Carmen McRae
File:Carmen McRae.jpg
Background information
Birth name Carmen Mercedes McRae
Also known as "The Singer's Singer"
Born (1920-04-08)April 8, 1920
Origin Harlem,
New York City, New York,
United States
Died November 10, 1994(1994-11-10) (aged 74)
Beverly Hills, California, United States
Genres Vocal jazz, bebop, traditional pop
Occupations Singer, pianist
Instruments Piano
Years active 1944s–1994
Labels Decca, Verve, Atlantic, Novus, Columbia, Blue Note, Concord, Buddah
Associated acts Sammy Davis, Jr.
Billie Holiday
Cal Tjader
George Shearing
Dave Brubeck

Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable.[1] McRae drew inspiration from Billie Holiday, but established her own distinctive voice. She went on to record over 60 albums, enjoying a rich musical career, performing and recording in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Contents

Biography [link]

McRae was born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents, Osmond and Evadne McRae. She began studying piano when she was eight, and the music of jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington filled her home. She met singer Billie Holiday when she was just 17 years old. As a teenager McRae came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. One of McRae's early songs, "Dream of Life" through their influence, was recorded in 1939 by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.[2] McRae considered Holiday to be her primary influence.

In her late teens and early twenties, McRae played piano at a New York club called Minton's Playhouse, Harlem's most famous jazz club, sang as a chorus girl, and worked as a secretary. It was at Minton's where she met trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Had her first important job as a pianist with the Benny Carter's big band (1944), worked with Count Basie (1944) and made first recording as pianist with Mercer Ellington Band (1946–1947). But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded 12 LPs.

In 1948 she moved to Chicago with comedian George Kirby. She played piano steadily for almost four years before returning to New York. Those years in Chicago, McRae told Jazz Forum, "gave me whatever it is that I have now. That's the most prominent schooling I ever had."[3] Back in New York in the early 1950s, McRae got the record contract that launched her career. In 1954, she was voted best new female vocalist by Down Beat magazine. She married bassist Ike Isaacs in the late 1950s.

Among her most interesting recording projects were Mad About The Man (1957) with composer Noël Coward, Boy Meets Girl (1957) with Sammy Davis, Jr., participating in Dave Brubeck's The Real Ambassadors (1961) with Louis Armstrong, a tribute album You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) (1983), cutting an album of live duets with Betty Carter, The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (1987), being accompanied by Dave Brubeck and George Shearing, and closing her career with brilliant tributes to Thelonious Monk, Carmen Sings Monk (1990), and Sarah Vaughan, Sarah: Dedicated to You (1991).

As a result of her early friendship with Billie Holiday, she never performed without singing at least one song associated with "Lady Day", and recorded an album in 1983 in her honor entitled For Lady Day, which was released in 1995. Some songs included are; "Good Morning Heartache", "Them There Eyes", "Lover Man", "God Bless the Child", "Don't Explain", just to name a few. McRae also recorded with the world best jazz musicians, Take Five Live (1961) with Dave Brubeck, Heat Wave (1982) with Cal Tjader, and Two for the Road (1989) with George Shearing.

Carmen McRae sang in jazz clubs throughout the United States—and across the world—for over fifty years. McRae was a popular performer at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival (1961–1963, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1982). Performing with Duke Ellington's at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1980, singing "Don't Get Around Much Any More", and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1989.[4]

Carmen McRae was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema.[5] McRae died on November 10, 1994, in Beverly Hills, California from a stroke, following complications from respiratory illness.

Awards [link]

Carmen McRae Grammy Award Recognitions[6]
Year Category Title Label Result
1990 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female Carmen Sings Monk Novus Nominee
1988 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female Fine and Mellow Concord Jazz Nominee
1988 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Duo or Group The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets Great American Music Hall Nominee
1987 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female Any Old Time Denon Nominee
1984 Best Jazz Vocal Performance You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) Concord Jazz Nominee
1977 Best Jazz Vocal Performance Carmen McRae at the Great American Music Hall Blue Note Nominee
1971 Best Jazz Performance - Soloist Carmen McRae Atlantic Nominee
Carmen McRae Awards
Year Organization Category Result
1994 National Endowment for the Arts NEA Jazz Masters Winner
1993 NAACP NAACP Image Awards Winner

Filmography [link]

Movies [link]

Television [link]

  • 1982: "L. A. Jazz"
  • 1981: "Billie Holiday. A Tribute"
  • 1981: "At the Palace"
  • 1980: "From Jumpstreet"
  • 1979: "Roots: The Next Generations", played Lila[11]
  • 1979: "Carmen McRae in Concert"
  • 1976: "Sammy and Company"
  • 1976: "Soul"

Partial Discography [link]

Year Title Label
1990 Sarah: Dedicated to You Novus
1988 Carmen Sings Monk Novus
1988 Fine and Mellow: Live at Birdland West (Live) Concord
1987 The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (Live, with Betty Carter) Great American Music Hall
1987 What Do The Words Say (with Ray Brown) Blue Music Group
1983 You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) Concord Jazz
1982 Heat Wave (with Cal Tjader) Concord Jazz
1980 Two for the Road (with George Shearing) Concord Jazz
1977 At The Great American Music Hall Blue Note
1975 Live at Century Plaza Atlantic
1972 The Great American Songbook Atlantic
1970 Just a Little Lovin' Atlantic
1967 Portrait of Carmen Atlantic
1967 Sounds of Silence Atlantic
1967 For Once in My Life Atlantic
1965 Alive! Columbia
1962 Something Wonderful Columbia
1962 The Real Ambassadors Columbia
1961 Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man and other Billie Holiday Classics Columbia
1961 Take Five Live Columbia
1960 Book of Ballads Kapp
1958 Boy Meets Girl (with Sammy Davis, Jr.) Decca
1958 Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport (Released 2001) Verve
1957 After Glow Decca
1956 Blue Moon Decca
1955 Torchy Decca
1954 Easy to Love Bethlehem
1954 Carmen McRae Bethlehem

References [link]

  1. ^ Carmen McRae at Allmusic
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness, page 2650, (1995) - ISBN 1-56159-176-9
  3. ^ Jazz Forum, No. 2, 1990
  4. ^ Montreux Jazz Festival
  5. ^ All Music: Carmen McRae
  6. ^ Grammy Award Database
  7. ^ Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
  8. ^ Hotel (1967)
  9. ^ The Subterraneans (1960)
  10. ^ The Square Jungle (1956)
  11. ^ Roots: The Next Generations (1979)

External links [link]


https://wn.com/Carmen_McRae

Carmen McRae (1954 album)

Carmen McRae is a 1955 album by Jazz singer Carmen McRae. It was McRae's debut album and was released on the Bethlehem label. The album was reissued in 2000 with six additional tracks, alternate takes of songs from the original album.

Reception

Scott Yanow reviewed the album for Allmusic and wrote that of it that "Overall the music is pleasing but not too memorable and one wishes there were more variety".

Track listing

  • "You'd Be So Easy to Love" (Cole Porter) - 2:26
  • "If I'm Lucky" - 3:17
  • "Old Devil Moon" (E.Y. "Yip" Harburg, Burton Lane) - 2:40
  • "Tip Toe Gently" - 2:40
  • "You Made Me Care" - 2:09
  • "Last Time for Love" - 3:05
  • "Misery" (Tony Scott) - 3:53
  • "Too Much in Love to Care" - 2:33
  • "Too Much in Love to Care" - 3:19
  • "Old Devil Moon" - 2:37
  • "You Made Me Care" - 2:09
  • "Too Much in Love to Care" - 2:20
  • "Last Time for Love" - 3:03

    • Personnel

  • Carmen McRae - vocals
  • Herbie Mann - flute, tenor saxophone
  • Mat Mathews - accordion
  • Mundell Lowe - guitar
  • Wendell Marshall - double bass
    • Read more
    This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Carmen_McRae_(1954_album)

    Satin Doll

    "Satin Doll" is a jazz standard written by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Written in 1953, the song has been recorded countless times, by such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, 101 Strings, Terry Callier, and Nancy Wilson. Its chord progression is well known for its unusual use of chords and opening with a ii-V-I turnaround.

    Johnny Mercer was often asked to write lyrics to already popular songs. The lyrics to "Satin Doll" were written after the song was already a hit in its instrumental version. Ellington used "Satin Doll" as the closing number at most of his concerts.

    Bill Doggett recorded a version on his 1959 tribute album Salute To Duke Ellington (King Records 533).

    The Coasters released a version of the song on their 1960 album, One by One.

    The popular 1950s group The Gaylords recorded a version of "Satin Doll" in 1958.

    The American vocal group The Stylistics recorded a cover version for their 1976 album, Once Upon a Juke Box.

    Dr. John released a version of the song on his 1999 album, Duke Elegant.

    Read more
    This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Satin_Doll

    Satin Doll (Shirley Scott album)

    Satin Doll is an album by organist Shirley Scott recorded in 1961 and released on the Prestige label in 1963. It was Scot's second album of Duke Ellington compositions after Scottie Plays the Duke (1959).

    Reception

    The Allmusic review stated "A bit more prim, though Scott still burns".

    Track listing

  • "Satin Doll" (Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn)
  • "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Ellington, Irving Mills)
  • "C Jam Blues" (Barney Bigard, Ellington)
  • "Perdido" (Juan Tizol)
  • "Mood Indigo" (Bigard, Ellington, Mills)
  • "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" (Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons)
  • "Solitude" (Eddie DeLange, Ellington, Mills)

    • Personnel

  • Shirley Scott - organ
  • George Tucker - bass
  • Mack Simpkins - drums

    • References

    Read more
    This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Satin_Doll_(Shirley_Scott_album)

    Satin Doll (Bobbi Humphrey album)

    Satin Doll is the fourth studio album by American jazz flautist Bobbi Humphrey recorded in 1974 and released on the Blue Note label.

