Home » Jazz Musicians » The Boswell Sisters

The Boswell Sisters

The Boswell Sisters were an American close harmony singing trio of the jazz and swing eras, consisting of three sisters: Martha Boswell (June 9, 1905 – July 2, 1958), Connie Boswell (later spelled "Connee", December 3, 1907 – October 11, 1976), and Helvetia "Vet" Boswell (May 20, 1911 – November 12, 1988). Hailing from uptown New Orleans, the group blended intricate harmonies and song arrangements featuring effects such as scat, instrumental imitation, ‘Boswellese’ gibberish, tempo and meter changes, major/minor juxtaposition, key changes, and incorporation of sections from other songs. They attained national prominence in the United States in the 1930s during the twilight of the Jazz Age and the onset of the Great Depression.

After the trio split in 1936, Connie continued as a solo vocalist in radio, film, and later television for an additional quarter century. The trio's "unique singing style and ground-breaking arrangements fused 'blackness' and 'whiteness' in music," and their collaborations with "the preeminent white swing musicians of their day—the Dorsey Brothers, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang, Artie Shaw, Victor Young, Bunny Berigan—had a profound effect on the development of the big band sound in the 1930s." When assessing their legacy, scholars claim the Boswell Sisters "made 'real' jazz commercially viable, destigmatizing the music and opening its appreciation to the wider American public."


Tags

234
Album Review

The Boswell Sisters: The Boswell Sisters Collection

Read "The Boswell Sisters Collection" reviewed by Chris Mosey


This magnificent boxed set of five CDs and one DVD represents the entire commercially released recorded output of the Boswell Sisters, the most popular and influential close harmony vocal group ever. They were white, but lead singer Connie-- she later changed the spelling to Connee--sang black. Ella Fitzgerald, when she was starting out, said her aim was to sound just like her. Before they concentrated purely on singing, the sisters were a vaudeville act, accompanying themselves on ...

201
Album Review

The Boswell Sisters: Nothing Was Sweeter

Read "Nothing Was Sweeter" reviewed by David Rickert


Although they were the hottest act in their heyday in the thirties, nobody bothers much with the Boswell Sisters anymore. Most people are familiar with their particular style of jazz vocals--tight-knit harmonies and group vocal gymnastics--through their imitators, like the Andrews Sisters. But the Boswell Sisters were much more than that. Consider the fact that Ella Fitzgerald patterned her vocal style on Connie Boswell and you have a very good reason to give a listen.

Nothing Was Sweeter ...

106
Album Review

The Boswell Sisters: Nothing Was Sweeter Than

Read "Nothing Was Sweeter Than" reviewed by Nic Jones


Jazz vocal groups have never been thick on the ground, and insofar as there is any such lineage at all, it's safe to say its existence is largely down to the Boswell Sisters. Their harmonies amounted to the opposite of sibling rivalry, and the liberties they took with tempo and key changes were to have a positive effect on a young Ella Fitzgerald and others.

The trio lacked the transformative powers of Louis Armstrong, who after all could give musical ...

Read more articles

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Boswell Sisters...

Storyville Records
2011

buy

Nothing Was Sweeter

Cherry Red Records
2007

buy

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.