Dear Friends,

It’s not uncommon for me to miss or dismiss artists in the initial blush of their celebrity only to learn of them in some retrospective analysis. This approach offers the benefits of not waisting time following the siren song of one-hit wonders or fad-milking acts, skips past the orgy of fawning fans falling over themselves, and provides me with a percolated, thoughtful analysis highlighting the craft of the artist in the cool light of history.

I’m not sure how I missed Amy Winehouse when she was alive. I did, but thankfully Ted Gioia highlighted her jazz chops in a recent post:

Like so many music stars, she died at age 27—they even call it “The 27 Club,” and that’s one all-star group you definitely don’t want to join … I got a stack of books on Amy, and started reading about the circumstances leading to her death at age 27 …

I decided to focus on Winehouse’s music instead, but really I want to look just at her jazz singing. Because this is what turned me into an Amy Winehouse fan. I didn’t pay much attention to her pop music until I first heard her rendition of a jazz song, which forced me to reconsider everything I had assumed about her. 

With this setting the table for my Winehouse appreciation, I listened through the various clips Mr. Gioia linked.

This just in: that woman could sing.

Read the whole article for the dazzling details, his analysis, and links to the clips that I enjoyed. While you’re doing that, I’ll go make myself an Amy Winehouse jazz playlist.