Annette Sanders (born March 25, 1938) is an American jazz vocalist and studio singer. She is the mother of singer-songwriter Michelle Lewis.
Early life and career Born Annette Benbasset in the Bronx, New York City on March 25, 1938, Sanders was one of four children born to Turkish immigrants Celia Lomita and Joseph Benbasset,"New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CD-K4SV : 16 August 2022), Joseph Benbasset and Clia Lomita, 1932. the latter a self-described "salesman [of] sporting goods" who would soon achieve great success as a clothing designer, earning a seat on the Board of Directors of the National Skirt and Sportswear Association. He was also active in the Central Sephardic Community of America, Inc., where he later served as treasurer.[ "___"]. Better Times. Volume 34. 1952. p. 3.
After attending Hunter College,Adderton, Donald V. (May 1, 1998). "Sanders' jazzy sounds shine through on CD". Biloxi Sun Herald. p. 62. Sanders first attracted national attention in 1963 as one of the first performers booked at The Rat Fink Room, Jackie Kannon's fledgling comedy club. "Among the new talent Kannon brought in," observed columnist Louis Sobol, "was a winner named Annette Sanders who looks something like Barbra Streisand and sings very much like in her manner."Sobol, Louis (October 10, 1963). "New York Cavalcade". Springfield News-Sun. Variety's review likewise highlights the Streisand influence, but adds:
By the following spring, Sanders had appeared in such venues as the hungry I, Mister Kelly's, and the Blue Angel. In April, she shared the bill with Woody Allen at the soon-to-be-renamed Washington, D.C. music club, the Shadows. The following month, patrons at the Crescendo in West Hollywood saw Sanders and a young Bill Cosby open for Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers."Bill Cosby Plays Crescendo May 5". California Eagle. April 30, 1964. p. 12."Annette Sanders". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. May 13, 1964. p. 38. In December, the Cincinnati Post's Dale Stevens reviewed her performance at Cincinnati's recently opened Playboy Club, commending Sanders' "fine voice control, which gives her an added dimension of dramatics on her ballads, which are her specialty [...] Her approach is one of thoughtful emotion spiced by a high-keyed awareness of the lyrics."Stevens, Dale (December 9, 1964). "Mathis Opens 3 KC Concerts; Three Girl Singers". The Cincinnati Post. On the other hand, Variety, assessing Sanders' performance the previous month at Houston's Tidelands nightclub, observes:
By this time, Sanders had been signed to Mercury Records by Bobby Scott,"Evening of love songs this Friday at Watchung Arts Center". Echoes-Sentinel. March 2, 2016. who also provided the tunes and arrangements on her first single, "If My Love Were There" and "Half a Crown.Ruppli, Michel; Novitsky, Ed (1993). [ The Mercury Labels, A Discography; Volume 3, the 1964-1969 Era]. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press. p. 142. ."Annette Sanders – If My Love Were There". Discogs.
After appearing twice on The Merv Griffin Show in the fall of 1965,"Today's Television". The Miami Herald. December 3, 1965. p. 18-D. and once on The Tonight Show the following January,"Record TV Notes: Stars on Talent Scouts". The Pocono Record. p. 12. Sanders was discovered by Benny Goodman, with whom she performed intermittently over the next five years.Santelli, Robert (May 16, 1991). "Jingle Singer Will Be Singing a Different Tune". Asbury Park Press. p. E3.Wallace, Kenneth G. (May 4, 1966). "One on the Aisle: Ingrid Bergman Signed". The Hackensack Record. p. D-11."Good Man". Pottsville Republican and Herald. May 23, 1966. p. 8. May 19, 1966 marked the beginning of the group's first extended engagement, at New York's Rainbow Grill. Reviewing that performance, Down Beat's Dan Morgenstern observed:
Meanwhile, Sanders cut another two sides for Mercury in December 1966: "Come To The Masquerade" and "Any Other Way," both from the Off Broadway musical, Man with a Load of Mischief."Record Ramblings: New York". Cash Box. December 17, 1966. p. 34.
