CARMEN McRAE - Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics (1962-1997) RM | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Carmen McRae is definitely one of jazz's underrated vocalists as this tribute to her idol, Lady Day clearly shows. Carmen proves she is a mean swinger on tracks like Them There Eyes, I Cried For You & especially Miss Brown To You, where her response at the end of the horn solo is just a slice of jazz heaven. On the ballads, Carmen is mellow & tender on numbers like Lover Man and has that bittersweet cynicism on torch songs like Yesterdays. Carmen never tries to imitate Lady Day but leaves her own unique stamp on each & every one of these Holiday classics. An album easily recommended for any Carmen fanatic or someone looking for the ideal place to start one's love affair with one of jazz's top songbirds or vocal jazz in general. Luc Ow
Tracklist :
1     Them There Eyes 2'45
Maceo Pinkard / Doris Tauber / William Tracey
2     Yesterdays 4'52
West Arkeen / Otto Harbach / Del James / J.J. Johnson / Jerome Kern / Axl Rose
3     I'm Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away the Key) 2'32
Jim Eaton / Jimmy Eaton / Terry Shand
4     Strange Fruit 2'47
Lewis Allan
5     Miss Brown to You 2'27
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin / Richard A. Whiting
6     My Man 4'05
Jacques Charles / Channing Pollack / Albert Willemetz / Maurice Yvain
7     I Cried for You 2'52
Gus Arnheim / Arthur Freed / Abe Lyman
8     Lover Man 4'18
Jimmy Davis / Ram Ramirez / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Roger Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
9     Trav'lin' Light 2'19
Johnny Mercer / Jimmy Mundy / Trummy Young
10     Some Other Spring 3'02
Arthur Herzog, Jr. / Irene Kitchings
11     What a Little Moonlight Can Do 3'31
Harry Woods
12     God Bless the Child 3'24
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
- BONUS TRACK -
13     If the Moon Turns Green 3'28
Paul Coates / Bernard Haneghen / Bernie Hanighen
14     The Christmas Song 3'55
Mel Tormé / Robert Wells / Ron Wells
Credits :
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Cornet – Nat Adderley
Drums – Walter Perkins
Guitar – Mundell Lowe
Piano, Celesta (14), Arranged By – Norman Simmons
Producer [Original Recordings] – Teo Macero
Tenor Saxophone – Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Vocals – Carmen McRae