Search - Carmen McRae :: New York State of Mind

First-rate collection of the mature Carmen McRae

BangorBill | Bangor, ME United States | 06/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a first-rate collection of songs by the mature Carmen McRae. In fact, I like her mature voice and style better than her younger performances. (Same goes for Ella Fitzgerald.) Carmen's style is distinctive; as I've gotten to know her better she has become my favorite jazz singer. The details of this album are well-described by another reviewer, Bradley Briggs. One of the appeals of this album, besides Carmen's singing, is the great work of her backup musicians. But who were they? It is greatly annoying that the publisher of this CD does not give any information about the dates and places of the performances, or the names of the backup musicians. Why this omission? Is it lazyness, combined with contempt for the jazz lovers who want this information? Or is there some legal reason for omitting information about the performances? Reviewer Briggs has identified some of the backup musicians--apparently he is more familiar with McRae's history than I am. By the way, if you are either a Thelonious Monk fan or a Carmen McRae fan, don't miss the album, Carmen Sings Monk."

EXTRAORDINARY 70'S MC RAE MASTERPIECE!!

Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 05/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carmen Mc Rae was like fine wine being that as time went by her voice became deeper and more rich and never was it finer than on this classic set which has an array of guest artists such as Grover Washington Jr., Hank Crawford, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, and other great notables and incredible songs!!! This edition is an abridged bargin (and what a bargain it is) that is just missing one part of Mr. Magic turning it into a single disc vs. a double. Opening funky with a classic take on "Burst In With The Dawn", it is clear that Ms. McRae is loose and in peak form giving brilliance to a great song with all her incredible flair that makes her one of the all time greatest!!You can tell right away also that the steller cast of musicians are really inspired playing behind this peerless legend!!! Beautiful and mellow is Carmen on the haunting "I Need You In My Life" that is surrounded by a really glorious arrangement making this a real quite storm classic of the highest order. I am sure that Melissa herself must love this gorgeous take on her classic "Come In From The Rain" and ditto to Paul Williams on his classic "I Won't Last A Day Without You"! Grover and Carmen are incredibly sublime on the soulful "Won't Cha Stay With Me" which again should have been a Quite Storm classic hit!!! Just because an artist is past a certain age does't mean they are past their prime!! Listen to this and see-this is hot and sublimely funky and one of the best ever!!! Hot and cooking is the classic "Mr. Magic" which easily matches the original Grover Jr. classic with great accompaiment by no less than Mr. Washington himself with Mc Rae at her loose and funky best!! Emotional depth makes "Everything Must Change" a real life experience as only Carmen could create with her remarkable range of emotion and the arrangement is extraordinary and incomparable that flows with incredible beauty. Never on any work have I heard musicians quite as inspired and incredible as they are here and this is a testament to the incredible talent of Carmen herself-they knew who they were playing for and was she ever at an incredible peak here!!! Light and soulful and ever so funky is Carmen on "Sweet Alibis" making this another classic which makes one wonder where was Grammy on this great work??? Out to lunch for sure!!! Carmen and Bass make for a stunning version of the classic "(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over" while Peter Allen's masterpiece "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love" is in the same league as Peter and Dusty Springfield's great versions making it a stunner for sure!!! Sublime beauty, worldly wisdom plus sentimental longing make for the definitive "I'm Comming Home Again" which is totally engrossing but masterpiece is what becomes of Billy Joel's "New York State Of Mind" as it is given a work-out like never before!!! Carmen vocally takes this to the limit and the finale is a funky finale unlike anything I have ever heard making this the definitive version hands down!!!! Any music lover who gets into this great masterpiece will be a fan of it for life!! This will never happen again so get it an enjoy the ultimate!! Bravo Carmen!!! Bravo to the stellar cast of incredible musicians who played to the ultimate of their great talent!!!"