Jean Carne
Encyclopedia
Jean Carn is an American jazz and pop
singer known for her unique vocalising and her impressive interpretative and improvisational skills. Early in her career, her name was spelled as Jean Carn before she added an e under the advice of a numerologist.
Carn is a vocalist credited with a five octave vocal range
. She is recognised for her unique vocal ability and has proven herself to be a vocalist of unlimited depth and dimension.
She began her recording career with her then-husband, pianist Doug Carn
, founder of Black Jazz Records
.
and was raised in Atlanta
. Her talent as a singer became evident from an early age and was encouraged by her parents. Carn's singing ability was so striking that at the age of four she became a member of her church choir. Carn went on to learn to play the piano, the clarinet, and the bassoon, mastering all three.
Carn attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, and learned to speak Russian
fluently. She received a scholarship after graduating in 1965, to attend Morris Brown College
where she performed every genre from musical theater to grand opera
. Carn planned on furthering her studies at Juilliard School of Music in New York
when she met and married Jazz pianist Doug Carn (now divorced) and became a featured vocalist in his jazz fusion band. The couple based themselves in Los Angeles, California
, where Carn did three early albums with her husband, "Infant Eyes," "Spirit Of The New Land," and "Revelation" on Black Jazz/Ovation Records. Her work with the band garnered enthusiastic new jazz
fans and brought her to the attention of the soon to be mega group Earth, Wind and Fire. Her voice helped brighten the group's first two albums, "Earth, Wind And Fire," (not credited) and "The Need Of Love" where she expanded the display of her musical abilities with the group that went beyond her jazz work. She was also a featured vocalist with Norman Connors
, where she was featured with Michael Henderson
on the hit "Valentine Love" (Buddah, 1975) and the song "Dindi," which showed her great versatility.
In 1976, Carn was signed to Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records
; her debut album in 1977 Jean Carn (PIR 34394) was a classy affair that merged the best of '70s soul and jazz with solid songwriting and tight instrumental support (MFSB, Instant Funk). The debut single "Free Love" went to number 23 R&B. Several of the album's tracks received considerable radio airplay. In June 1978, her second album for the label, Happy to Be With You (PIR 34986), was released. It included the hit single "Don't Let It Go to Your Head."
Carn's third Philadelphia International album When I Find You Love (PIR JZ 36196) was more of a return conceptually (musically and sonically) to that of Jean Carn. Produced by Dexter Wansel
, Gamble and Huff
, and Jerry Butler
, the album rates as one of Carn's best efforts. The smooth and halting "My Love Don't Come Easy" peaked at number 43 R&B in the summer of 1979. At this time Ms. Carn was switched from the Philadelphia International label to the subsidiary TSOP imprint for her final outing. Released in August 1981, Sweet and Wonderful a duet featuring Glenn Jones
, containing a stunning and classy remake of the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody," on which Jean sang all the backgrounds, which went to number 35 R&B.
With artistic and critical successes in tow, Carn moved to Motown Records
in 1982, making her label debut with the album Trust Me. The single "If You Don't Know Me By Now," a cover of the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes hit with backing vocals by The Temptations
, went to number 49 R&B. A scheduled follow-up LP was canned and is reportedly in the vaults, following Ms. Carn's leaving the Motown roster. Her career continued and thanks to what she describes as her "devoted following," Carn continued to perform worldwide. By 1986, Carn signed to Omni Records. Closer Than Close, produced by saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. was released in July of that year and the title track went to number one R&B. Her 1988 album You're a Part of Me included a hit cover of Aretha Franklin
's "Ain't No Way," produced by Nick Martinelli
. Carn later signed with Place One Entertainment, which reunited her with former Omni Records president Steve Bernstein, with her Love Lessons album.
In 2002, Carn toured the United Kingdom
accompanied by her musical director, Nathan Heathman, with appearances at the London Jazz Cafe in March of that year. Numerous visits to Europe followed. 2003 saw the release of Collaborations, an album for the Expansion Records
label, that featured Carn's various musical collaborations over the years.
