Andy Bey, a jazz vocalist with a wide vocal range and commanding interpretation of lyrics, remains an underappreciated figure in the genre. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Bey began his musical journey at a young age, recording his first solo album at 13 and forming a group with his siblings in his late teens. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Bey collaborated with renowned artists like Max Roach and Duke Pearson, delivering socially conscious lyrics and later working extensively with pianist Horace Silver.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Bey released albums on various labels, including the acclaimed "Ballads, Blues & Bey" in 1996, which showcased his intimate side. He continued to explore diverse musical styles with subsequent releases like "Shades of Bey" and "Tuesdays in Chinatown," incorporating covers of artists like Nick Drake and Milton Nascimento. Bey's Grammy-nominated album "The World According to Andy Bey" in 2013 and "Pages from an Imaginary Life" in 2014 further solidified his place as a masterful interpreter of American popular song.