Definition of "vocalese" []

• Jazz singing genre where the lyrics are written to melodies that were originally parts of an all-instrumental composition or improvisation. (noun)

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• "She is one of the earliest practitioners of the singing style known as vocalese, in which the singer sets original lyrics, as opposed to the nonsense syllables of scat singing, to an instrumental jazz solo."
• "They've been together ever since, blending their voices with every musical congregation from the Charlie Ventura orchestra to the New York Philharmonic in a unique brand of harmonic bebop called "vocalese," singing instrumental pieces written by legends like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Clifford Brown."
• "The 79-year-old Ross, among the early practitioners of "vocalese" on songs like her"