Carn has worked with some of the most prolific soul artists, producers and songwriters over the years, including Dizzy Gillespie
, Norman Connors
, The Temptations
, Glenn Jones
, the late Phyllis Hyman
, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, among other stellar musicians. Carn has also acted as record/vocal producer and arranger
on her own projects and for others in the music fraternity. In 2008, she was among the Philly artists featured in the two-part PBS television special "Love Train, The Sound of Philadelphia" which celebrated the musical legacy of Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff and Philadelphia International Records.
The movie Precious
, released in November 2009, produced by Oprah Winfrey
and Tyler Perry
, starring Mariah Carey
and comedienne Mo'Nique, features Jean Carn's disco single "Was That All It Was."
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer known for her unique vocalising and her impressive interpretative and improvisational skills. Early in her career, her name was spelled as Jean Carn before she added an e under the advice of a numerologist.
Carn is a vocalist credited with a five octave vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
. She is recognised for her unique vocal ability and has proven herself to be a vocalist of unlimited depth and dimension.
She began her recording career with her then-husband, pianist Doug Carn
Doug Carn
Doug Carn is an American jazz musician from St. Augustine, Florida, formerly married to Jean Carne and known for his several albums released for Black Jazz Records....
, founder of Black Jazz Records
Black Jazz Records
Black Jazz Records was a jazz record label founded in Oakland, California during the early 1970s by jazz pianist Gene Russell.Russell founded the label as an alternative to traditional jazz invoking a more political and spiritual tone often with funk overtones. Black Jazz released various types...
.
Biography
Carn was born Sarah Jean Perkins in Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
and was raised in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. Her talent as a singer became evident from an early age and was encouraged by her parents. Carn's singing ability was so striking that at the age of four she became a member of her church choir. Carn went on to learn to play the piano, the clarinet, and the bassoon, mastering all three.
Carn attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, and learned to speak Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
fluently. She received a scholarship after graduating in 1965, to attend Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College
Morris Brown College is a private, coed, liberal arts college located in the Vine City community of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is a historically black college affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church...
where she performed every genre from musical theater to grand opera
Grand Opera
Grand opera is a genre of 19th-century opera generally in four or five acts, characterised by large-scale casts and orchestras, and lavish and spectacular design and stage effects, normally with plots based on or around dramatic historic events...
. Carn planned on furthering her studies at Juilliard School of Music in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
when she met and married Jazz pianist Doug Carn (now divorced) and became a featured vocalist in his jazz fusion band. The couple based themselves in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where Carn did three early albums with her husband, "Infant Eyes," "Spirit Of The New Land," and "Revelation" on Black Jazz/Ovation Records. Her work with the band garnered enthusiastic new jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
fans and brought her to the attention of the soon to be mega group Earth, Wind and Fire. Her voice helped brighten the group's first two albums, "Earth, Wind And Fire," (not credited) and "The Need Of Love" where she expanded the display of her musical abilities with the group that went beyond her jazz work. She was also a featured vocalist with Norman Connors
Norman Connors
Norman Connors is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and headliner, who has led some influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads.-Biography:...
, where she was featured with Michael Henderson
Michael Henderson
Michael Henderson is an American bass guitarist and vocalist best known for his bass playing with Miles Davis in the early 1970s, on early fusion albums such as A Tribute to Jack Johnson, Pangaea, and Live-Evil.- Biography :He was one of the first notable bass guitarists of the fusion era as well...
on the hit "Valentine Love" (Buddah, 1975) and the song "Dindi," which showed her great versatility.
In 1976, Carn was signed to Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff's Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:...
; her debut album in 1977 Jean Carn (PIR 34394) was a classy affair that merged the best of '70s soul and jazz with solid songwriting and tight instrumental support (MFSB, Instant Funk). The debut single "Free Love" went to number 23 R&B. Several of the album's tracks received considerable radio airplay. In June 1978, her second album for the label, Happy to Be With You (PIR 34986), was released. It included the hit single "Don't Let It Go to Your Head."
