Carmen McRae Sings Great American Songwriters (CD)

• Category:  Music  »  Jazz  »  Modern Jazz Vocals
• Format: CD   Learn more about the CD format using Tower WIKI.
• Release Date: October 12, 1993
• Label: Decca Jazz
• UPC: 011105063128
• WAPI (Tower ID): 106614057
• Average Customer Review: There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!
• Tower.com Sales Rank: #40106 in Music (See Top 100 Music Bestsellers)
• #2948 in Jazz (See Top 100 Jazz Bestsellers)
• #76 in Modern Jazz Vocals (See Top 100 Modern Jazz Vocals Bestsellers)

Browse more products related to "Carmen McRae Sings Great American Songwriters"

Browse more products related to "Carmen McRae"

Personnel includes: Carmen McRae (vocals); Matt Mathews (arranger, accordion); Ralph Burns, Tadd Dameron, Jimmy Mundy, Fred Katz, Jazz Pleis, Frank Hunter, Luther Henderson (arranger); Ray Linn, Pete Candoli (trumpet); Vince De Rosa (french horn); Milt Bernhardt, Bob Enevoldsen (trombones); Tommy Johnson (tuba); Bill Green, Harry Klee, Herbie Mann (flute); George Smith (clarinet); Mahlon Clark, Justin Gordon (bass clarinets); Ray Bryant, Calvin Jackson, Don Abney (piano); Billy Bean (guitar); Red Mitchell, Ike Issacs, Joe Benjamin (bass); Specs Wright, Kenny Clarke, Larry Bunker, Charlie Smith (drums).

Producer: Milt Gabler

Compilation producer: Orrin Keepnews

Recorded between 1955 & 1959. Includes liner notes by Neil Tesser.

Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (MCA Music Media Studios).

This is part of Decca's Legendary Masters Of Jazz series.

The considerable achievement of Carmen McRae was always somewhat eclipsed by the dazzling technique of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, not to mention Billie Holiday's personal drama or the flamboyant romanticism of Dinah Washington. Still, Carmen might have been the smartest, most discerning singer among them, and the one most suited to properly interpret the Great American Songbook, Ella's songbooks notwithstanding.

SINGS GREAT AMERICAN SONGWRITERS brings together jazz producer Orrin Keepnew's selections of key performances from McRae's Decca years and lends a useful perspective on a career characterized by fine musical-literary instincts. While Ella sang as if the words to songs sometimes embarrassed her and Sarah as if she didn't know what they meant, McRae's unpretentious way with lyrics almost always revealed something of the song's real meaning. And unlike the cabaret great Mabel Mercer, who certainly knew what a song meant, Carmen had a truly lovely voice, offset sometimes by her somewhat sardonic tone. Still, it is the ballads here, like "Blue Moon" or the magnificent "Every Time We Say Goodbye" among others, that stand as perfect little works of art.

There are no customer reviews yet. Be the first to write a review!

• Great Deals on CDs under $9.99

  New Releases, Bestsellers and Classic Albums all for under $10! Great Music for Everyone's Tastes!

• Great Deals on DVDs under $12.99

  New Releases, Bestsellers and Classic DVDs all for under $13! Great Movies, TV and DVD Specials for Everyone's Tastes!

• Great Deals on Books under $14.99

  New Releases, Bestsellers and Classic Books all for under $15! Great Reads for Everyone's Tastes!