Carmen McRae

[Guest]

Underrated?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

Certainly!

[Lateralthinking1]

Certainly!

Unusually, she was played on a BBC local radio station the other day. It was stunning. Any CD recommendations?

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

discog here

the Sings Billie Hiloday and Sings Monk are two of my favourites and the early bethlehems amongst others

[Lateralthinking1]

discog here

the Sings Billie Hiloday and Sings Monk are two of my favourites and the early bethlehems amongst others

Thank you Calum. I will find those. I think on the radio it was 'Birds of a Feather'. From Jazz.Com:

While the album's concept is a little hokey, Birds Of A Feather remains one of Carmen McRae's finest albums. Paired with Ralph Burns, who leads a splendid group featuring Marky Markowitz on trumpet and Ben Webster on tenor (listed as "A Tenorman" due to contract restrictions), Carmen sings songs about a dozen of our feathered friends. For many years, the original LP was a rara avis itself, as copies were hard to find, and the ones that could be bought were badly worn. A limited edition CD reissue came out a few years back; it's now out of print, but the entire album is still available for download.

[amateur51]

Underrated?

Not here, Lats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVzPqyAW4N0

[Serial_Apologist]

Our very own Norma Winstone has always sworn by Carmen McRae.

(Never at her, afaik)

[Alyn_Shipton]

Those of you with longer memories might recall she was the subject of a recently discontinued series called jazz library: my recommendations (and Christine Tobin's) here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n13mq

[Lateralthinking1]

Those of you with longer memories might recall she was the subject of a recently discontinued series called jazz library: my recommendations (and Christine Tobin's) here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00n13mq

That's fantastic. Thank you Alan.

Thanks too amateur51 - This works very well nicely to my ears. Seeing that one of my positions has been "never got Sarah Vaughan; very much liked Julie London, however light", it is rather nice to find that on occasions I select the credible.

(I should add that I am extremely keen on Nina Simone and Billie Holiday so that puts it in more context)

[Jazzrook]

Underrated?

Very! Here's 'Ruby My Dear' from 'Sings Monk'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ1w9xV1W4M

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

ENORMOUS fan of Ms. MCrae. She had a look and attitude at Ronnie Scott's to freeze a freezer.

A Jazz singer - there are VERY few.

BN.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

.....buenas el senor .... si even TC might agree that Carmen sings jazz .....

[Ian Thumwood]

A Jazz singer - there are VERY few.

BN.

Bluesnik

Absolute rubbish - I would consider all these to be pretty excpetional jazz singers...


Betty Carter
Billie Holiday
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughan
Helen Humes
Sheila Jordan
Dianne Reeves
Shirley Horn
Cassandra Wilson
Gretchen Parlato
Norma Ninstone
Roberta Gambarini
Epseranza Spalding
Karin Krog
Luciana Souza

Jimmy Rushing
Jimmy Withspoon
Walter Brown
Big Joe Turner
Louis Armstrong
George Thomas (MKCP)
Mose Allison
Ray Charles
Kurt Elling
Kevin Mahogany
Gregory Porter

There are probably as many "individual " jazz vocal stylists as as tenor saxophonists. You need to get out more otherwise you will turn into Trevor Cooper. You can find jazz in all kinds of places.

Ian

[Serial_Apologist]

Here's a singer who constantly gets unacountably omitted when mention's made of exceptional female talent in the vocal department (and lyrics department) this side of the Pond.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRZ3ePhHUug

This ain't jazz, may carp some, and there's other downloadable tracks of this lady that more than fit the category, but I love both these characters, so chose this one.

[cloughie]

Bluesnik

Absolute rubbish - I would consider all these to be pretty excpetional jazz singers...


Betty Carter
Billie Holiday
Ella Fitzgerald
Sarah Vaughan
Helen Humes
Sheila Jordan
Dianne Reeves
Shirley Horn
Cassandra Wilson
Gretchen Parlato
Norma Ninstone
Roberta Gambarini
Epseranza Spalding
Karin Krog
Luciana Souza

Jimmy Rushing
Jimmy Withspoon
Walter Brown
Big Joe Turner
Louis Armstrong
George Thomas (MKCP)
Mose Allison
Ray Charles
Kurt Elling
Kevin Mahogany
Gregory Porter

There are probably as many "individual " jazz vocal stylists as as tenor saxophonists. You need to get out more otherwise you will turn into Trevor Cooper. You can find jazz in all kinds of places.

Ian

...and they're just for starters

among others I would add Janis Siegel and Cheryl Bentyne.