1. Nice Work If You Can Get It
2. Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear From Me
3. Billie’s Blues
4. Body And Soul
5. Them There Eyes
6. My Funny Valentine
7. No More Blues
8. Everything Happens To Me
9. Upside Down
10. Take Five
11. Besame Mucho
12. New York State Of Mind
13. Don’t Misunderstand
14. Ain’t Misbehavin’.

Personnel :
Carmen McRae - Vocal, Piano
Marshall Otwell - Piano
John Leftwich - Bass
Donald ‘DB’ Bailey - Drums.

Festival Jazz Montreux
July 22nd 1982

Carmen McRae's live concerts are legendary. This cd shows why this is true. She is in great form, backed by her underrated trio, especially piano player Eric Gunnison. Then again, Carmen was also under appreciated. She has the time of her life performing here and the audience loves it. The sound is great and the price is right.

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1 Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most
2 Bye Bye Blackbird
3 Solitude
4 I'm Gonna Laugh You Right out of My Life
5 Long Before I Knew You/Just in Time
6 'Round Midnight
7 I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
8 My Ship

Carmen McRae - Vocals
Norman Simmons - Piano
Stuart Martin - Drums
Victor Sproles – Bass

Carmen McRae always had a nice voice (if not on the impossible level of an Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan) but it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretations of lyrics that made her most memorable. She studied piano early on and had her first important job singing with Benny Carter's big band (1944), but it would be another decade before her career had really gained much momentum. McRae married and divorced Kenny Clarke in the '40s, worked with Count Basie (briefly) and Mercer Ellington (1946-1947), and became the intermission singer and pianist at several New York clubs. In 1954 she began to record as a leader' and by then she had absorbed the influences of Billie Holiday and bebop into her own style. McRae would record pretty steadily up to 1989 and, although her voice was higher in the '50s and her phrasing would be even more laid-back in later years, her general style and approach did not change much through the decades. Championed in the '50s by Ralph Gleason, McRae was fairly popular throughout her career. Among her most interesting recording projects were participating in Dave Brubeck's the Real Ambassadors with Louis Armstrong, cutting an album of live duets with Betty Carter, being accompanied by Dave Brubeck and George Shearing, and closing her career with brilliant tributes to Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan. Carmen McRae, who refused to quit smoking, was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema. She recorded for many labels including Bethlehem, Decca (1954-1958), Kapp, Columbia, Mainstream, Focus, Atlantic (1967-1970), Black Lion, Groove Merchant, Catalyst, Blue Note, Buddah, Concord, and Novus. ---Scott Yanow, Rovi

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01. When You’re Away
02. The More I See You
03. I Only Have Eyes For You
04. Willingly (Melodie Perdue)
05. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)
06. I’ll Be Seeing You
07. I Concentrate On You
08. Ain’t Misbehavin’
09. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye
10. When Your Lover Has Gone
11. I’m Glad There Is You
12. Two Faces In The Dark

Carmen McRae - Piano, Vocals
Frank Hunter - conductor (4, 12)
Luther Henderson, Jr. - conductor (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 11)

Eight years younger than her idol, Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae was a contemporary of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Ella and Sarah were already well established by the time Carmen came onto the scene, but it wasn’t long before Carmen was considered their artistic equal, although she never achieved their wide popularity. She never had a huge hit nor did she ever receive a Grammy. But, on the other hand, she never made a bad record nor compromised her high standards.

Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan inspired awe with their vocal prowess. Ella – with her perfect pitch and unerring sense of time – could reproduce any instrumental jazz riff, and Sarah – with her multi-octave range and ultra-flexible voice – could change octave and color on a single note. Carmen, however, could bring a tear to the eye or a lump to the throat, with her reading of a lyric. That was her great talent. She combined the ability to project the emotional connotations of a song with a musical intelligence that was derived in part from her knowledge of the piano. --- carmenmcrae.com

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01. When Sunny Gets Blue 
02. How Did He Look 
03. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry 
04. The Meaning Of The Blues 
05. If You Could Love Me 
06. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most 
07. Second Chance 
08. If You Could See Me Now 
09. Here's That Rainy Day 
10. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life 
11. Ghost Of Yesterday 
12. I'm Lost 
13. Come Sunday

