Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae ranks among the greatest bebop vocalists; a singer with comprehensive musical knowledge and training who's applied the genre's harmonic rigors to her vocal approach. Whether doing originals, standards, pop or ballads, McRae's sound, phrasing, delivery and inflections are rousing and impressive. She's a good pianist, and her early days playing in clubs helped her develop extraordinary timing and pace. McRae's a first-rate scat singer and as rhythmically accomplished as any jazz vocalist ever. McRae studied piano before joining Benny Carter's orchestra in 1944. She sang with Mercer Ellington and Count Basie's bands in the late '40s, and also worked at Minton's Playhouse as an intermission singer and pianist. During the '50s, McRae made her first recordings and won Downbeat's "Best New Female Singer" award. McRae even had chart singles with the songs "The Next Time It Happens," from the Broadway musical "Pipe Dream" and "Skyliner." She recorded with Decca and began forging a reputation for distinctive vocals. McRae toured Europe and Japan often from the '60s through the '80s, though she settled in Los Angeles in 1967. She also recorded extensively for several labels, among them Atlantic, Mainstream, Pausa, Concord, Buddah, Trio, Dunhill and Denon. Some of the people she recorded with included George Shearing and Dave Brubeck. McRae has done albums dedicated to Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan, plus a stunning late '80s work Carmen Sings Monk. Her dismay over not winning a Grammy for that date has led to some blistering interviews and comments in various articles about the music business and phony jazz vocalists. Only a few of McRae's classic albums have been reissued, though Atlantic now has The Great American Songbook on CD. Some of her early Decca dates were reissued in '92, while more recent Concord and RCA/Novus sessions are currently available.
© TiVo
Similar artists
-
Underneath the Apple Tree
Jazz - Released by Supreme Media on 1 Oct 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live At Midem
Vocal Jazz - Released by Synergie OMP on 1 Aug 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Kapp Recordings
Jazz - Released by Fresh Sound Records on 1 Jun 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rhino Hi-Five: Carmen McRae (Live)
Jazz - Released by Rhino Atlantic on 14 Feb 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Singles & Albums Collection 1946-58
Jazz - Released by ACROBAT on 6 Aug 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
BD Music & Cabu Present Carmen McRae
Vocal Jazz - Released by BDMUSIC on 10 Oct 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live & Wailing
Jazz - Released by Mainstream Records on 1 Feb 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Torchy! (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 7 Feb 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Complete Ralph Burns Sessions (feat. Ben Webster) [Bonus Track Version]
Vocal Jazz - Released by Starlight Jazz on 25 Apr 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
If I'm Lucky (Remastered)
Vocal Jazz - Released by Jazz Roots Records on 12 Mar 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Live at Bubba's 1981 (Live)
Jazz - Released by Good Time Records on 17 Jan 1981
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Original Works (Original Artist, Original Recordings)
Jazz - Released by Saltra Records on 21 Jul 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mad About the Man (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Avid Entertainment on 20 Dec 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vocal Jazz Classics
Vocal Jazz - Released by Master Classics Records on 1 May 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carmen McRae In Concert
Jazz - Released by Orange Leisure on 14 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
A Little Moonlight (Live)
Blues - Released by Delta - Concert Archives - Special Markets on 27 Sep 2021
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
I'm Coming Home Again
Jazz - Released by UNIDISC MUSIC INC. on 1 Jan 1980
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Any Old Time
Jazz - Released by LRC Ltd. - Groove Merchant Records on 23 Jun 1986
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Masquerade Is Over (Re-Mastered)
Jazz - Released by StarPointe Records on 29 Apr 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Carmen Mcrae - Black Magic 'Live'
Jazz - Released by JamadaDigital on 4 Jan 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo