It's hard to believe, but the radiant Marlena Shaw has been in the business for 40 years now. The singer, who performed at the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem when she was only 10 years old, has built a career that makes many vocalists green with envy. Shaw, who made her breakthrough as the singer of the Count Basie Orchestra in '68, grew up with gospel and jazz. She stayed with the band for four years and then left to work on a solo career. She was the first singer ever to record for the Blue Note label. After four albums she went on an extensive tour with Sammy Davis Jr. Her styles include jazz, blues, gospel and rhythm & blues, on par with Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. Shaw also sings on the recordings of organ player Jimmy Smith and bassist Ray Brown. Furthermore her warm voice is frequently sampled. A snippet from Shaw's performance at the Montreux Jazz festival can be heard in the hit Rose Rouge of the French producer St. Germain.
