Universal Music 20th Century Masters (series)

The Best of Carmen McRae

Product Description:

Personnel include: Carmen McRae (vocals); Sammy Davis Jr. (vocals); Frank Hunter & His Orchestra, Jack Pleis Orchestra, Ralph Burns & His Orchestra, Tadd Dameron & His Orchestra, Luther Henderson Orchestra.

Liner Note Author: David Ritz.

Recording information: 1955 - 1959.

Unlike Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae never had any major hits. However, her voice was arguably just as tantalizing and mesmerizing as any of her contemporaries. This best-of collection highlights many of McRae's finest recorded moments from her early career in the mid-to-late 1950s.

Highlights of this collection include the melancholy "Good Morning Heartache;" McRae sings this song with great emotion, but smartly avoids sentimentality. On this selection, she exacts the purity of the lyric, swings ever so gently, and most importantly, uses the perfect amount of jazz nuance. "Happy to Make Your Acquaintance" is another charming tune, and it features Sammy Davis, Jr. Here, the two singers play off of each other quite effortlessly. In fact, the affectionate rapport between McRae and Davis is astonishing. McRae also thrives in an orchestral setting. This is best evinced on "Oh Yes, I Remember Clifford," a heartbreaking tribute to the gifted bebop trumpeter Clifford Brown, who died at the age of 25 in a car crash. On this track, McRae's silky-smooth voice becomes more tender and sweet with each passing phrase.