    Reception

    The Allmusic review by Andrew Hamilton awarded the album 3½ stars stating "This album isn't as compelling as Blacks and Blues, but is far more impressive than the jazz fusion happening at the same time".

    Track listing

  • "New York Times" - 6:53
  • "Satin Doll" (Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Billy Strayhorn) - 4:09
  • "San Francisco Lights" (Chuck Davis) - 5:27
  • "Ladies Day" - 6:20
  • "Fun House" (Terry McFaddin, Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin) - 4:43
  • "My Little Girl" - 6:45
  • "Rain Again" - 6:56
  • "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (Stevie Wonder) - 2:43
  • Recorded at The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California on June 20 (tracks 2, 4, 6 & 8), July 22 (tracks 5 & 7) and August 5 (tracks 1 & 3), 1974

    • Personnel

  • Bobbi Humphrey - flute, vocals
  • Fonce Mizell - clavinet, trumpet, vocals
  • Jerry Peters - piano, clavinet
  • Larry Mizell - electric piano synthesizer, clavinet, vocals, arranger, conductor
    • Read more
    This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Satin_Doll_(Bobbi_Humphrey_album)

    Podcasts:

    Carmen McRae

    ALBUMS

    Tonight Only!

    Released 2011

    Take Five at Basin Street East

    Released 2009

    The 1964 Orchestra Recordings

    Released 2006

    Just Jazz: Masquerade

    Released 2006

    Boy Meets Girl

    Released 2005

    Two for the Road

    Released 2004

    Book of Balads

    Released 2003

    The Diva Series

    Released 2003

    No More Blues

    Released 2002

    Blues in My Heart

    Released 2002

    Bitttersweet

    Released 2002

    Midnite Jazz & Blues: Black Magic

    Released 2002

    Live at Umbria Jazz

    Released 2001

    Sound of Silence / Portrait of Carmen

    Released 2001

    Upside Down: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival

    Released 2001

    A Whole Lot of Human Feeling

    Released 2001

    Live at Midem

    Released 2000

    Live at Bubba's

    Released 2000

    Carmen McRae's Finest Hour

    Released 2000

    New York State of Mind

    Released 1999

    In London

    Released 1999

    Torchy / Blue Moon

    Released 1999

    For Lady Day, Volume 2

    Released 1999

    Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics

    Released 1997

    The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets

    Released 1996

    For Lady Day, Volume 1

    Released 1995

    I'll Be Seeing You: A Tribute to Carmen McRae

    Released 1995

    Alive

    Released 1994

    Sings Great American Songwriters

    Released 1993

    Here To Stay

    Released 1992

    The Great American Songbook

    Released 1990

    Birds of a Feather

    Released 1989

    live at Bubba's

    Released 1988

    Any Old Time

    Released 1988

    As Time Goes By: Carmen McRae Alone Live at the Dug

    Released 1987

    At Ratso's, Volume 2

    Released 1987

    Complete Recordings

    Released 1986

    Complete Ralph Burns Sessions (feat. Ben Webster)

    Released 1986

    You're Lookin' at Me: A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs

    Released 1984

    Can't Hide Love

    Released 1976

    November Girl

    Released 1975

    I Am Music

    Released 1975

    I Want You

    Released 1972

    Ms Magic

    Released 1971

    Just a Little Lovin'

    Released 1970

    The Sound of Silence

    Released 1968

    For Once in My Life

    Released 1967

    When You're Away

    Released 1959

    Carmen for Cool Ones

    Released 1958

    After Glow

    Released 1957

    Torchy

    Released 1955

    Fine and Mellow (live at Birdland West)

    Woman Talk: Live at the Village Gate

    Live at Ronnie Scott's

    Live at Century Plaza

    The Best of Carmen McRae

    Carmen Sings Monk

    Dream of Life

    Priceless Jazz Collection

    Some of the Best

    Setting Standards

    Jazz Masters, 100 ans de Jazz: Carmen McRae

    Sarah - Dedicated to You

    The Great American Songbook

    The Ultimate Carmen McRae

    Ballad Essentials

    Body & Soul

    The Carmen McRae and Betty Carter Duets

    Out of This World

    Carmen McRae at Ratso's, Volume 1

    Born: 1920-04-08

    Died: 1994-11-10

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    PLAYLIST TIME:

    Ill Be Seeing You

    by: Carmen Mcrae

    Cathedral bells were tolling
    And our hearts sang on
    Was it the spell of Paris
    Or the April dawn?
    Who knows if we shall meet again
    But when the morning chimes ring sweet again
    I'll be seeing you
    In all the old familiar places
    That this heart of mine
    Embraces all day through
    In that small cafe
    The park across the way
    The children's carousel
    The chestnut trees
    The wishing well
    I'll be seeing you
    In every lovely summer's day
    In everything that's light and gay
    I'll always think of you that way
    I'll find you in the morning sun
    And when the night is new
    I'll be looking at the moon
    But I'll be seeing you
    I'll find you in the morning sun
    And when the night is new
    I'll be looking at the moon




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