For years I had ignored Amy Winehouse, assuming that she was just a mediocre rock singer. Of course, I’d never hear a single song of hers. And then, on a plane coming back from England, I watched the new documentary about her, “Amy“, and I was just blown away. (The movie is, by the way, the highest-grossing British documentary of all time, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.) Winehouse was a fantastic talent, and when she wasn’t drunk or high, amazing sounds would come out of her mouth. She was a natural jazz singer, with the kind of talent that is wholly sui generis. If you listen to her speaking voice, with that strong North London accent, you’d have no idea that she could sing at all!
Most of you know that Winehouse died young, and had a difficult life fighting addiction, with her every move followed and reported by the tabloid press. She was only 27 when she was found dead in her bed in Camden Square (incidentally, right next door to the house of my friend, geneticist Steve Jones, who used to complain constantly about the paparazzi).
I’m only now beginning to work my way through her music, but wanted to put up at least one piece: her recording of the jazz standard “Body and Soul” with Tony Bennett (one of Winehouse’s idols). This was her last recording session, and the song was released a few months after her death in 2011. I’m sure she’s not in her best voice, and Bennett, of course, has lost a few licks (this was recorded when he was 84!), but it’s still wonderful to hear a lovely duet between an old Italian-American guy and a nice young Jewish girl from Golders Green.
If you see the movie, as you must (trailer is here), you’ll be amazed at her intake of drugs and alcohol, which, toward the end, made it difficult for her to even climb onto a stage. But despite it all, you can’t help feeling great affection for someone who, despite all the notoriety, always remained that shy girl from Golders Green, here awed by singing with one of her heroes.
Below is some documentary video showing their meeting for the recording session, the recording, and then, at 10:57, Bennett muses about Winehouse’s death. After she died, Bennett said this:
“Amy Winehouse was an artist of immense proportions and I am deeply saddened to learn of her tragic passing. She was an extraordinary musician with a rare intuition as a vocalist and I am truly devastated that her exceptional talent has come to such an early end.
“She was a lovely and intelligent person and when we recorded together she gave a soulful and extraordinary performance. I was honored to have the opportunity to sing with her. It had been my sincere hope that she would be able to overcome the issues she was battling and I send my deepest sympathy to her father Mitchell, her entire family and all of those who loved her.”
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I’m a huge fan of Amy Winehouse, and selfishly I was, (and still am), angered at her death. I felt the same way when Belushi died.
The documentary is must see. My heart broke, and I knew that she had NO chance at all when her friend told the story about Amy’s reaction after winning the armful of Grammy Awards. I won’t re-tell it here. Watch the film.
I struggle with music classification sometimes. I don’t know if Amy Winehouse was a jazz singer or an R&B singer, or a soul singer, or…..??
What I do know is that Amy was both an immensely gifted singer and and emotionally committed musician, and for me, that’s the only category that matters.
There is a concert video of Amy Winehouse singing in a small church in Dingle, Ireland. You can find excerpts, or the whole concert on various video sites. That performance is worth seeking out.
If Amy’s Back to Black album is your thing, search out Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings.
Peace,
Paul
‘Amy Winehouse at the BBC’, available on DVD, includes several of her small concert performances (including the one you mention). I gather these small-venue concerts took place before she was swallowed up by crushing fame.
Didn’t know there was a BBC CD, thanks- ordered it!
Breathtaking. I’m in line for the film from my local library.
I must say Tony Bennett shows great sensitivity to Amy Winehouse’s fragility in the studio. It’s a masterclass in saying the right thing in a highly charged situation.
+1
Tony Bennett is about the only person in the movie who comes off well. A real class act.
Well, I think Amy comes off well enough to not look like a bad person. She was a good person, well loved, who became an addict.
I think that – as so often – she was let down by people who should have taken greater care of her. Of course when someone is addicted it can be very difficult to protect them from their own self destructive behaviours but it seems quite a few people really could have done more.
That was stunning. I can never appreciate Bennett enough. And, though not familiar with Winehouse, she was surely an artist to be admired. I will look into her gifts to us.
Hi
I’m a long time lurker and big fan of your WIET who has read your blog since reading the book a couple of years ago. However, it is worth noting that AW was from Southgate (she went to my school), a very different area to Golders Green in North London! The Jews are modern and 99% assimilated if they even identify as such. I think it’s worth noting how low the Jewish influence was in her lift and this comes across in the film, which as you say is excellent.
Sorry to be pedantic but I think you should clarify this as you do mention it twice (sorry I couldn’t contribute on a discussion regarding science/philosophy and more important topics!)
I was told she was from Golders Green by a Brit a few days ago; if she wasn’t, I stand corrected. Here’s a piece on her Jewish upbringing and background: http://www.religionnews.com/2015/07/23/5-facts-amy-winehouses-jewish-roots-hated-hebrew-school-loved-family-celebrations/
I recall seeing a documentary (BBC?) in which Amy sang ‘Back to Black’ unaccompanied, to a group of students (in Austin I think it was) and noting the stunned look on their faces.
I can’t find it on YouTube.
I loved her if only for that. Go girl!
Just to add two more of our north London girls, Adele and Paloma Faith.
When I took my entry for the reading-FvF-in-incongruous location photo last June, standing between the Jewish Museum and St. Patrick’s Catholic church in downtown San Francisco, the Jewish museum was running an exhibit on Amy Winehouse.
Like a lot of folk, I’ve been hooked on Winehouse ever since Rehab.
Like Jerry, I long ignored her as a modern po to listen carefully, What I heard was a natural jazz singer, with wonderful range and the kind of tone and phrasing that are given (by nature, of course) to only a few. At her best, she’s chilling. The documentary is profoundly moving and disturbing. Amy had such bad luck and taste in men, beginning with her father, a pathetic piece of work. perhaps Tony Bennett could have been her surrogate dad, had she found him soon enough.
Sorry a phrase or two was excised from earlier version owing to vagaries of my typing.
Like Jerry, I long ignored her as a modern pop phenomenon of no interest to this aging jazzérockéblues enthusiast. One of my daughters urged me to listen carefully, What I heard was a natural jazz singer, with wonderful range and the kind of tone and phrasing that are given (by nature, of course) to only a few. At her best, she’s chilling. The documentary is profoundly moving and disturbing. Amy had such bad luck and taste in men, beginning with her father, a pathetic piece of work. perhaps Tony Bennett could have been her surrogate dad, had she found him soon enough.
Amy had become little more than a tabloid freak show by the end. Whatever demons drove her to do what she did, I don’t think for one moment she would have wanted things to turn out the way they did. Who knows where artistically she might have gone in the hands of someone who cared more about her than they did about the $ signs. A loss to the world.
Amy was a brilliant meteorite that sadly burned up too soon. Her music is stunning and moving. I wish there had been timely help for her… what inner demons she must have been battling.
First time I have listened to her and now impressed. She sounds like an animal caught in trap to me.
*not
Happy to see you climb on the Amy train Jerry. When I discovered her music a few years ago I did the same thing: listened to everything I could find over a week or so. Now I have a (free) Spotify account and can stream my favorites anytime I like.
‘Back to Black’ (studio and live) performances and ‘Hey Little Rich Girl’ live which I am daring to embed because it is so fun to watch her stage presence (and that of her backup singers), are musts.