He is a “singer”, period. I would not pigeonhole his singing with a style or genre because he sings everything so brilliantly. Several generations of “singers” attempt emulating him by overdoing meslismas (vocal melodic runs). Just watch every competition vocal/performance show on tv. They’re all very poorly attempting Stevie Wonder. No one sings melismas like Stevie Wonder. Is he a jazz singer? He just sings everything.
He’s a jazz musician. Listen to his chord substitutions and, if you’re lucky enough to find him working out a new tune singing over his guitar, before rhythm and any production, you’d call it jazz. Example: he introduced “I Just Called to Say I Love You” this way on Merv Griffin’s TV variety show.
He has the skills and feeling to be whatever he wants to be. He frequently sings "like jazz" in his performances, I don't see much difference between his singing and others considered jazz by the experts. But I'm definitely no expert, nor a member of the jazz police.
He is a “singer”, period. I would not pigeonhole his singing with a style or genre because he sings everything so brilliantly. Several generations of “singers” attempt emulating him by overdoing meslismas (vocal melodic runs). Just watch every competition vocal/performance show on tv. They’re all very poorly attempting Stevie Wonder. No one sings melismas like Stevie Wonder. Is he a jazz singer? He just sings everything.
Not at all.....however, his voicings on the piano and his compositions often have jazz elements
Jazz is a state of mind, among other things, so yes.
Certainly!
He’s a jazz musician. Listen to his chord substitutions and, if you’re lucky enough to find him working out a new tune singing over his guitar, before rhythm and any production, you’d call it jazz. Example: he introduced “I Just Called to Say I Love You” this way on Merv Griffin’s TV variety show.
Absolutely yes!
Sure, why the hell not?
He has the skills and feeling to be whatever he wants to be. He frequently sings "like jazz" in his performances, I don't see much difference between his singing and others considered jazz by the experts. But I'm definitely no expert, nor a member of the jazz police.