Morgana King

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Morgana King
King in 1968
Born
Maria Grazia Morgana Messina

(1930-06-04)June 4, 1930
Pleasantville, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 22, 2018(2018-03-22) (aged 87)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
Years active1946–1998
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1947; div. 1956)​
​
​
(m. 1961; died 1965)​
Children1
Musical career
Genres

Maria Grazia Morgana Messina (June 4, 1930 – March 22, 2018), better known as Morgana King, was an American jazz singer and actress.[1][2][3] She began a professional singing career at sixteen years old. In her twenties, she was singing at a Greenwich Village nightclub when she was recognized for her unique phrasing and vocal range, described as a four-octave contralto range. She was signed to a label and began recording solo albums. She recorded dozens of albums well into the late 1990s.

King had her debut and breakout role in film as Carmela Corleone in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974).[4][5] She had roles in three additional films including her last performance in A Brooklyn State of Mind in 1997.

She was twice married to fellow jazz musicians, first to Tony Fruscella and later to Willie Dennis. Morgana died on March 22, 2018, in Palm Springs, California.[6]

Early life

King was born Maria Grazia Morgana Messina in Pleasantville, New York. Her parents were from Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, Province of Catania, Sicily, Italy.[7] She grew up in New York City with five siblings.[8] Her father, who owned a coal and ice business, played the piano and guitar by ear.[9][10] Her family experienced a difficult financial period after her father died.[8]

Around the age of thirteen her vocal gifts were recognized when she was overheard singing the aria "

big bands.[11][12]
A scholarship to the Metropolitan School of Music soon followed.

Singing debut

Her professional singing career began at age sixteen as Morgana King.[13] When she sang in a Greenwich Village nightclub in 1953, a record label executive took an interest after being impressed with the unique phrasing and multi-octave range. Three years later in 1956, her first album, For You, For Me, For Evermore, was released.[14]

Film debut

In the first appearance of

Don Vito Corleone. In the film, she sang the song "Luna mezzo mare". King appeared as herself in the television documentary The Godfather: Behind the Scenes (1971).[17] She reprised the role in The Godfather Part II (1974), where her character dies aged 62, due to natural causes.[4][5][18][19]

Career

Singing

King headlined clubs, concert halls and hotels, and toured throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and South America; e.g.: Basin Street;[20] bla-bla café;[21] Blue Note;[22] Blue Room at the Supper Club;[23] Café Leon;[24] Club Bali;[25][26] Cotton Club;[27][28] Fat Tuesday's;[29] Jilly's;[30] Joe Howard's Place;[31] Kenny's Castaways;[32] Lainie's Room;[33] Les Mouches;[34] Lush Life;[35] Mr. Sam's;[36] Rainbow Grill;[37] Reno Sweeney;[38] Scullers;[39] Sniffen Court;[40] Sweet Basil;[41] The Metropole;[42] Town Hall;[43][44] the Waterbury Hotels;[45] and Trude Heller's.[46]

A few of the venue performances during her active career: the March 1956 Easter Jazz Festival at Town Hall in New York City;

Lisbon, Portugal, she was interviewed by the television show host Henrique Mendes at the television station RTP (the sole television station at that time)."[53]

Musicians

A limited list of artists who performed and/or recorded with Morgana King over the years of her career are Ben Aronov,[54][55] Ronnie Bedford,[56] Ed Caccavale (drums), Clifford Carter,[57] Don Costa,[58] Eddie Daniels,[59] Sue Evans,[60] Larry Fallon,[61] Sammy Figueroa,[62] John Kaye (percussion), Helen Keane,[63] Art Koenig,[64] Steve LaSpina,[65] Scott Lee,[66] Jay Leonhart,[67] Ray Mantilla,[68] Bill Mays,[69] Charles McCracken,[70] Ted Nash,[71] Adam Nussbaum,[72] Warren Odze,[73] Joe Puma,[74] Don Rebic,[75] Jack Wilkins,[76] Joe Williams (bass), and Torrie Zito.[77][78][79][80][81]

Recording

Her repertoire contains more than two hundred songs on more than thirty albums.[78][79][80][81] Most of her recordings and re-issues have not remained in the catalogs.[82][83][84][85][86]

In 1964, she received a

Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist. The award went to the Beatles
.

The UCLA Music Library's Jimmy Van Heusen papers include a letter dated September 5, 1965 pertaining to "songs… to be given to Morgana King."[87] She recorded three songs by Van Heusen: "Here's That Rainy Day" (on It's a Quiet Thing, 1965), "Like Someone in Love" (on Stardust, 1986; and Another Time, Another Space, 1992) and "Imagination" (on Looking Through The Eyes Of Love, 1998). King's 1967 single "I Have Loved Me A Man" appeared in the US "Easy Listening" survey and the Australian Top 20, according to the Kent Music Report.

Television

Beginning with The Andy Williams Show and The Hollywood Palace in 1964. For more than a decade she performed on television talk and variety shows including The Mike Douglas Show, The Dean Martin Show and The David Frost Show.[53][88]

Retirement

King announced her retirement from performing during an engagement at the Cotton Club in Chicago on Friday, December 10, 1993, and added that her recording would not be affected by the decision.[89] She continued to perform after that date at the Ballroom,[90] Maxim's,[91] Mirage Night Club (a benefit jazz session),[92] and Roosevelt Hotel's Cinegrill.[93] Her last film appearance was in the film A Brooklyn State of Mind (1997).

Personal life

Relationships and family

Morgana King married twice. Her first marriage (when she was 17 years old) was to jazz trumpeter Tony Fruscella[94][95][96][97] (1927–1969), which ended in divorce after nine years; they had a daughter, Graysan (1950–2008).[98] During their marriage, the couple frequently had "Sunday dinner with Charlie Parker and his family."[99]

Her second marriage, in 1961, was to jazz trombonist

Birdland Jazz Club[102] where she went to hear Sam Donahue's group. He had performed with both Gerry Mulligan[103] and Charles Mingus[104] and recorded the 1953 album release, Four Trombones[105] on Mingus' record label, Debut Records. He had toured extensively with Benny Goodman,[106] Woody Herman[107] and Buddy Rich.[108]

She traveled to Brazil with Dennis to experience this "new" music style when he toured with Rich in 1960. She said the experience was "an introduction to myself."[10] Their close collaboration was suddenly shattered in 1965 with his death from an automobile accident in New York's Central Park.[109][110] It's a Quiet Thing (Reprise, 1965) is a memorial to him.

After Dennis's death, King relocated and lived for more than two decades in Malibu, California. She accepted Frank Sinatra's offer to record three albums on his record label Reprise Records (It's a Quiet Thing (1965), Wild Is Love (1966) and Gemini Changes (1967)).[111]

Death

King owned a condo in Palm Springs, California.[112] She died, aged 87, of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Palm Springs on March 22, 2018.[113][114]

Influence

There have been reports that, as a child, King lived near a synagogue and was intrigued by the singing of the cantor. Some have theorized that King's unique singing style was due, in part, to the singing of a cantor that she carried in her memories. King's voice is notable for its four-octave contralto range.[13][36][115][116][117][118] She continued to pursue new forms of expression and presentation by exploring current music trends, which can be heard and read from the list of songs and composers on more than thirty albums. She ventured into new creative areas throughout her career, all the while keeping contact with her musical point of origin in jazz. Her distinctive sound has its criticism and detractors.[35][89][119][120]

In literature, the Library of Jazz Standards by Ronny Schiff (2002)[121] recognizes Morgana King as one of the performers who made famous the songs "Imagination" (Van Heusen, Burke), "Like Someone in Love" (Van Heusen, Burke) and "Will You Be Mine" (Adair, Dennis). Also, there is the occasional mention of her in fiction.[122][123][124][125][126]

King has been credited with composing "Moe's Blues", a song recorded by Beverly Kenney on Beverly Kenney Sings for Johnny Smith (1955),[3] and "Simply Eloquent", with Monte Oliver, which appears on an album of the same title, initially released in 1986 by Muse Records. In 1991, she produced a set of seminars called Morgana King Fine Arts Series. The seminars brought together small groups for recurring meetings every few months held at select venues including Lincoln Center. One of the functions of the series was to familiarize participants with performance methodologies. There was a panel available to critique the performances.[8]

Her signature song is "A Taste Of Honey", originally released on the album With A Taste of Honey (Mainstream Records, 1964). Her most re-issued songs are "My Funny Valentine", from Everything Must Change (Muse, 1978), and the title track of For You, For Me, For Evermore (EmArcy Records, 1956).[78][79][80][81]

Discography

Main article: Morgana King discography
See also: List of songs recorded by Morgana King

Filmography

Films
Year Title Role Notes
1972 The Godfather Carmela Corleone
1974 The Godfather Part II
1978 Nunzio Mrs. Sabatino
1987 A Time to Remember, aka Miracle in a Manger Mama Theresa
1997 A Brooklyn State of Mind Aunt Rose (final film role)
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1964 The Andy Williams Show Variety show Performed "Corcovado" with Andy Williams (sn 2, ep 4).
1964 The Hollywood Palace Variety show Performed "A Taste Of Honey (sn 3, ep 6)"
1965 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself (sn 4, ep 28)
1966 The Hollywood Palace Variety show Herself (sn 4, ep 3)
1966 The Hollywood Palace Variety show Herself (sn 4, ep 7)
1966 The Dean Martin Show Variety show Performed "Mountain High, Valley Low".
Also performed "Loch Lomond" and "Goodnight, Irene" with Dean Martin. (sn 1, ep 27)
1967 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself (sn 5, ep 87)
1968 The Rosey Grier Show Talk show Herself
1968 The Pat Boone Show Variety show Herself
1968 The Woody Woodbury Show Talk show Herself
1968 The Dean Martin Show Variety show Performed "I Have Loved Me A Man".
Also performed "So Long", "Now Is The Hour" and "
Auld Lang Syne" with Dean Martin
. (sn 3, ep 29)
1968 The Dean Martin Show Variety show Performed "When The World Was Young" (sn 4, ep 8)
1969 Playboy After Dark Variety show Herself (sn 1, eps 3 & 12)
1970 The David Frost Show Talk show Herself
1971 The Godfather: Behind the Scenes Documentary Herself
1971 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself (sn 9, ep 114)
1971 The Virginia Graham Show Talk show Herself
1972 The David Frost Show Talk show Herself (sn 4, ep 130)
1972 The Virginia Graham Show Talk show Herself
1972 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself (sn 10, ep 105)
1972 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself (sn 10, ep 165)
1973 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself (sn 10, ep 170)
1974 The Mike Douglas Show Talk show Herself
1976 Jigsaw John: Thicker Than Blood Series Zoe Pappas
1977 The Godfather Saga Mini-series Mama Corleone (ep numbers 1.1 through 1.4)
1985 Deadly Intentions
TV movie
 Anna Livanos
1993 All My Children Soap opera Promotional title "The Summer of Seduction"
Mrs. Manganaro

Videography

Year Title Format Available
1992 The Godfather Trilogy: 1901–1980 Archive footage No
2001 Gordon Willis on Cinematography (Uncredited: Carmela Corleone) Archive footage No
2004 The Godfather: Widescreen Edition DVD Yes
The Godfather Part II (1974): Widescreen; Dubbed; Re-mastered DVD Yes
2005 A Tribute To Billie Holiday: Recorded Live At the Hollywood Bowl (1979) DVD: Morgana King interview and performances: "Easy Living", As Time Goes By" and "God Bless The Child" No
A Brooklyn State of Mind DVD Yes
A Brooklyn State of Mind DVD Yes
2006 The Godfather Part II: Restored DVD Yes
2008 The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration DVD Yes
The Godfather: Restored Trilogy
BD, DVD
 Yes

Notes

  • D'Acierno, Pellegrino. The Italian American Heritage, A Companion to Literature and Arts (1998), p. 434;
    ISBN 0-8153-0380-7
  • Inman, David. Television Variety Shows, Histories and Episode Guides to 57 Programs (2005), pp. 250–51, 293;
    ISBN 0-7864-2198-3
  • Meil, Eila. Casting Might-Have-Beens, A Film by Film Directory of Actors Considered For Roles Given To Others (2005) p. 102;
    ISBN 0-7864-2017-0
  • Ross, Wallace A. Best TV & Radio Commercials, Volume 1 (1967), pp. 103, 153
  • Shaw, Arnold. 52nd Street: The Street Of Jazz (1977), pp. 321, 338;
    ISBN 0-306-80068-3
  • ISBN 0-312-37463-1
  • Thomas, Sam. Best American Screenplays 3, Complete Screenplays (1995), pp. 7, 62;
    ISBN 0-517-59104-9
  • Review, The Godfather New York Times, March 16, 1972 by Vincent Canby.
  • Rolling Stone January 3, 1974, Issue 151
  • Singing, 20th century. History.com Encyclopedia
  • Westways Volume 69 (1967), p. 55

References

  1. ^ Liner notes by Joel Dorn – Morgana King album The Complete Reprise Recordings (2000).
  2. ^ Liner notes by Ed Osborne – Morgana King re-issue album It's A Quite Thing (2006).
  3. ^ a b Beverly Kenny Sings For Johnny Smith. Toshiba EMI Japan 1955 song "Moe's Blues", track listing 11.
  4. ^
    ISBN 0-312-32611-4
  5. ^
    ISBN 0-452-28978-5
  6. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (August 15, 2018). "Morgana King, Jazz Singer and 'Godfather' Actor, Is Dead at 87". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Vernon Scott (May 3, 1971). Singer in 'Godfather' Role. The Deseret News
  8. ^ a b c Morgana King's Songs Offer Relief. Chicago Sun-Times, November 13, 1992, p. 19, Weekend Plus
  9. ISBN 0-19-532000-X
  10. ^ a b "Morgana King Charms Her Audience With Style." New York Times, January 20, 1970
  11. ^ "Noël Coward Society". Noelcoward.net. December 16, 1969. Archived from the original on December 9, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  12. ^ "Bitter Sweet". Musical-theatre.net. Archived from the original on September 26, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  13. ^ a b JAZZ: Morgana King, New York Times September 2, 1985
  14. ISBN 1-85743-161-8
  15. ISBN 978-0-8180-1203-7
    .
  16. ^ "Zoetrope". Zoetrope. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  17. ^ "The Godfather: Behind the Scenes": IBDb by Morgana King
  18. ^ Ben Fong-Torres (March 14, 1974). "Morgana King won't play dead". Rolling Stone, Issue 156 by
  19. ^ "The Godfather: Part II (1974)" – via www.imdb.com.
  20. ^ "Morgana King opened to a packed house". Billboard, September 25, 1954, vol 77, p. 39
  21. ISBN 0-9777227-0-8
    .
  22. ^ Stephen Holden, (January 30, 1987). "Morgana King, the Blue Note" New York Times
  23. ^ Stephen Holden, (March 5, 1993). "Where Stardust Dreams Are, Always" New York Times
  24. ^ Jazz vocalist Morgana King appeared at the Café Leon Down Beat, 1961, p. 55
  25. ^ The InTowner 'U' Street – Club Bali.pdf Archived May 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Scenes from the Past…
  26. ^ 'U' Street Jazz Club Bali Venues
  27. ^ "Cotton Club… Morgana King" by Lynn Voedisch. Chicago Sun-Times, October 30, 1992
  28. ^ Lloyd Sachs (June 10, 1992). "… jazz vocalist, Morgana King, will perform at the Cotton Cotton." Chicago Sun-Times.
  29. ^ "Morgana King will sing tonight [at] Fat Tuesday's". The New York Times, February 14, 1986
  30. ^ Morgana King Down Beat, 1960 page 69
  31. ^ "Morgana King" Down Beat, Volume 28 (1961), p. 48
  32. ^ Morgana King, Kenny's Castaways. The New York Times, March 24, 1974
  33. ^ Morgana King—Lainie's Room. The New York Times, April 9, 1978 Arts and Leisure Guide
  34. ^ Morgana King, singer at Les Mouches. The New York Times, May 13, 1979 Arts and Leisure Guide
  35. ^ a b Cabaret: "Morgana King at Lush Life". The New York Times, March 29, 1982
  36. ^ a b Stephen Holden (July 4, 1986). "Cabaret: Morgana King". The New York Times
  37. ^ Dramatic Singing by Morgana King. The New York Times, January 26, 1972 Review
  38. ^ Morgana King at Reno Sweeney. New York Magazine, December 19, 1977, p. 32.
  39. ^ "A Feast For Boston's Jazz Fans." by Fernando Gonzalez, The Boston Globe, April 13, 1990
  40. ^ Morgana King's instrumental group. The New York Times, July 8, 1963
  41. ^ Going Out Guide. The New York Times, December 20, 1980 Farther Downtown
  42. ^ "Morgana King, jazz singer, at The Metropole." The New York Times, March 17, 1967 Cabaret Tonight.
  43. ^ "The Town Hall". The-townhall-nyc.org. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  44. ^ a b "Jazz Ensembles Sound Seasonal Note With an Easter Festival at Town Hall." The New York Times, March 31, 1956.
  45. ^ Waterbury hotels. The New York Times, January 3, 1988 Connecticut Guide.
  46. ^ a b Morgana King… Trude Heller's. The New York Times, July 5, 1977 and July 10, 1977 Going Out Guide, Arts and Leisure Guide
  47. ^ Women Offer Jazz Concert. New York Times, November 30, 1957
  48. ^ "Schaefer Festival Opens On June 14 With Mancini." The New York Times, May 25, 1976
  49. ^ "A Tribute to Billie Holiday, Hollywood Bowl, July 1979". Amazon. September 9, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  50. ^ Jet September 26, 1983, v. 65, no. 3, p. 45.
  51. ^ Robert E. Tomasson (May 22, 1988) "Social Events, Harlem Celebrations". New York Times
  52. ^ 'Long Island Guide'. The New York Times, July 30, 1989 Anniversary Fair.
  53. ^ a b "Morgana King". IMDb.
  54. ^ Ben Aronov at Allmusic
  55. ^ John S. Wilson (Oct 29, 1984) "Music: Noted In Brief; Ben Aronov Plays Solo Jazz Piano". New York Times,
  56. ^ Ronnie Bedford at Allmusic
  57. ^ "Clifford Carter". Clifford Carter. Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  58. ^ Don Costa at Discogs
  59. ^ "Eddie Daniels". Eddiedanielsclarinet.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  60. ^ Sue Evans at Allmusic
  61. ^ "Larry Fallon". Larry Fallon. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  62. ^ "Sammy Figueroa". Sammy Figueroa. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  63. ^ Helen Keane Archived August 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine at University of Pittsburgh
  64. ^ Art Koenig at Concerned Musicians, Local 802 Archived May 20, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  65. ^ "Steve LaSpina". Steve LaSpina. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  66. ^ "Scott Lee". Scottleemusic.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  67. ^ "Jay Leonhart". Jay Leonhart. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  68. ^ "Ray Mantilla". Mantillamusic.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  69. ^ "Bill Mays". Bill Mays. Archived from the original on October 8, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  70. ^ Charles McCracken at Allmusic
  71. ^ Ted Nash at Allmusic
  72. ^ Adam Nussbaus at Allmusic
  73. ^ Warren Odze at Iridium Jazz Club
  74. ^ Joe Puma at Classic Jazz Guitar Archived January 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  75. ^ "Don Rebic". Don Rebic. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  76. ^ "Jack Wilkins". Jack Wilkins. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  77. ^ Torrie Zito at Jazz Professional Archived May 13, 2003, at the Wayback Machine
  78. ^ a b c Morgana King at Allmusic
  79. ^ a b c Morgana King at Amazon.com
  80. ^ a b c Morgana King at MTV
  81. ^ a b c Morgana King at Yahoo! Music
  82. ^ King profile at Napster
  83. ^ King profile at Rhapsody
  84. ^ King profile at MP3
  85. ^ King at Amazon.com: MP3 Downloads
  86. ^ King profile at Vinyl Revolution
  87. ^ UCLA Libraries: Archives Special Collections, Coll. no. 127-M, Box 121, Folder 52
  88. ^ Morgana King at TV.com
  89. ^ a b Lloyd Sachs (December 13, 1993). "Morgana King Says Show Was Her Last". Chicago Sun-Times
  90. ^ Stephen Holden (May 26, 1994). "Morgana King Still Offers Sensuality and Honey". New York Times
  91. ^ A Dearth of Song And Dance. The Record, September 18, 1997 by Bill Ervolino
  92. ^ Bob Herbert (May 20, 1996) "In America, Bird & Max". New York Times
  93. ^ Don Heckman (June 6, 2000). "Morgana King, Still Unique in Rare Appearance". Los Angeles Times.
  94. ^ Tony Fruscella profile at Jazz Discography
  95. ^ Tony Fruscella at Allmusic.com
  96. ISBN 0-87930-717-X
  97. ^ New York Times obituary for Tony Fruscella, August 14, 1969
  98. ^ Liner Notes on I Just Can't Stop Loving You (1991).
  99. ISBN 0-87930-640-8
  100. ^ Berendt, Joachim Ernst The New Jazz Book, A History and Guide (1962), p. 314
  101. ISBN 0-472-08643-X
  102. ^ "Birdland". Birdlandjazz.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  103. ^ "Gerry Mulligan". Gerry Mulligan. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  104. ^ "Charles Mingus". Mingusmingusmingus.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  105. ISBN 0-275-98102-9
  106. ISBN 0-19-508550-7
  107. ^ Down Beat Vol 25 1958, p. 8
  108. ^ "Buddy Rich". Buddy Rich. Archived from the original on January 1, 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  109. ISBN 0-8108-4997-6
  110. ^ Liner notes for the album, It's A Quiet Thing.
  111. ^ Gavin, James (April 25, 2019). "Morgana King Remembered". JazzTimes. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  112. ISBN 978-1479328598
    .
  113. ^ "Morgana King, jazz singer who played Brando's wife in 'The Godfather,' dies at 87". Washington Post.
  114. ^ "Morgana King, Jazz Singer and Brando's Wife in 'The Godfather,' Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter. August 14, 2018.
  115. ^ "… Remarkable, four-octave voice, has a distinctive and compelling vocal style…". New York Times, May 18, 1973 by John Rockwell
  116. ^ Stephen Holden (February 20, 1983). "Pop: Morgana King, Singer, at Tuesday's."The New York Times
  117. ^ New York Magazine, December 24, 1973 p. 52
  118. ^ "Overdue Ovation: Morgana King". JazzTimes. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  119. ^ " "Electrified Sounds Blur Intimate Style Of Morgana King" New York Times, November 3, 1974
  120. ^ "Sentiment, and a Strong Sense of Challenge." New York Times, October 17, 1965
  121. ISBN 0-8256-2757-5
  122. ISBN 0-634-03596-7
  123. ISBN 0-00-647962-6
  124. ISBN 0-553-80204-6
  125. ISBN 0-312-42869-3
  126. ISBN 0-8147-3085-X

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Morgana King.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morgana_King&oldid=1218012569"