At a very early age, Marlena Shaw quickly developed a love for music, particularly blues and jazz. Through her uncles’ records, Shaw was influenced by the likes of Sister Rosetta Thorpe, Al Hibbler, and Miles Davis – even utilizing their records to practice her vocals.
In 1952, at the young age of 11 or 12, Shaw got a crash course in performing, singing for a full audience at the legendary Apollo Theater. She actually impressed the often tough Apollo audience and judges, and returned for several performances, including opening for the great Lou Rawls. However, after a glimpse of stardom, her mom banned Shaw from going on tour with her uncle trumpeter Jimmy Burgess.
Fortunately, Shaw hadn't lost the performing bug. She continued to sing and perform throughout the late '50s and early '60s in her home state of New York. In 1963, she scored an audition with Columbia Label talent scout John Hammond. Unfortunately, her lack of recording experience and stage presence kept the label from pursuing a contract. Hammond's influence, however, would open up another opportunity for Shaw, years later.
In 1966, while performing in Chicago, Shaw was approached by scouts from Chess Records and immediately signed a deal with them. Working alongside legendary funk and soul producer Richard Evans, Shaw performed vocal renditions of soul jazz hits, including Cannonball Adderley's “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” which became a pop hit for Shaw and Chess in 1967.
The next year in 1968, Shaw released her debut album Out of Different Bags, highlighting the many styles she excelled in, such as jazz, blues and soul. The late '60s and early '70s could be considered Shaw's most prolific years as an artist. Her next hit came in 1969 on the soul group classic “California Soul.”
After leaving Chess Records, Shaw quickly rebounded and began singing with the Count Basie Orchestra for the next four years. This was somewhat of a full circle moment for Shaw, as Hammond suggested that she try out for Basie's band back in 1963. And as luck would have it, Shaw and Basie actually had the same accountant at the time, who passed along that Basie was looking for a new vocalist.
After a successful stint with the Count Basie Orchestra, Shaw joined Blue Note as the first female vocalist to sign to the label and released five albums. Her 1974 classic, Who's This B*tch Anyways? was as a turning point for Shaw as a recording artist and onstage performer, with songs that include personal monologues filled with humor.
In the late '70s, Shaw made the jump from jazz-centered Blue Note to pop-focused Columbia Records. Disco was at its peak, and Shaw, very true to her form, merged her sound into the popular genre, scoring hits on late '70s albums: Sweet Beginnings, Acting Up, and Take a Bite.
Later in her career, Shaw was hailed in the same vein as other great vocalists like Anita Baker and Aretha Franklin. However, the pressures of creating hit after hit began to mount.
While her recordings from the '80s are scarce, Shaw became a fixture in the late night jazz clubs once again with her 1986 album Is It Love?, recorded live at Vine Street. This marked a return to Shaw's jazz roots, and she would later release two albums on the legendary Verve and Concord jazz labels.
Shaw continued to tour in the 2000s and well into the 2010s. Her vocals extended well beyond her tour schedule, as producers began to use her work in hip-hop samples. Asked about it in one interview, she expressed her gratitude towards producers using her work.
"I think it's great. I really do, number one, I love the surprise of it, and like to hear what, you know, what somebody else's idea is. But this kind of makes me feel like I'm the sun and I shine on all kinds of things," Shaw said in a 2009 interview with Toazted.
A household name, especially overseas in the United Kingdom and Japan. Marlena Shaw's musical impact on future generations is clearly felt through hip-hop samples and scholars of soul music. She died in January at 84.
