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This two-CD set mostly brings back material from singer Carmen McRae's Decca years that had been bypassed by other reissues. The oversized box, after a memorable version of "Something to Live For" (in which McRae is accompanied by the song's composer Billy Strayhorn), has many orchestra tracks that are weighed down by middle-of-the-road arrangements more suitable to Doris Day than to McRae; only "Whatever Lola Wants" is memorable among the routine ballads of 1955-56. However, things start improving with "Skyliner" and a March 1957 set with just a rhythm section is quite enjoyable; McRae herself contributes some effective piano on swinging renditions of "Perdido" and "Exactly like You." The majority of the later selections use orchestras but the charts are more jazz-oriented and McRae (who was in her mid-to-late 30s during the period) had clearly grown as a singer; tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster helps out on "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Flamingo." Overall this set is worth picking up for fans of Carmen McRae's early years, giving one a fine overview of her talents in the 1950s.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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Wendell Marshall, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Duke Ellington, ComposerLyricist - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Billy Strayhorn, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1955 GRP Records Inc.
Kurt Weill, Composer - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Ogden Nash, Author
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Johnny Burke, ComposerLyricist - Jimmy Van Heusen, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Johnny Mercer, Author - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - SONNY BURKE, Composer - Lionel Hampton, Composer
℗ 1956 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Ervin M. Drake, ComposerLyricist - DAN FISHER, ComposerLyricist - Irene Higginbotham, Composer
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Victor Young, Composer - Ned Washington, Author - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Bing Crosby, Author
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Carl Fischer, Composer - Frankie Laine, Author
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Gene DePaul, Composer - Don Raye, Author
℗ 1955 MCA Records
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - JERRY ROSS, ComposerLyricist - Robert Adler, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Billy Strayhorn, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1956 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Sammy Cahn, ComposerLyricist - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - SAUL CHAPLIN, ComposerLyricist - Mann Holiner, ComposerLyricist - Alberta Nichols, ComposerLyricist - Lee Freeman, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1956 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Cindy Walker, ComposerLyricist - Eddy Arnold, ComposerLyricist - Jack Pleis, Conductor
℗ 1956 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Charlie Barnet, Composer
℗ 1956 MCA Records
Jule Styne, Composer - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Adolph Green, Author - Betty Comden, Author
℗ 1956 MCA Records
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - BROOKS BOWMAN, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1957 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Luther Henderson Jr., ComposerLyricist
℗ 1957 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ervin M. Drake, Author - Juan Tizol, Composer - Hans Lengsfelder, Author
℗ 1957 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Dorothy Fields, Author - Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jimmy McHugh, Composer
℗ 1957 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gus Kahn, Author - Matty Malneck, Composer - Fud Livingston, Composer
℗ 1957 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Noel Coward, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1957 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISC 2
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Paul Francis Webster, Author - Bronislaw Kaper, Composer
℗ 1958 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Mort Dixon, Author - Ray Henderson, Composer
℗ 1958 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Ted Grouya, Composer - Edmund Anderson, ComposerLyricist - Edward Anderson, Author
℗ 1958 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Benny Golson, Composer - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Jon Hendricks, Author
℗ 1956 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - FRANK LOESSER, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1957 MCA Records
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Artie SHAW, ComposerLyricist - Fred Katz, Recording Arranger, Music Director & Conductor, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1958 MCA Records
Robert Haggart, Composer - Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Johnny Burke, Author
℗ 1958 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Matt Dennis, Composer - Tom Adair, Author - Fred Katz, Recording Arranger, Music Director & Conductor, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1958 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Sammy Cahn, Author - Carmen McRae, MainArtist - SAUL CHAPLIN, Composer
℗ 1958 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Ray Henderson, Composer - Buddy DeSylva, Author
℗ 1958 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Howard Dietz, Author - Arthur Schwartz, Composer
℗ 1958 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Johnny Burke, Author - Jimmy Van Heusen, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1958 The Verve Music Group, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Harry Warren, ComposerLyricist - Mack Gordon, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Einar Aaron Swan, ComposerLyricist - Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, MainArtist - Henry Creamer, ComposerLyricist - James P. Johnson, Composer
℗ 1959 MCA Records
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - AL DUBIN, ComposerLyricist - Harry Warren, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Davis, ComposerLyricist - Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Madeira, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Andy Razaf, ComposerLyricist - Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Fats Waller, ComposerLyricist - Harry Brooks, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carmen McRae, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Sammy Fain, ComposerLyricist - Irving Kahal, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1959 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
This two-CD set mostly brings back material from singer Carmen McRae's Decca years that had been bypassed by other reissues. The oversized box, after a memorable version of "Something to Live For" (in which McRae is accompanied by the song's composer Billy Strayhorn), has many orchestra tracks that are weighed down by middle-of-the-road arrangements more suitable to Doris Day than to McRae; only "Whatever Lola Wants" is memorable among the routine ballads of 1955-56. However, things start improving with "Skyliner" and a March 1957 set with just a rhythm section is quite enjoyable; McRae herself contributes some effective piano on swinging renditions of "Perdido" and "Exactly like You." The majority of the later selections use orchestras but the charts are more jazz-oriented and McRae (who was in her mid-to-late 30s during the period) had clearly grown as a singer; tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster helps out on "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Flamingo." Overall this set is worth picking up for fans of Carmen McRae's early years, giving one a fine overview of her talents in the 1950s.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 39 track(s)
- Total length: 02:05:32
- Main artists: Carmen McRae
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: GRP
- Genre: Jazz
© 1995 GRP Records Inc. This Compilation ℗ 1995 GRP Records Inc.
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