Early successes notwithstanding, her marriage in 1965, plus the birth of two children not long thereafter, compelled Sanders to limit her commitments—not merely to Goodman, but to her music career as a whole, which, as a result, was confined almost entirely to studio work for the next two decades.Jacobsen, Ellen (October 2, 1969). "Home, Career — She Manages Both". The Hackensack Record. p. 21. Among the more memorable jingles Sanders performed during those years are "I Love New York", "I'm a Chiquita Banana,"Green, Norm (November 30, 1986). "Fine Tuning". New York Daily News Magazine. p. 6. and "Turn me loose, Imprévu!" (for Coty Inc.'s Imprévu perfume).O'Connor, Helen (February 25, 1991). "Singers That Jingle Jangle Jingle". New York Daily News. p. 33. Some of the other companies, products and/or places whose praises Sanders sang include Sears, Pathmark, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Jell-O, and Trump Plaza.
The Time is Right, Sanders' 1986 debut disc, featuring pianist-arranger Michael Abene, guitarist Joe Beck, and her husband, reedman Mort Lewis, was given a brief but emphatic—and empathetic—thumbs-up by the Herald-Sun's R.C. Smith, stressing the album title's autobiographical connotation:
In 1985, Sanders, along with colleague Arlene Martell and others, formed Group Five, a jazz vocal quintet composed entirely of veteran studio performers. The other original members were Helen Miles, Lenny Roberts and Artie Schroeck,Lloyd, Jack (November 18, 1988). "High Notes". The Philadelphia Inquirer Weekend. p. 32.Orgill, Roxanne (October 12, 1989). "Voices That Soar and Sell". The Hackensack Record. p. E6. the latter two providing lyrics and musical arrangements, respectively. By 1991, Paul Evans had replaced Schroeck, and by no later than 1997, Miles and Roberts had been succeeded by Holli Ross and Kevin DeSimone."Group Five Singer Had 'Commercial' Success". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 209. Although no Group Five album was ever released, one of the quintet's later incarnations—with Sanders, Martell, Miles, Evans and Jeff Lyons—was featured on Freddy Cole's 1996 release, It's Crazy, But I'm in Love, providing all background vocals.Di Fillipo, Ricardo (April 1, 2015)."Cole Freddy". Enciclopedia Del Jazz.
Personal life A longtime resident of River Vale, New Jersey,Wynne, Peter (June 29, 1973). "Opera Debut for Financier". The Hackensack Record. p. 31. Accessed January 5, 2022."Due to Croon Tony Bennett, Bill Evans Recordings Aug. 13". Pascack Valley Community Life. p. A33. Accessed January 5, 2022. Sanders was married to tenor saxophonist Morty Lewis from May 1965 until his death in March 1990.Lawlor, Vera (March 9, 1990). "Only in New Jersey: Nightclubs". The Hackensack Record Preview. p. 16. The following year, on December 13, at Temple Beth El in Closter, New Jersey, Sanders and pianist Michael Abene performed a Shabbat jazz service in her husband's memory, featuring a setting of Sim Shalom composed by Rabbi Fredric S. Pomerantz."A Shabbat Jazz Service". The Hackensack Record. p. B-4. In addition to Sanders, Lewis was survived by their two children, Jonathan and singer-songwriter Michelle Lewis.
Discography As leader The Time Is Right (Sovereign, 1986)"Search results for au='Sanders, Annette'". WorldCat.Ineck, Tom (July 9, 1989). "Top Organist Swings, Vocalist Scats on Jazz Releases". Lincoln Journal Star. p. 18. On My Way to You (Cabaret Records, 1995)Verna, Paul (July 15, 1995). [ "Album reviews -- On My Way To You by Annette Sanders"]. Billboard. p. 66. Everything I Love (Ripe & Ready, 1998) Let's Get Lost (Orchard, 2000)"Annette Sanders credits". AllMusic. No Free Jam (Orchard, 2000) You Will Be My Music (Mama Jazz Foundation/Summit Records, 2007)
As sidewoman
Various artists – All By Myself, Vol. I (1921–1926) (Monmouth/Evergreen, 1968)Gross, Mike (May 25, 1968). [ "Record Review: Monmouth Fires on-Target 3-Album Salute to Berlin"]. Billboard. p. 22. Various artists – All By Myself, Vol. II (1926–1930) (Monmouth/Evergreen, 1968) Various artists – All By Myself, Vol. III (1930–1933) (Monmouth/Evergreen, 1968) Rusty Dedrick – Many Facets, Many Friends (Monmouth/Evergreen, 1971)[ "New LP/Tape Releases – Special Merit Picks: Pop"]. Billboard. November 20, 1971. p. 66. Jon Lucien – Rashida (RCA Victor, 1971)"Jon Lucien – Rashida". Discogs. Harold Dumont – Harold Dumont Sings Duke Ellington (Cleemo, 1975)"Harold Dumont sings Duke Ellington". WorldCat. Various artists – Say It With Music (Monmouth/Evergreen, 1978)[ "Billboard's Top Album Picks: Billboard's Recommended LPs"]. Billboard. July 8, 1978. p. 69. Various artists – The Wiz (OST) (Motown, 1978) Meco – Pop Goes The Movies (Arista, 1982)"Meco – Pop Goes The Movies: Image". Discogs. Leslie Pearl – Words and Music (RCA, 1982)"Leslie Pearl – Words & Music". Discogs. Various artists – Christmas In The Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album (RSO, 1982)"Christmas In The Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album". Discogs. Arnie Lawrence – Arnie Lawrence and Treasure Island (Doctor Jazz, 1983)Hall, Mike (April 3, 1983). "Getting to Know Albert Collins May Be Worth 'Losing Your Cool'". Clarion-Ledger. p. 3F. Michael Davis – Heroes (Voss, 1991)"Michael Davis – Heroes". Discogs. Benny Goodman – Yale Archives—Volume 6: Rainbow Grill '66 and '67 (MusicMasters, 1991; rec. 1966)"'Yale University Music Library-Benny Goodman Live at the Rainbow Grill-Volume 6' image". Discogs. The Glenn Miller Orchestra – In the (Christmas) Mood (LaserLight, 1991)"The Glenn Miller Orchestra – In The Christmas Mood". Discogs. Wynton Marsalis – Portraits by Ellington (Columbia, 1992)Mayhall, Mark (November 17, 1995). "Club Crawling: Double-barreled Blank; Ambassador of Jazz". The Cincinnati Enquirer Weekend. p. 39. Gloria Estefan – Christmas Through Your Eyes (Epic, 1993)"'Christmas Through Your Eyes' by Goria Estefan: Liner Notes". Internet Archive. The Glenn Miller Orchestra – In the (Christmas) Mood II (LaserLight, 1993)"The Glenn Miller Orchestra – In The Christmas Mood II". Discogs. Sal Salvador – The Way of the Wind (JazzMania, 1994) Various artists – Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich (At1antic, 1994) Various artists – Bullets Over Broadway: Music From the Motion Picture (Sony Classical, 1994) Various artists – Mighty Aphrodite: Music From the Motion Picture (Sony Classical, 1995) Michael Jackson – HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (Epic, 1995) Freddy Cole – It's Crazy, But I'm in Love (Hip Pocket, 1996) Benny Goodman – The King Of Swing – Volumes 6–10 (1996, MusicMasters; rec. 1966)"Benny Goodman – The King Of Swing - Volumes 6-10". Discogs. Ray Starling, Joel Kaye – Alternate Routes (Tantara, 1996; rec. 1965)"Ray Starling, New York Neophonic Orchestra, Joel Kaye, New York Sound Stage One Orchestra – Alternate Routes". Discogs. Michael Jackson – Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (Epic, 1997)"Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor (HIStory In the Mix)". Discogs. Steve Ross – I Won't Dance! ...Fred & Cole (Ligeti, 1997)"'I Won't Dance' by Steve Ross". Internet Archive. The Glenn Miller Orchestra – In the Nutcracker Mood (LaserLight, 1997)"In the Nutcracker Mood". WorldCat. Various artists – Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich, Vol. 2 (At1antic, 1997) Various artists – Everyone Says I Love You (OST) (RCA Victor, 1997) Chuck Mangione – The Feeling's Back (Chesky, 1999)"Chuck Mangione – The Feeling's Back". Discogs. Joe McMahon Jr. – Secondhand Heart for Sale: The Songs of Joe McMahon Jr. (Sharla, 1999) Various artists – There's No Place Like Hollywood (OST) (Ducy Lee, 2003) Walt Levinsky – Walt Levinsky in Concert: As He Wanted to Be Remembered (Arbors, 2003)"Walter Levinsky in concert : as he wanted to be remembered". WorldCat.