Isn't It A Shame

The Sad Fate Of Phoebe Snow
(1950-2011)
Friday, May 06, 2011

I read with sorrow that the soulful, Phoebe Snow had passed away in Edison, N.J. last week at the age of 60. According to those close to her, Snow had endured "bouts of blood clots, pneumonia and congestive heart failure ever since her stroke," the complications of a brain hemorrhage she suffered back in January of 2010.

Ironically, I had just recently gone back to a few of her earliest recordings and lamented to an friend of mine how tragic it was that life had thrown her such an unexpected curve ball, denying Snow a long-lasting career that potentially could have ranked her among the most distinctive and enduring of female pop/jazz vocalists in the last 60 years. She certainly was an original voice, a contralto torch singer whose swooping vocal acrobatics were capable of transcending nearly all musical genres. There's also no denying that Snow was utterly commanding as a blues and jazz singer, but she had been misguided by major record label pressures to lean more towards generic rock and pop fare, embracing material that was not always the best suited for her remarkably elastic four octave range. As a result, her inherent talents were largely left unfocused, unchanneled, and ultimately unrewarded.

Snow's first two outings however were near perfection. Her eponymous debut on Shelter Records was a stunning entrance save for the Mellotron strings that marred several tracks, the LP's only misstep. On it she was aided by such luminaries as jazz legend, Teddy Wilson on piano, Zoot Sims on tenor sax, and vocal backing by the mighty Persuasions. Others in the all-star cast included the full toned bass playing of not only Ron Carter, but Chuck Domanico and Chuck Israels as well! Steve Gadd and Bob James also made tasteful contributions. That 1974 release additionally carried a homegrown sound that fit Snow's earthy vocals to a tee, catching the zeitgeist of the singer-songwriter in a darkened cafe blending country blues with smokey jazz, introspective folk with acoustic rock. But record companies were increasingly keen to market their product through stylistic categorization, and Snow simply defied classification. Her next two albums on Columbia were wisely built on the foundations of her first, albeit with slicker production, but it was primarily Snow's soulful delivery alone that held them together and elevated the proceedings above the glossy, polished sheen they had been given. Despite the presence of many of the original players from her debut, these too featured jazz greats such as Richard Davis, Don Grolnick, Grady Tate and others. But those recordings failed to find an audience and her new label was in a quandary as to just how to market her. Struggling to find her sales niche, they eventually gave up on Snow for lack of convenient product placement, forgetting in the process that she was actually quite a remarkable singer with great, untapped potential. It's not the first time that Columbia demonstrated their short-sightedness with female vocalists. You might recall that they had once signed Aretha Franklin as well, hell bent on presenting her as a song stylist of some sort. It wasn't until Franklin eventually met with the empathetic producers from Atlantic that she was finally allowed to blossom into the 'Queen of Soul.'

Released from her commitment and now with yet another label, Snow was then ill-advisedly swayed to record rock albums featuring material and dynamics that were completely wrong for her and missing the mark altogether. It must be pointed out however that Snow herself was not exactly in a position to take much interest in the creative direction of her budding career, but she can be excused with a thousand blessings for her lack of action. You see shortly after her debut, Snow had given birth to a child with severe and irreversible brain damage. Resolved not to institutionalize her newborn daughter, Snow gallantly elected to raise the child herself, an overwhelmingly daunting task not to mention a full time commitment, one that increasingly took her from her career pursuits and eventually from the public eye entirely. A courageous choice on her part as her prospects for a flourishing career were now nearly completely dashed. A case of girl interrupted at the peak of her powers and it would be decades before she would climb back in the saddle to attempt picking up where she had left off. But the writing was already on the wall for Snow. Derailed by unfortunate circumstances, she never again would have the chance to fulfill her potential.

With little to no income during those difficult years, Snow struggled financially to make ends meet so that she could continue to provide loving care for her handicapped child, all at the expense of her promising career, such can be the scope of a Mother's love. Her daughter miraculously survived until the age of 31, having never been expected to live beyond just a few years. Her longevity stands as a great testimony to Snow's selflessness, devotion, fortitude and maternal allegiance. And even if she had never created one note of memorable music as the extraordinary singer that she was, it should be for this act alone that Snow should be commended and forever remembered. Of course she did actually make some wonderful music, and for that, we too can be considered blessed.

Afterthoughts

I consider Phoebe Snow's first recording to be the absolute finest in her discography, followed by its successor, 'Second Childhood.' Therefore the bulk of this mix is taken from those two recordings, the first included in its entirety. From that point forward as she lost her focus, so did I lose my interest. Not to say that I abandoned her entirely. I continued to comb through her subsequent releases for highlights, waiting in hope for the day that Snow would meet with suitable material, an understanding producer, and a product that suitably showcased her talent. But I only got as far as 'In My Girlish Days' and 'Teach Me Tonight' which were both taken from her third outing, 'It Looks Like Snow.' There's nothing fancy here in the way of a mix, just performances that I consider to be among Snow's very best.

Snow possessed a remarkable instrument but suffered from ill-guidance in her professional life, and misfortune in her personal. Had she been dealt a different hand, had she not suffered with her own medical conditions, there's no telling just where and how far her career as a singer would have ultimately led. Today, her name is primarily remembered only by those who recall hearing the charm of 'Poetry Man' for the very first time back in 1974. Not exactly a footnote in contemporary music, but certainly an overlooked pearl. The circumstances that forever altered Snow's life cheated not only her, but us as well from ever realizing the full extent of her talent. And now with her death, Snow's place in music history is forever sealed far below where it might have been if fate hadn't stepped in to push her so far off course. Life can be cruel that way and now all we're left with is a question mark.

Isn't It A Shame

1) Good Times
2) Harpo's Blues
3) Poetry Man
4) Either Or Both
5) San Francisco Bay Blues
6) I Don't Want The Night To End
7) Take Your Children Home
8) It Must Be Sunday
9) No Show Tonight
10) In My Girlish Days
11) Isn't It A Shame
12) There's A Boat That Leaving
13) Easy Street
14) Teach Me Tonight
15) Two Fisted Love
16) Cash In
17) Inspired Insanity
18) No Regrets
19) All Over

Special Note: Apparently a bonus track of 'Sweet Disposition' is included in the download .zip file placing it right after 'San Francisco Bay Blues.' This was unintended. Stick it at the end of the set or something. It's a nice tune, but it disrupts the flow in its present spot. Then again, if it doesn't bother you, just leave it where it is. Your choice, not mine.