Carmen McRae is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. She was known for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretation of lyrics, both of which seemed to come to her quite naturally. Carmen didn’t just sing a song, she owned it! The three tunes below are prime examples, and while McRae could swing with the best of them, I always felt she shone brightest in a mellow mood.
(Topmost) is the 1935 standard I’m in the Mood for Love, with Carmen accompanying herself on the piano. She was joined by Scott Colley on bass and Mark Pulice playing drums, in 1990 at the Good Day Club in Tokyo. Ruby My Dear (middle) may be the most beautiful Thelonious Monk composition since ‘Round Midnight. It was recorded in 1988 at the Newport Jazz Festival, with Clifford Jordan playing tenor and Eric Gunnison on piano, joining Carmen and her rhythm section on stage. At the Bern Jazz Festival, also in 1988, she eschews the usual uptempo arrangements of Have You Met Miss Jones (bottom) in favor of a more heartfelt version all her own. Dizzy Gillespie adds a few notes of counterpoint to her amazing vocal.
