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Carmen McRae

Carmen McRae is an NEA Jazz Master

Considered by jazz aficionados to be among the top ten female vocalists of all time, Carmen McRae's distinctive behind-the-beat phrasing, impeccable vocal control, and witty, sometimes acerbic way of conveying a lyric are what set her apart as a singularly great singer. She considered jazz great Billie Holiday to be a musical mentor. But this Queen of Cool had her own sound and style; including an amazing ability to scat. The versatile McRae could swing hard when it was called for; next she could draw out a ballad, savoring each note and syllable without losing audience attention, she was in a class by herself.

McRae was fortunate enough to have been raised by a family prosperous enough to afford a piano and lessons. Early on she expressed a strong interest in an acting career. By age twenty, her interest in music had taken over and she began singing as well as playing the piano. Even at a young age, she was a woman with something to say and throughout her life was recognized not only for her musical talents but for her immense love for verbal expression through musical lyrics.

Her first break was getting hired as an intermission pianist at Harlem's world-famous Minton's Playhouse, a jazz club. She became acquainted with many of the top modern jazz musicians of the time. An important influence was songwriter Irene Wilson, who introduced her to Billie Holiday. Wilson continued to encourage McRae to write music; one of McRae's first attempts at songwriting, "Dream of Life," was recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939.

McRae’s first important engagement as was as vocalist for Benny Carter's orchestra in 1944, she then went on to work with the Count Basie and Earl Hines bands between 1944-46.The periods of 1946-47, she appeared and recorded with Mercer Ellington's band (Recorded under the name of "Carmen Clarke.") She entered into a brief marriage to bebop innovator Kenny Clarke in 1946-49, where she also embraced the technically difficult bebop style as only a few vocalists could at the time.

Although she was working regularly in front of combos and accompanying herself on piano at Minton's, she was at a gig in Brooklyn when she was discovered and signed by Decca Records. Decca released her first album as lead, “Carmen McRae,” in 1954 which led to Down Beat Magazine voting her "Best new female vocalist of 1954," a year when there was plenty of competition for that slot.

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Radio & Podcasts

Spring Releases From Jordan VanHemert, Andrea Wolper, Sarah Jerrom, Idit Shner, Melissa Aldana, Fay Victor, Birthday Shoutouts & More

Read "Spring Releases From Jordan VanHemert, Andrea Wolper, Sarah Jerrom, Idit Shner, Melissa Aldana, Fay Victor, Birthday Shoutouts & More" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


Midway through Jazz Appreciation Month, this broadcast continues the celebration with new releases from from Jordan VanHemert, Andrea Wolper, Sarah Jerrom, Idit Shner & Mhondoro, Melissa Aldana and Fay Victor, with birthday shoutouts to Marilyn Maye, Barbara Lea, Carmen McRae, Haruna Fukazawa, Michele Brourman and Rosa Passos, among others. Thanks for listening and please support the artists you hear by seeing them live and online. Purchase their music so they can continue to distract, comfort, provoke and inspire.Playlist ...

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First Time I Saw

Carmen McRae

Read "Carmen McRae" reviewed by Carol Sloane


It was in the early 1960's. I had by that time lived in New York's Greenwich Village for a couple of years, and went to hear Carmen McRae when she made an appearance at one of the holy shrines of jazz located in my neighborhood, a club with a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and great Italian food. This was the Half Note, and, although it was one of the best places to nosh and listen to music, it did not provide ...

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Play This!

Carmen McRae: At the Great American Music Hall

Read "Carmen McRae: At the Great American Music Hall" reviewed by Joseph Vella


From 1977, this live recording is one of the finest jazz vocal albums of all time. It captures Carmen McRae at her height performing a standout repertoire of standards and popular songs of the day in a small group setting (with special guest Dizzy Gillespie). Capturing Carmen's true brilliance as a jazz singer, her impeccable timing, dynamics, interpretative genius, and intimate lyrical storytelling is on full display here along with her magnetic rapport with the audience. Musicians of any genre ...

30
Radio & Podcasts

Big April Birthdays & More

Read "Big April Birthdays & More" reviewed by Marc Cohn


April birthdays this week on G&M with the Carmen McRae centennial, along with the 90th birthdays of Herbie Mann, pianist Frank Strazzeri (who toured in the 1970's with Elvis!), Claude Bolling and Richard Davis (the latter 2 still with us); as well as the 80th birthdays of George Adams and the very much alive Herbie Hancock! Of course, there's more: Charles Mingus, Rodney Kendrick, Willis Jackson, Jimmy Giuffre, Walt Dickerson, Joe Henderson, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Jimmy McGriff ...

2
Radio & Podcasts

Celebrating Carmen McRae's Centennial

Read "Celebrating Carmen McRae's Centennial" reviewed by Mary Foster Conklin


The broadcast includes new releases from Duchess, Kandace Springs, Nina Simone and Carla Hassett with birthday shoutouts to Carmen McRae on her centennial, Alberta Hunter, (who was not only a superb performer but also a professional health care worker for more than 20 years), Billie Holiday, guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe and pianist Marian McPartland. Playlist Cynthia Sayer “Bango Tango" from Attractions: With Bucky Pizzarelli (Self released) 00:00 Alexis Cole & Bucky Pizzarelli “On the Sunny Side of the ...

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Radio & Podcasts

McRae, Bird @ 100, Newk & More

Read "McRae, Bird @ 100, Newk & More" reviewed by Marc Cohn


This week we celebrate the centennial of singer Carmen McRae with three selections from her stupendous 1961 recording, Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man. We put on our 'professor's hat' and do a compare and contrast with primarily Billie Holiday on each tune and guest appearances from Dianne Reeves and Shirley Horn. Fascinating to hear how each singer uses rhythm and phrasing to put a unique stamp on these tunes. Oh, and also the first recording of “Them There Eyes" from ...

