Helen Merrill

Helen Merrill began her musical career at the 845 Club in the Bronx with promoter Johnny Johnson. Her first major label recording is the now-classic album simply entitled Helen Merrill. On that album, produced by Quincy Jones in December of 1954, she was supported bv such talents as Clifford Brown, Oscar Pettiford, Barry Gailbrath, and Jimmy Jones. From that recording on, Miss Merrill has kept her musical integrity, recording with the finest musicians of our time, including albums with Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Ron Carter, Thad Jones, Bill Evans, and Stephan Grappelli, among others.
In 1959 Miss Merrill appeared on the BBC with Dudley Moore and his trio. She remained in Europe for five years working her way from clubs to TV to the finest concert halls. In 1960 she was invited by The Hot Club of Japan to appear in that country. She has enjoyed an extraordinary relationship with her fans in Japan and in December of 1989 was voted the Best American Jazz Singer in the Swing Journal readers' poll.
Miss Merrill has made more than forty albums in addition to her appearances on the concert stages and jazz clubs through out the world. She was born in New York City of Yugoslav parents and her greatest musical influence was the voice of her mother.

   Merrill Discography

The artist profiles on these pages were excerpted from the Carnegie Hall Tribute program. We present them here in an effort to recognize the artists that keep the music of Lady Ella alive through their repertoire.