CD: Carmen McRae: CARMEN FOR COOL ONES + MAD ABOUT THE MAN (2 LPS ON 1 CD)

Carmen McRae

CARMEN FOR COOL ONES + MAD ABOUT THE MAN (2 LPS ON 1 CD)

Personnel:

Carmen McRae (vcl), with Fred Katz & Jack Pleis Orchestras, feat. Pete Candoli, Charlie Shavers (tp), Milt Bernhart, Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Buddy Collette, Seldon Powell (saxes), Ray Bryant (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Ike Isaacs (b), Specs Wright (d)

Reference: FSRCD 670

This release presents two outstanding albums featuring Carmen McRae at her best. On For Cool Ones, shes backed by various studio groups, all directed by cellist Fred Katz, on which she sings a dozen tunes with a mature, natural style that epitomized her approach. Aware at all times of the lyrics and what theyre about, she invests them with the kind of significance a great singer and interpreter of songs can bring to them.

On Mad About the Man, she explores a dozen Coward tunessome romantic, some touchingly perceptive, and all sophisticatedthis time backed by three studio groups directed by Jack Pleis, with with her own rhythm section (Ray Bryant, piano; Ike Isaacs, bass; Specs Wright, drums) in place throughout. She makes the most of the sometimes insouciant airiness of Cowards creations and invests all his songs with her own warmth and rigorous attention to detail.

Tracklisting:

01. Youre Mine (Snyder-Lewis-Young) 3:25

02. Oh Yes, I Remember Clifford (Golson-Hendricks) 2:59

03. A Shoulder to Cry On (Darwin-Girard) 3:51

04. Weak for the Man (Burns) 4:07

05. All the Things You Are (Kern-Hammerstein II) 2:24

06. (What Can I Say) After I Say Im Sorry (Donaldson-Lyman) 1:45

07. If I Were a Bell (Loesser) 1:53

08. Any Old Time (Shaw) 3:08

09. Whats New? (Haggart-Burke) 2:27

10. Without a Word of Warning (Gordon-Revel) 3:18

11. The Night We Called It a Day (Dennis-Adair) 4:25

12. I Get a Kick Out of You (Porter) 2:13

13. Zigeuner (Coward) 2:39

14. Ill See You Again (Coward) 2:42

15. Someday Ill Find You (Coward) 2:54

16. Ill Follow My Secret Heart (Coward) 2:42

17. If Love Were All (Coward) 2:48

18. Mad About the Boy (Coward) 4:15

19. World Weary (Coward) 2:54

20. A Room with a View (Coward) 2:42

21. I Cant Do Anything at All (Coward) 2:57

22. Never Again (Coward) 2:49

23. Poor Little Rich Girl (Coward) 3:01

24. Why Does Love Get in the Way (Coward) 2:33

Total time: 71:00 min. aprox.

Original sources:

Tracks #1-12 from the Decca album "Carmen For Cool Ones" (DL8738)

Tracks #7-15 from the Decca album "Mad About The Man" (DL8662)

Personnel on CARMEN FOR COOL ONES (#1-12):

Carmen McRae, with Orchestra Directed by Fred Katz

Collective personnel includes: Ray Linn, Pete Candoli (tp), Vince DeRosa (frh), Milt Bernhart, Bob Enevoldsen (tb), Buddy Collette (fl, as), Bill Green, Harry Klee (fl), Warren Webb (oboe), Justin Gordon, Mahlon Clark (b-cl), George W. Smith (cl), Joe Marino, Ike Isaacs, John T. Williams, Joe Marino, Calvin Jackson (p, celeste), Joseph Gibbons, Billy Bean, (g), Frank Flynn (vib, marimba), Ike Isaacs, Red Mitchell (b), Specs Wright (d), Larry Bunker (vib, d), Fred Katz (cello), John 'Tommy' Johnson (tuba), nine violins, two violas, two cellos.

Recorded in Los Angeles, December 5 (#1-4), 16 (#5-11), 1957, and April 21 (#12), 1958

Personnel on MAD ABOUT THE MAN:

Carmen McRae Sings Noel Coward (#13-24):

Carmen McRae, with Orchestra Directed by Jack Pleis

Collective personnel includes: Charlie Shavers (tp), George Berg (fl), B. Kaufman, Ed Brown, (as), Seldon Powell, Mel Tax (ts), William Holcombe (bar), Frank Rehak, Chauncey Welsch, Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Tom Mitchell (b-tb), Ray Bryant (p), Al Casamenti, George Barnes, Barry Galbraith, Danny Perri (g), Charles Isaacs (b), Specs Wright (d), Raoul Poliakin, Mac Ceppos, Herb Bourne, J. Held, F. Orlewitz, Tom Frost (violins), George Browne, H. Kaye (cellos).

Recorded in New York City, June 18 (#13-16), June 19 (#17-20), June 20 (#21-24), 1957

Original Decca recordings

Compiled for CD release by Jordi Pujol

24-Bit Digitally Remastered