CARMEN McRAE - Fine and Mellow + Fine and Mellow 'Live at Birdland West' (1988-2000) 3CD | SACD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist 1 :
1     I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance 3'45
Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young
2     More Than You Know 4'37
Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans
3     Gentleman Friend 4'14
Arnold B. Horwitt / Richard Lewine
4     Too Late Now 5'06
Burton Lane / Alan Jay Lerner
5     You're All I Need 3'18
Walter Jurmann / Bronislaw Kaper
6     What Is There to Say 4'49
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
7     Cloudy Morning 2'59
Marvin Fisher / Joseph McCarthy
8     I'm an Errand Girl for Rhythm 3'31
Nat King Cole
9     Beautiful Moons Ago 3'10
Nat King Cole / Oscar Moore
10     The Frim Fram Sauce 3'57
Redd Evans / Joe Ricardel
11     How Does It Feel? 4'02
Roy Alfred / Marvin Fisher
12     I Can't See for Lookin' 3'28
Nadine Robinson / Arnold Stanford
13     Your're Lookin' at Me 4'10
Bobby Troup
14     Just You, Just Me 3'59
Jesse Greer / Raymond Klages
15     Come in out of the Rain 3'10
Bob Russell / Carl Sigman
Tracklist 2 :
1     Heat Wave 3'06
Irving Berlin
2     All in Love Is Fair 4'24
Stevie Wonder
3     Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me 3'10
Duke Ellington / Bob Russell
4     Love 3'05
Ralph Blane / Hugh Martin
5     Speak Low 4'49
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
6     Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing 3'43
Stevie Wonder
7     What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry 5'33
Walter Donaldson / Abe Lyman
8     Fine and Mellow 9'36
Billie Holiday
9     These Foolish Things 5'25
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
10     Black and Blue 7'38
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
11     Until the Real Thing Comes Along 5'04
Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin / Mann Holiner / Albert
12     One More Chance 4'15

 

Although Carmen McRae is the obvious star of her live record (which has been reissued on CD), she gives plenty of solo space to her notable all-star band (Red Holloway on tenor and alto, organist Jack McDuff, guitarist Phil Upchurch, bassist John Clayton, and drummer Paul Humphrey). McRae did not record in this context with an organ group very often. All seven songs (which range in length from four minutes to the nine-and-a-half-minute title track) are swing-era standards except for Eubie Blake's "My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More," which dates back to the early '20s, but McRae updates them a bit and makes them sound relevant and swinging. Recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     What Is This Thing Called Love? 6'46
Cole Porter
2     What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry 5'07
Walter Donaldson / Abe Lyman
3     Fine and Mellow 9'31
Billie Holiday
4     These Foolish Things 5'20
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
5     Black and Blue 7'37
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
6     One More Chance 4'06         
Carolyn A. Gillman
7     Untill the Real Thing Comes Along 5'00
Sammy Cahn / Saul Chaplin / L.E. Freeman / Mann Holiner
8     My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More 6'44
Eubie Blake / Andy Razaf
Credits :
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Paul Humphrey
Guitar – Phil Upchurch
Organ – Jack McDuff
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Red Holloway
Vocals – Carmen McRae