Carn's third Philadelphia International album When I Find You Love (PIR JZ 36196) was more of a return conceptually (musically and sonically) to that of Jean Carn. Produced by Dexter Wansel
Dexter Wansel
Dexter Gilman Wansel is an American keyboardist, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He contributed to the development of the Philly Sound and worked with producers Gamble and Huff at Philadelphia International Records. Wansel led the musical group, Yellow Sunshine...
, Gamble and Huff
Gamble and Huff
Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff are an American songwriting and record production team who have written and produced over 170 gold and platinum records. They were pioneers of Philadelphia soul and the in-house creative team for the Philadelphia International record label...
, and Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler (singer)
Jerry Butler is an American soul singer and songwriter. He is also noted as being the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group, The Impressions, as well as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.Butler is also an American politician...
, the album rates as one of Carn's best efforts. The smooth and halting "My Love Don't Come Easy" peaked at number 43 R&B in the summer of 1979. At this time Ms. Carn was switched from the Philadelphia International label to the subsidiary TSOP imprint for her final outing. Released in August 1981, Sweet and Wonderful a duet featuring Glenn Jones
Glenn Jones
Glenn Jones, , is an American R&B/soul singer.-Career:He started his career as a gospel singer and has since, managed a successful move into the R&B field. He got his start in R&B in 1980 when Norman Connors featured Jones on a track on his album, Take It To The Limit...
, containing a stunning and classy remake of the Spinners' "Love Don't Love Nobody," on which Jean sang all the backgrounds, which went to number 35 R&B.
With artistic and critical successes in tow, Carn moved to Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
in 1982, making her label debut with the album Trust Me. The single "If You Don't Know Me By Now," a cover of the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes hit with backing vocals by The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, went to number 49 R&B. A scheduled follow-up LP was canned and is reportedly in the vaults, following Ms. Carn's leaving the Motown roster. Her career continued and thanks to what she describes as her "devoted following," Carn continued to perform worldwide. By 1986, Carn signed to Omni Records. Closer Than Close, produced by saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. was released in July of that year and the title track went to number one R&B. Her 1988 album You're a Part of Me included a hit cover of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
's "Ain't No Way," produced by Nick Martinelli
Nick Martinelli
Nick Martinelli is an American R&B and pop record producer. He worked with many R&B and pop music artists during the 1980s, many of which were based in the UK. The acts he worked with include Loose Ends, Five Star, Stephanie Mills and Regina Belle....
. Carn later signed with Place One Entertainment, which reunited her with former Omni Records president Steve Bernstein, with her Love Lessons album.
In 2002, Carn toured the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
accompanied by her musical director, Nathan Heathman, with appearances at the London Jazz Cafe in March of that year. Numerous visits to Europe followed. 2003 saw the release of Collaborations, an album for the Expansion Records
Expansion Records
Expansion Records is a British record label founded by Northern soul DJ Richard Searling and Soul Bowl owner John Anderson. In 1989 DJ, Author & Journalist Ralph Tee joined the label, which both he and Searling run to this day.-Label history:...
label, that featured Carn's various musical collaborations over the years.
Carn has worked with some of the most prolific soul artists, producers and songwriters over the years, including Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, Norman Connors
Norman Connors
Norman Connors is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and headliner, who has led some influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads.-Biography:...
, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, Glenn Jones
Glenn Jones
Glenn Jones, , is an American R&B/soul singer.-Career:He started his career as a gospel singer and has since, managed a successful move into the R&B field. He got his start in R&B in 1980 when Norman Connors featured Jones on a track on his album, Take It To The Limit...
, the late Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Linda Hyman was an American soul singer and actress.-Early years:Phyllis Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the St. Clair Village, the South Hills section of Pittsburgh...
, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, among other stellar musicians. Carn has also acted as record/vocal producer and arranger
Arranger
In investment banking, an arranger is a provider of funds in the syndication of a debt. They are entitled to syndicate the loan or bond issue, and may be referred to as the "lead underwriter". This is because this entity bears the risk of being able to sell the underlying securities/debt or the...
on her own projects and for others in the music fraternity. In 2008, she was among the Philly artists featured in the two-part PBS television special "Love Train, The Sound of Philadelphia" which celebrated the musical legacy of Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff and Philadelphia International Records.
