Biography
Lucy Reed earned a reputation as an appealing yet largely overlooked jazz vocalist who worked the Chicago circuit throughout the 1950s. Cool-toned by nature, she drew inspiration from other cool-school stylists such as Chris Connor and June Christy. Born in Marshfield, WI, in 1924, she attended high school in St. Paul, MN, during the late 1930s and early 1940s, then resided successively in Milwaukee, WI, Iron City, MI, and Duluth, MN, throughout the 1940s before settling in Chicago during the following decade. While Woody Herman’s orchestra was appearing in Duluth, Reed was engaged for several local performances; afterward she served as featured vocalist on a number of Charlie Ventura’s Midwestern engagements. Once established in Chicago, she worked regularly at the Lei Aloha with bassist Johnny Frigo, formerly of the Soft Winds, and pianist Dick Marx. Reed made few studio recordings, her only association being a short-lived contract with Fantasy. Two sessions—one in New York in 1955 and another in Chicago in 1957—produced her debut album for the label, This Is Lucy Reed. The later date featured Marx and Frigo, whereas the earlier one enlisted pianist Bill Evans, who took no solos. Following the 1950s Reed receded still further from public view. In 1991 Fantasy gathered the 1955 and 1957 material onto the sixteen-track CD The Singing Reed.
Albums