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Radio & Podcasts

A Musical Tribute To Caffeine

Read "A Musical Tribute To Caffeine" reviewed by H William Stine


Caffeine—voted the #3 most popular way to stay awake during my show—right after thinking of words that rhyme with “constellation" and reliving your latest root canal (I'll let you figure out the order). Two hours of songs about coffee and tea and the singers who enjoy them, plus, to sweeten the cup, I've tossed in several startling, incredible, and highly-caffeinated performances. Playlist Cody Owen Stine “Paris Mismatch (Theme Music)" from (Unreleased Master) (Self Produced) 00:00 Carmen McRae, ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Carmen McRae's birthday today!

Considered by jazz aficionados to be among the top ten female vocalists of all time, Carmen McRae's distinctive behind-the-beat phrasing, impeccable vocal control, and witty, sometimes acerbic way of conveying a lyric are what set her apart as a singularly great singer. She considered jazz great Billie Holiday to be a musical mentor. But this Queen of Cool had her own sound and style; including an amazing ability to scat. The ...

Video / DVD

Video: Carmen McRae With Clarke/Boland

Video: Carmen McRae With Clarke/Boland

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Another day of Carmen McRae at JazzWax, which means you're in for another treat. Today, Bill Kirchner sent along a link to a 1970 taped performance for German TV by McRae with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band. It seems the taping was done without an audience. My guess is audience applause was overdubbed for the actual broadcast. Here's the 40-minute performance (dig the arrangement for I Wish I Were in Love Again)... Bonus: Here's Carmen McRae's November Girl album ...

1

Video / DVD

Carmen McRae: 'After Glow'

Carmen McRae: 'After Glow'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Carmen McRae's 1950s Decca recordings remain among her most formative and exquisite. Recorded between 1954 and 1958, the label's nine McRae albums and roughly two dozen singles uniformly captured her voice in solid form, while it was still bouncing around in the midrange before it dropped in the 1960s. After Glow, backed mostly by the Ray Bryant Trio, is one of my favorites. Captured in Decca's studio on March 6 and 7 in 1957, McRae was accompanied by Bryant (p) ...

1

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Carmen McRae's birthday today!

Considered by jazz aficionados to be among the top ten female vocalists of all time, Carmen McRae's distinctive behind-the-beat phrasing, impeccable vocal control, and witty, sometimes acerbic way of conveying a lyric are what set her apart as a singularly great singer. She considered jazz great Billie Holiday to be a musical mentor. But this Queen of Cool had her own sound and style; including an amazing ability to scat. The ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Carmen McRae's birthday today!

Considered by jazz aficionados to be among the top ten female vocalists of all time, Carmen McRae's distinctive behind-the-beat phrasing, impeccable vocal control, and witty, sometimes acerbic way of conveying a lyric are what set her apart as a singularly great singer. She considered jazz great Billie Holiday to be a musical mentor. But this Queen of Cool had her own sound and style; including an amazing ability to scat. The ...

1

Video / DVD

Carmen McRae: London, 1961

Carmen McRae: London, 1961

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

In May 1961, singer Carmen McRae was booked into London's popular Flamingo jazz club for a two-week run. The Flamingo, at 33 Wardour Street in Soho, was a dodgy basement nightspot that on the weekends remained open until 6 a.m. On the bright side, the club was known for its sterling sound system. Just over a year later, in October 1962, the club would be the site of a knife fight between a former and current boyfriend of Christine Keeler, ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Carmen McRae's birthday today!

Considered by jazz aficionados to be among the top ten female vocalists of all time, Carmen McRae's distinctive behind-the-beat phrasing, impeccable vocal control, and witty, sometimes acerbic way of conveying a lyric are what set her apart as a singularly great singer. She considered jazz great Billie Holiday to be a musical mentor. But this Queen of Cool had her own sound and style; including an amazing ability to scat. The ...

1

Video / DVD

Carmen McRae: At Ratso's

Carmen McRae: At Ratso's

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Ratso's was one of Chicago's leading jazz restaurant-clubs in the 1970s. It stood on Lincoln Avenue, between West Altgeld and West Montana streets. Bob Briggs owned the club from 1969 to 1977 and named the place after Ratso Rizzo, the Dustin Hoffman character in Midnight Cowboy. By 1975, several major Chicago jazz clubs had folded, including Mr. Kelly's, the Happy Medium and the London House. Ratso's was among those that had diversified by showcasing jazz as well as other music ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Jazz Musician of the Day: Carmen McRae

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Carmen McRae's birthday today!

Considered by jazz aficionados to be among the top ten female vocalists of all time, Carmen McRae\'s distinctive behind-the-beat phrasing, impeccable vocal control, and witty, sometimes acerbic way of conveying a lyric are what set her apart as a singularly great singer. She considered jazz great Billie Holiday to be a musical mentor. But this Queen of Cool had her own sound and style; including an amazing ability to scat... Read ...

2

Music Industry

Missing Iconic Photo of Carmen McRae Found and Restored

Missing Iconic Photo of Carmen McRae Found and Restored

Source: All About Jazz

The photo sat in an antique frame in the subject's guest room in Beverly Hills, California. Canadian author Robert Joseph Greene recalls how mesmerized he was by it. “The technique, the pose, and her whole persona. It really encompassed how I visualized my cousin singing," said Greene. Greene had just graduated from the University of San Francisco and was staying with his cousin while interning for Warner Bros. His cousin was not just any singer, but the iconic ...

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