The movie Precious
Precious (film)
Precious , is a 2009 American drama film directed by Lee Daniels. Precious is an adaptation by Geoffrey S. Fletcher of the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. The film stars Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, and Paula Patton...
, released in November 2009, produced by Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
and Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...
, starring Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
and comedienne Mo'Nique, features Jean Carn's disco single "Was That All It Was."
Albums
- Jean Carn (Philadelphia International 1976)
- Happy To Be With You (Philadelphia International 1978)
- When I Find You Love (Philadelphia International 1979)
- Sweet And Wonderful (TSOP/Philadelphia International 1981)
- Trust Me (Motown 1982)
- Closer Than Close (Omni 1986)
- You're A Part Of Me (Atlantic 1988)
- Carne Sings McCoy (Vammi 1995)
- Love Lessons (Place One 1995) also re-released in 1997 with alternate artwork
Singles
- "Infant Eyes" (Black Jazz, 1972) - Doug Carn featuring Jean Carn
- "Revelation" (Black Jazz, 1973) - Doug Carn featuring Jean Carn
- "Naima" (Black Jazz, 1973) - Doug Carn featuring Jean Carn
- "Contemplation" (Black Jazz, 1973) - Doug Carn featuring Jean Carn
- "Valentine Love" (Buddah, 1975) - Norman ConnorsNorman ConnorsNorman Connors is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, producer, and headliner, who has led some influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads.-Biography:...
feat. Jean Carn and Michael Henderson (R&B #10) - "Free Love" b/w "Where Did You Ever Go?" (Philadelphia International, 1976) (R&B #23)
- "If You Wanna Go Back" (Philadelphia International, 1978) (Disco #18)
- "Don't Let It Go to Your Head" (Philadelphia International, 1978) (R&B #54)
- "Was That All It Was" (Philadelphia International, 1979) (Disco #22)
- "My Love Don't Come Easy" b/w "Sweet & Wonderful" (Philadelphia International, 1979) (R&B #43)
- "I'm Back For More" (Columbia, 1980) Al JohnsonAl Johnson (musician)Alfred Orlando Johnson is an American R&B singer, writer, arranger and producer.Born in Newport News, Virginia in 1948, Johnson attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. and while there, co-founded the soul group, The Unifics. The group, with Johnson as lead singer, scored three hits on the...
feat. Jean Carn (R&B #26) - "Love Don't Love Nobody" (Philadelphia International, 1981) (R&B #35)
- "If You Don't Know Me By Now" (Motown, 1982) (R&B #49)
- "Let's Stay Together" (Gordy, 1982) Bobby Militello featuring Jean Carn
- "Closer Than CloseCloser Than Close (song)"Closer Than Close" is a 1986 R&B ballad by former Norman Connors vocalist, Jean Carne. The single was a number-one hit on the U.S. R&B chart for two weeks. "Closer Than Close" was written by Terry Price and Brandi Wells and produced by Grover Washington Jr.....
" (Omni, 1986) (R&B #1) - "Flame Of Love" (Omni, 1986) (R&B #21)
- "Everything Must Change" (Omni, 1986) (R&B #79)
- "Ain't No Way" (Omni, 1988) (R&B #23)
- "Let Me Be The One" b/w "Break Up To Make Up" (Omni, 1988)
- "Falling For You" (Place One, 1995)
- "Make Love" (Place One, 1995)
- "If You Believe" (Niteflyte feat. Jean Carn) (Expansion, 2003)
Compilations
- The Best of Jean Carn & The Jones Girls (Recall, 1998)
- Closer Than Close: The Best of Jean Carne (The Right Stuff/Capitol, 1999)
- Collaborations (Expansion UK, 2003)
DVD
- Jean Carne & Friends: The Sound of Philadelphia: Live in Europe (Expansion, 2005)
- Ladies Night Out—Live (Steppin Muzak, 2007, also available as a CD)