Dave Lambert’s band debut was with Johnny Long’s Orchestra in the early 1940s. Along with early partner Buddy Stewart, Lambert successfully brought singing into modern jazz (concurrently with Ella Fitzgerald).

In the late 1950s he teamed with wordsmith and vocalese pioneer Jon Hendricks. The two were later joined by Annie Ross, and the lineup was a hit.

After Ross left the group in 1962, Lambert and Hendricks went on without her by using various replacements, but the partnership ended in 1964.

He then formed a quintet called “Lambert & Co.” which included the multiple voices of Mary Vonnie, Leslie Dorsey, David Lucas, and Sarah Boatner.

The group auditioned for RCA in 1964, and the process was documented by filmmaker D. A. Pennebaker in a 15-minute documentary entitled Audition at RCA (below). It was one of the last images recorded of Lambert, as two years later he was killed in a highway incident.

BUDDY STEWART

Stewart’s parents were dancers, and he first performed on the vaudeville stage at the age of eight.

He sang in vocal groups, including the 1940s group The Snowflakes where he sang with the Claude Thornhill orchestra. In 1942, he appeared in soundies with Martha Wayne and the Thornhill orchestra. (See below)

After serving in the U.S. Army from March 1942 to 1944, he sang with the Gene Krupa orchestra, sometimes as a member of The G-Noters.

In 1945, Buddy Stewart and Dave Lambert sang together on “What’s This?” in the scat style. Stewart remained with Krupa through 1946, often singing alongside Anita O’Day and Carolyn Grey.

In 1947 he recorded with the Charlie Ventura orchestra for Savoy. He began recording as a solo act in 1948, as a co-leader with Kai Winding, and in 1949 with the Charlie Barnet orchestra. He also recorded with Blossom Dearie and Charlie Parker.

In 1950, he was killed in a car accident while traveling to New Mexico to see his wife and child. To assist Stewart’s widow, a benefit concert was performed at the Birdland Jazz Club in New York City. Performers included Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Ventura, Stan Getz, Tony Scott, Al Cohn, Lester Young, Lennie Tristano, Harry Belafonte, J. J. Johnson, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Dizzy Gillespie.