Search - Carmen McRae :: Torchy/Blue Moon

TWO GREAT CARMEN MCRAE ALBUMS ON ONE CD!

Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 08/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once again, the Universal Music Group comes up with this thrilling "two-fer", comprised of two great albums from the immortal Carmen Mcrae, one of jazz's greatest divas ever. These are mid-50's albums (each available as Japanese imports) that Carmen did on Decca. Her catalog varies where labels are concerned; she did a lot of recording on a lot of labels throughout her illustrious career, but it was at Decca where she gained the most momentum early on, despite being weighed down with lots of commercial stuff. There was no denying her vocal prowess, and I personally say she was one of the few vocalists whose voice always sounded the same, even in later years, and dare I say, got BETTER. These sides, mostly standards and some be-bop overtures, were arranged by the cream of the Decca bandleaders and freelancers of the time. Jack Pleis, an underappreciated master of the baton, led the orchestra on two of my favorites here, MY FUTURE JUST PASSED, a fine anthem that Carmen really conveys with sincerity without being too "mushy", and the swingin' I'M A DREAMER (Aren't We All?) in which Carmen really makes us ponder the rhetoric question in song. It's easy to dream with Carmen's voice and the great arrangement featuring clarinet on this chart leading the way! Ralph Burns, one of the greatest jazz arrangers EVER also did a few charts here, one of particular beauty is the Arlen / Harburg classic LAST NIGHT WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. As for the "be-bop refrains" I mentioned, STAR EYES was something of a hit for Carmen, and that version is included here; this one had them dancing in Birdland for years by anyone who ever covered it. NOWHERE is another swingin' tune that hearkens to the be-bop style and is handled just fine by Carmen. The touching ballad SUMMER IS GONE is wistful and pretty, and features some of Carmen's most heartfelt singing with a spectacular arrangement. This will bring countless hours of listening enjoyment for jazz fans everywhere. Two great albums from Carmen Mcrae; how can you miss? Excellent remastering and packaging with informative liner notes included."