Joan Morris
Joan Morris, (born February 10, 1943) is a mezzo-soprano,[1]
Born in Portland, Oregon, she is one half of the famous musical duo of Bolcom and Morris. Her musical partner and husband is composer/pianist William Bolcom.[2] Together, they specialize in older popular songs, primarily from the first half of the 20th century, but extending beyond that to include both contemporary cabaret songs and a number of songs dating back to the American Civil War. Together, they have taught at the University of Michigan for many years. Her performance style is nuanced and vibrant; noted for being historically informed, which includes rarely deviating from the original versions of songs for the sake of political correctness. Her singing voice is lauded for its exceptional clarity, such that the lyrics are almost always completely intelligible. In early 2015 she announced that she and Bolcom would begin to curtail both the length and number of their concerts, offering the next year as an ad hoc "Farewell Tour" after which they would limit performances to "cameo appearances."
Select Discography
- After the Ball: A Treasury of Turn-of-the-Century Popular Songs, Nonesuch Records, 1974, H-71304 (Grammy Nominated)
- Who Shall Rule This American Nation? (with Clifford Jackson and The Camerata Chorus, Nonesuch, 1976
- Vaudeville: Songs of The Great Ladies of The Musical Stage, Nonesuch, 1976
- Wild About Eubie (With Eubie Blake), Columbia, 1977
- These Charming People (with Max Morath), RCA Red Seal, 1978
- Songs By George and Ira Gershwin, Nonesuch, 1978
- The Girl On The Magazine Cover, RCA, 1979
- Blue Skies, Nonesuch, 1979
- Other Songs By Leiber and Stoller, Nonesuch, 1980
- The Rodgers and Hart Album (with Lucy Simon), RCA, 1981
- More Rodgers and Hart (with Max Morath), RCA, 1983
- Silver Linings, Arabesque, 1984
- Black Max: The Cabaret Songs of Arnold Weinstein and William Bolcom, RCA, 1985
- Lime Jello: An American Cabaret, RCA, 1986
- Let's Do It, Omega, 1989
- Night and Day, Omega, 1993
- Fountain Favorites From The World of Coca-Cola (with Max Morath), Coke, 1994
- Orchids In The Moonlight, Arabesque, 1996
- The Carioca, Arabesque, 1997
- Moonlight Bay, Albany, 1999
- Bolcom and Morris Sing Yip Harburg (with Max Morath), Original Cast, 2003
- Bolcom and Morris Sing Gus Kahn (with Max Morath), Original Cast, 2004
- Someone Talked!, Equilibrium, 2009
- Autumn Leaves, White Pines, 2015
Sources
References
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