Search - Carmen McRae :: Ballad Essentials

An architect of the jazz ballad

J. Lovins | 07/20/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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.)"

"remarkable lyrical interpretation & phrasing"

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 01/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"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 her best - CARMEN MCRAE!Total Time: 56:38 on 12 Tracks...Concord Jazz CCD-4877...(1999)"