Where will she spend eternity ??
What about YOU ?
Sorry, I am not Simon from Samaria or Elymas.
No Nick, I’m not omniscient.
I’m a broken, worthless sinner, who deserves a long and painful death, and Hell for all eternity, whom God’s Holy Spirit has called to be adopted into His family. I don’t deserve this- it was a free gift, an act of God’s grace, which I could never have earned in 1000 lifetimes.
I’d like to hear your thoughts.
Idle back Edge Lord! Yer scaring the horses.
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