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GERMAINE BAZZLE

Biography

Germaine Bazzle, born March 28, 1932, in New Orleans’ culturally vibrant Seventh Ward, is celebrated as one of the city’s preeminent jazz vocalists and a revered music educator. Raised in a musical family, she began playing piano by ear as a child and received formal training at the Xavier Junior School of Music at age twelve. Bazzle’s early exposure to the rich musical traditions of New Orleans, coupled with her classical studies at Xavier University of Louisiana, shaped her versatile approach to music, spanning jazz, standards, and classical repertoire.

After graduating, Bazzle embarked on a dual career as a performer and educator. She taught choir and music appreciation at Xavier University Preparatory School, where she inspired generations of students, while also performing in New Orleans nightclubs and collaborating with jazz luminaries such as Ellis Marsalis, Alvin "Red" Tyler, and Victor Goines. Renowned for her sophisticated scat singing and her ability to treat her voice as an instrument, Bazzle became a fixture in the city’s jazz scene, leading her own group, Germaine Bazzle & Friends, and performing with ensembles like the Saint Louis Catholic Choir and The New World Ensemble. Her dedication to both performance and teaching earned her numerous accolades, including OffBeat’s Lifetime Achievement in Music Education award and multiple Big Easy Music Awards.

Bazzle’s musical style is marked by her mastery of vocal jazz, particularly scat singing, and her deep appreciation for both vocal and instrumental jazz traditions. Though she chose not to tour extensively, preferring to remain rooted in New Orleans to focus on teaching, her influence has been profound—shaping the city’s jazz landscape and mentoring countless young musicians through her work at the Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp and beyond. Her legacy endures as the "First Lady of New Orleans Jazz," a title reflecting her artistry, mentorship, and lifelong commitment to the music of her hometown.

Fun Facts

  • Bazzle is renowned for her scat singing, often using her voice as an instrument in complex improvisations.
  • She chose not to tour extensively, preferring to remain in New Orleans to focus on teaching and local performance.
  • Bazzle played both piano and bass as a child, showcasing her multi-instrumental talents early on.
  • She has received multiple awards for both her musical achievements and her contributions to music education, including OffBeat’s Lifetime Achievement in Music Education.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • Sarah Vaughan - Major stylistic influence; Bazzle studied her recordings as a teenager, shaping her approach to vocal jazz and scat singing. (Vaughan's 1950s recordings) [1940s–1950s]
  • Ella Fitzgerald - Influence on scat technique and vocal improvisation; Bazzle listened intensively to Fitzgerald’s records. (Fitzgerald's classic jazz albums) [1940s–1950s]
  • Billy Eckstine - Inspirational figure; Bazzle cited Eckstine as an early influence on her vocal style. (Eckstine's jazz and ballad recordings) [1940s–1950s]

Key Collaborators

  • Ellis Marsalis - Frequent collaborator in live performances and recordings; worked together in ensembles and on albums. (Joe Cool's Blues (with Wynton Marsalis), live performances) [1980s–1990s]
  • Alvin "Red" Tyler - Bandmate and recording partner; performed together in Germaine Bazzle & Friends and on collaborative albums. (Heritage (with Johnny Adams), The New New Orleans Music: Vocal Jazz) [1980s–1990s]
  • Victor Goines - Performance collaborator in New Orleans jazz venues and ensembles. (Live performances in New Orleans) [1980s–2000s]
  • David Torkanowsky - Pianist and bandmate in Germaine Bazzle & Friends and other local jazz projects. (Live performances, local recordings) [1980s–2000s]
  • George French - Frequent collaborator in bands and recordings. (Mood Indigo (with Johnny Adams, New Orleans C.A.C. Jazz Orchestra)) [1990s]

Artists Influenced

  • Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp students - Mentored and taught young musicians as a faculty member, shaping the next generation of New Orleans jazz artists. (Jazz Camp performances, student recitals) [1990s–present]
  • Xavier University Preparatory School students - Inspired and educated hundreds of students through her decades-long teaching career. (School choirs, music appreciation classes) [1960s–2008]

Connection Network

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Discography

Albums

Title Release Date Type
Standing Ovation 2003-01-01 Album
Heritage 1986-01-01 Album

Top Tracks

  1. Route 66 (Standing Ovation)
  2. Secret Love - Live (Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)
  3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Mood Indigo)
  4. New Orleans (Mood Indigo)
  5. Bye Bye Blackbird (Mood Indigo)
  6. Sometimes I'm Happy (Mood Indigo)
  7. I'm Just A Lucky So And So (Mood Indigo)
  8. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (Mood Indigo)
  9. I Love Paris (Mood Indigo)
  10. Lost Mind (Mood Indigo)

Tags: #jazz

References

  1. 64parishes.org
  2. fromthevaults-boppinbob.blogspot.com
  3. veritenews.org
  4. scalar.usc.edu

Heard on WWOZ

GERMAINE BAZZLE has been played 5 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Dec 9, 202512:49Route 66New Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams
Dec 9, 202512:49Route 66New Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams
Dec 1, 202500:44Secret LoveThe Dean's Listw/ Dean Ellis
Nov 18, 202512:45I Wish You Lovefrom OvationNew Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams
Sep 30, 202512:53Secret LoveNew Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams