In the highly competitive world of female jazz singers, it takes a lot of determination, perseverance, marketing savvy, attention to presentation, and sheer moxy to survive let alone succeed--all the more so if you're a stand-up vocalist. Gone are the days when a "natural" like Lady Day, Ella or Sarah would be shepherded by a band leader or producer, under whose eyes she might have the luxury to experiment, jam, make mistakes, woodshed, and grow.