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"remarkable lyrical
interpretation & phrasing", January 29, 2001 from Missouri-USA
Carmen
McRae recorded four albums for Concord, with this ballad-oriented
compilation a few selections from each, finds a very appealing,
quite expressive and conversational style, became very influential
for singers to follow her lead.
Of
course there are highlights - "MORE THAN YOU KNOW" with George Shearing
(originally issued on: "Two For The Road" - CCD 4128) and "IT WILL
HAVE TO DO (UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONG)" featuring Jack McDuff,
Red Holloway, Phil Upchurch, John Clayton and Paul Humphrey (originally
issued on: "Fine And Mellow - Live At Birdland West" - CCD 4342)
as this singer of singers adds unexpected accents to the lyrics
and doing wonders with established standards...never sounded like
this before.
Hand-picked
from her catalog of Concord Jazz recordings (which boasts two Grammy-Award
nominated albums), with such jazz luminaries - Red Holloway, Jack
McDuff, Poncho Sanchez, George Shearing and Cal Tjader supporting
her performances, are touching and quite personal, a classic singer
at h
An architect of the
jazz ballad, July 19, 2000
Reviewer: A music fan from Chicago, IL United States
When
it came to love--whether it was blissful or turbulent--Carmen McRae
(Billie Holiday's faithful disciple) knew all about it and ultimately,
her rich knowledge of this mysterious emotion certainly came through
in her performances. I purchased this CD some time in January and
since then, not a day has gone by without me listening to it. All
twelve songs are terrific moments of jazz. The one which truly stood
out for me was "More Than You Know", where Miss McRae was accompanied
by the magic of George Shearing's fingers at the piano. I chose
to label her as "an architect of the jazz ballad" even though she
left enough room in her interpretations for happy accidents to occur
(check out "Fine And Mellow"--recorded live). Every song on this
album has a dictinct exposition phase, which leads to a conflict,
which almost always leads to a resounding, phenomenal climax. Pick
any of these songs: "I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You",
"These Foolings Things", "The Visit", "You're Looking At Me" or
the stunning "Besame Mucho"; I don't think it possible that you
remain unmoved. If anything, you might even shed tears (of joy and
pain). The amount of control that Carmen McRae demonstrated in her
singing was simply astonishing; I assume that her background as
a trained piano player had a lot to do with it. But her voice...
her voice was magnificent! This is truly the best way to put it.
With her exceptional phrasing and crystal-clear diction, she had
the power to transform a song into a single experience for the human
heart. It was a loud, clear, and deeply resonant voice made out
of pure velvet. My only regret is that I discovered this great lady
of jazz well-after her death (in 1994) for I would have considered
myself priviledged to be among the ones who were lucky enough to
see her perform on a stage. I hope that this review will help Miss
McRae gain many more fans. Her remarkable artistry is worth taking
many detours along the road of life just for the sake of enjoying
intimate moments (either by yourself or with someone you care about
very deeply.)
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