1. Lorez Alexandria became established in the midwest before moving to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s.
10 Facts About Lorez Alexandria
1. 2.
Dolorez Alexandria Turner was born on August 14,1929, in Chicago, Illinois.
3.
In Chicago, Alexandria became a local favorite and recorded for the first time for several independent local labels such as King Records, and later Argo Records.
4.
That year saw the release of her first album This is Lorez Alexandria with the King Fleming Quartet, followed by Lorez Alexandria Sings Pres: A Tribute to Lester Young, which was an homage to the tenor saxophonist.
5.
Lorez Alexandria collaborated with pianist Ramsey Lewis, with whom she had performed in 1958, and some of Count Basie's sidemen; the LP Early in the Morning was released on Argo in 1960.
6.
In 1964 Lorez Alexandria moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of further opportunities to perform in clubs and record, quickly becoming a featured vocalist at venues including the Parisian Room and Marla's Memory Lane.
7.
On Harlem Butterfly and Tangerine, which later received a Grammy nomination in 1984, Lorez Alexandria was supported by Los Angeles pianist Gildo Mahones and his quartet featuring Herman Riley on saxophone, Andy Simpkins on bass, and Carl Burnett on drums.
8.
On this record, Lorez Alexandria displayed that she still had the ability to re-imagine well-known standards.
9.
On her last album, Star Eyes, released in June 1993, Lorez Alexandria was joined by tenor saxophonist Houston Person, guitarist Bruce Forman, pianist Stan Hope, bassist Peter Weiss and drummer Michael Carvin.
10.
In 2001, at the age of 71, Lorez Alexandria died, remembered by some as one of the most under-appreciated jazz vocalists of the 20th century.