As mentioned previously, I’ve been transitioning from IG to Bluesky. A March “Vinyl Challenge” caught my eye. Using the grammatically clunky (but instructive) hashtag #31GreatWomenMusicians, the idea is to post one artist a day for the month.
It has been such fun delving into the Vinyl Connection Collection that I thought I’d share a few, including the brief descriptions.
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Second LP by marvellous Canadian art-rock musician…
Jane Siberry — No Borders Here (Duke/Open Air Records 1984)
Canada is just about my favourite country right now.
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Debut LP as leader by the amazing…
Alice Coltrane — A Monastic Trio (Impulse, 1968; re-issue)
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Seventh studio LP by the earth-shaking…
Etta James — Tell Mama (Cadet, 1968)
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So much more than a brilliant single. Ladies and Gentlemen, the awesome…
Bobbie Gentry — Ode to Billy Joe [Capitol 1967, UK pressing]
[Apologies for the image quality. This was an attempt at filming the record playing for a sound clip. Kinda worked.]
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Sixth studio album by Scottish dreampop outfit…
Cocteau Twins — Heaven Or Las Vegas [1990]
…featuring the spine-tingling vocals of Ms Elizabeth Fraser.
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Debut LP by the fabulously funky…
Betty Davis — Betty Davis [1973]
Blew Miles’ mind; three amazing LPs; described by Allmusic as “sexual liberation personified”.
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Steamy to Sacred. An atheist posts one of his earliest crushes…
Hildegard von Bingen (~1098 – 1179) — A Feather on the Breath of God (Gothic Voices) Hyperion 1982
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An eternally heartbreaking singer…
Billie Holiday — Platinum Collection [2017]
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There are a couple of dozen more brilliant artists on my list but I’m always open to suggestions…
Who would you include?
vinylconnection.com.au 
I guess Lita Ford didn’t make the cut.
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I hadn’t considered The Runaways but maybe that should be up for review!
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Well…just tonight I listened to “Love You More Than Yesterday” by the Shangri Las…a favorite song of mine…so I would include the late, great Mary Weiss. Tough, gorgeous, great voice.
(Both Canada and Ukraine are my favorite countries now.)
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The Supremes are in contention, but I don’t have a lot of Shangri Las stuff. Will rummage around and see what I can find. Thanks greenpete!
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VC “steamy to sacred” got my attention. Alice Coltrane second wife of John Coltrane. Mother of Ravi Coltrane a fine saxophonist himself who has toured Australia and played in Melbourne. Not in the same league as his father but who is? My first awareness of Alice Coltrane was when she got together with Carlos Santana for
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Apologies having difficulty responding with iPhone.
…Illuminations. My personal favourite though was the earlier Journey in Satchidananda released in 1971. Another terrific album this time with Alice as a guest artist is McCoy Tyner’s Extensions.
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Illuminations is interesting, and has a fabulous cover, but has never really grabbed me in the way some of Carlos’s work has. As for “Journey”… absolutely fabulous. My favourite too.
Cheers WoodyD.
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Oh, btw, I hope the “steamy to sacred” wasn’t misleading. I was referring to the transition from Betty Davis to Hildegard von Bingen. Not much fire in the Abbess’s compositions, but plenty of rarified air.
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Thoughts: Nina Simone, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Sarah Vaughan? Canada is my favorite country right now, too. (How are you liking Bluesky?)
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All of those are in contention, JDB. What I really need is a month with 75 days. 🙂
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I’ll put in a vote for Annie Lennox, Barbra Streisand, Cher, Gabriela Quintero, Hiromi … And I’m sure there are many more that haven’t come to mind yet.
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The first of those is on the list, Phil. The next two aren’t my cup of tea and the last two are, I’m afraid, not presently known to me. Perhaps some research is called for. 🙂
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Quintero is half of “Rodrigo y Gabriela”. They play metal-tinged tunes on Spanish guitars. Hiromi is a wonderful jazz pianist. Both are technically brilliant, and likely to be more to the VC taste. Do check them out.
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How about Alice Cooper?
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😂 You are naughty, CB.
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Great picks, Bruce. How about Carole King, Bonnie Raitt and Sheryl Crow?
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A trio of fine suggestions, Christian. Bonnie went up today, Carole is on the list. Having only the one Sheryl LP, I confess to being under-educated on her work. Something that should be addressed, perhaps.
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No Roches?
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Meh.
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Your post prompted me to listen to Mimi on the Beach as I drove to work the other day. Because the drive is only 5 minutes, I sat in my car for an extra 2 minutes to hear the exciting conclusion. Thanks for the reminder, I love this song.
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That’s proper listening, that is Jeff. Ms Siberry is a special artist.
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I love Heaven and Las Vegas, great choice. I need to explore Jane Siberry more.
Some of my favourite modern music is women doing experimental things, like Mabe Fratti or ML Buch.
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