Curtis Boyd - Drums
Mundell Lowe - Guitar
Carmen McRae 	- Piano, Vocals
Norman Simmons - Piano
Victor Sproles - 	Bass

Carmen McRae made many worthwhile albums during her long career, but this session of mostly melancholy ballads never received the exposure it deserved, possibly because it was done for Mort Fega's small independent label, Focus. But the singer, who is in top form throughout the date, responds beautifully to pianist Norman Simmons' well-crafted charts; the rest of the cast includes drummer Curtis Boyd; bassist Victor Sproles; and a last minute but valuable substitute, guitarist Mundell Lowe. Her dramatic lagging behind the beat in "The Meaning of the Blues" adds to its appeal. "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" is the only extended piece and was already a regular part of her repertoire by the time of this recording, so her effortless take is no surprise. McRae was an excellent pianist and accompanies herself on the defiant "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life." Duke Ellington's meditative "Come Sunday" provides a ray of hope among the otherwise bittersweet songs on this CD. Fortunately, Koch had the wisdom to reissue this lost treasure, and it easily ranks among Carmen McRae's best recordings. ---Ken Dryden, Rovi

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01. By Myself (3:15)
02. The Thrill Is Gone (3:55)
03. How Long Has This Been Going On? (4:07)
04. Do Yyou Know Why? (2:54)
05. My Romance (3:56)
06. Isn't It Romantic? (3:03)
07. If Love Is Good To Me (3:32)
08. When I Fall In Love (3:50)
09. Please Be Kind (3:17)
10. He Was Too Good To Me (2:44)
11. Angel Eyes (2:44)
12. Something I Dreamed Last Night (4:01)

Carmen McRae – vocals
Don Abney – piano
Joe Benjamin – bass
Charles Smith – drums
Frank Hunter – conductor, arranger

The Book of Ballads in question is the Great American Songbook, and Carmen McRae breathes new life into some of its most dog-eared pages on this wonderful session that heralded the close of her Kapp Records tenure. McRae tackles material like "When I Fall in Love," "Isn't It Romantic?" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?" with uncommon care and intelligence, summoning rich new meaning from the familiar lyrics. In her hands, the songs pulse with energy and life. Arranger Frank Hunter and a supporting trio led by pianist Don Abney also merit commendation for nuanced, evocative backings that afford McRae the necessary space to do her thing. ---Jason Ankeny, Rovi

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01. I Was Doing All Right (2:47)
02. How Long Has This Been Going On? (4:03)
03. Namely You (2:42)
04. Dream of Life (3:59)
05. The Eagle and Me (2:44)
06. Do You Know Why? (2:50)
07. Whatever Lola Wants (2:58)		play
08. When Your Lover Has Gone (3:31)
09. Weak for the Man (4:06)
10. Mad About the Boy (4:11)
11. Love Is a Simple Thing (2:03)
12. I Wants to Stay Here (3:47)
13. Baltimore Oriole (3:50)
14. Invitation (2:51)
15. Something to Live For (3:10)
16. Midnight Sun (3:45)
17. Georgia Rose (3:17)
18. Love Is Here to Stay (2:19)
19. Perdido (2:51)			play

Personnel: 
Carmen McRae (vocals); 
Sammy Davis, Jr. (vocals); 
Barry Galbraith, Mundell Lowe (guitar); 
Buddy Collette (flute, alto saxophone); 
George W. Smith (clarinet); 
Justin Gordon (bass clarinet); 
Warren Webb (oboe); 
Vinnie Dean, Phil Woods (alto saxophone); 
Al Cohn, Ben Webster, Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone); 
Sol Schlinger (baritone saxophone); 
Richard Gene Williams , Lennie Johnson, Ernie Royal, Al Stewart, Irwin "Marky" Markowitz, Art Farmer, Charlie Shavers (trumpet); 
Mickey Gravine, Jimmy Cleveland, Billy Byers (trombone); 
Paul Faulise (bass trombone); Don Abney, Dick Katz, Joe Marino, Ray Bryant, Ronnell Bright, Billy Strayhorn (piano); 
Floyd Williams, Nick Stabulas, Specs Wright, Charlie Smith (drums).

