Search - Carmen McRae :: Velvet Soul

McRae at her best

R. M. Barge | Atlanta, GA USA | 07/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album holds some of my favorite songs McRae ever performed, mostly obscure songs performed with a solo electric piano or guitar, or a quiet trio: I Fall in Love Too Easily, Where are the Words, Inside a Silent Tear (wow - wait until you hear the low note she nails), Imagination (double wow), Right to Love, You and I. To me, this is the absolute best she has ever sounded. She was in great voice for the session and the work is full of subtlety and craftmanship, with the quiet accompaniments and live mike showing off every nuance.



Her interpretation of the standards Nice Work if You Can Get It, Straighten Up, Masquerade, and Livin' (with solo gospel piano) are also quite good (if you like the songs). Good Life isn't too bad.



Unfortunately there are a few songs not up to the same standard. Sunshine of My Life starts out extremely promising but falls apart when she goes up tempo. Exactly Like You is an honest effort that fails. How Could I Settle for Less and It Takes a Whole Lot of Human Feeling are just bad, and yes, the trumpet player on the former does a Herb Alpert imitation.



At the price, though, I'd pay $8 to hear her sing "Imagination"."