An in-depth 19-track overview of the career of jazz vocalist Carmen McRae, demonstrating her bebop-influenced vocal styling ranging from blues ballads to fluid bop scat. Part of the Verve Finest Hour series, this well-presented album is a fine introduction to the artist at an affordable price. ~ Zac Johnson

Carmen McRae was simply one of the giants of jazz singing, with a distinctive sound and phrasing, superb intonation, and rare harmonic imagination. She also had a unique gift for presenting a lyric, whether conveying depths of feeling or sheer playfulness. This CD is drawn from McRae's first sustained period of recording, her Decca work from 1955 to 1959. It demonstrates her emotional range, from the ebullient high spirits of "Namely You" and "Love Is a Simple Thing" to the lightly bittersweet balladry of "Do You Know Why?" and the passion of "Mad About the Boy." The accompaniments here include several big bands and string sections, and McRae is well served by a collection of arrangers highlighted by Tadd Dameron, Ernie Wilkins, and Ralph Burns. More-intimate small groups include superb contributions from pianist Ray Bryant and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, while "Something to Live For" has the composer, Billy Strayhorn, at the piano.

Carmen Mercedes McRae (ur. 8 kwietnia 1920 w Nowym Jorku, zm. 10 listopada 1994 w Beverly Hills) – amerykańska czarnoskóra śpiewaczka, pianistka i kompozytorka jazzowa. Debiutowała w 1944 z big-bandem Menney'ego Cartera. W latach 1946-47 śpiewała z orkiestrą Counta Basiego i Mercera Ellingtona. Swoją pierwszą płytę nagrała pod nazwiskiem Carmen Clark. Jej kompozycję "Dream of Life" wykonywała Billie Holiday. W 1962 wystąpiła na festiwalu w Monterey z Louisem Armstrongiem i Dave Brubeckiem. W 1967 przeniosła się do Beverly Hills. Występowała w klubach Los Angeles i Hollywood. W 1991 wycofała się z życia muzycznego z przyczyn zdrowotnych. Najpopularniejsze nagrania: "Suppertime", "Yardbird Suite", "Dream of Life", "You Took Advantage of Me".

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1. Get It Straight (a.k.a. Straight, No Chaser) - (live)
2. Dear Ruby (a.k.a. Ruby, My Dear)
3. It's Over Now (a.k.a Well, You Needn't)
4. Monkery's The Blues (a.k.a Blue Monk)
5. You Know Who (a.k.a. I Mean You)
6. Little Butterfly (a.k.a. Pannonica)
7. Listen To Monk (a.k.a. Rhythm-A-Ning)
8. How I Wish... (a.k.a. Ask Me How)
9. Man, That Was A Dream (a.k.a. Monk's Dream)
10. Round Midnight
11. Still We Dream (a.k.a. Ugly Beauty)
12. Suddenly (a.k.a. In Walked Bud) - (live)
13. Looking Back (a.k.a. Reflections)
14. Suddenly - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
15. Get It Straight - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
16. Round Midnight - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
17. Listen To Monk - (previously unreleased, alternate take)
18. Man, That Was A Dream - (previously unreleased, alternate take)


Carmen McRae (vocals); 
Clifford Jordan (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); 
Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); 
Eric Gunnison, Larry Willis (piano); 
George Mraz (bass); 
Al Foster (drums).

Carmen McRae, a good friend of Thelonious Monk, sang 13 of his songs (two of which are also heard in different live versions) on this memorable project. Half of the lyrics are by Jon Hendricks, while the remainder were written by Abbey Lincoln ("Blue Monk"), Bernie Hanighen, Sally Swisher, or Mike Ferro. On all but the two concert performances, McRae is assisted by tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, pianist Eric Gunnison, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Al Foster; Mraz's solos are particularly impressive, although everyone is in sensitive form. The live recordings give listeners two more chances to acknowledge the uniqueness of tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse's tone. As for McRae, her phrasing has rarely sounded better than on this classic set, and it is a particular pleasure to hear her interpret the intelligent lyrics and unusual melodies. "Dear Ruby" ("Ruby, My Dear") and "Listen to Monk" ("Rhythm-A-Ning") are among the high points of the essential and very delightful CD. An inspired idea and one of the best recordings of Carmen McRae's career. ---Scott Yanow

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