Search - Mabel Mercer :: Echoes of My Life

A little disappointing

Timothy Blake | London, UK | 03/09/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"If you've got to know the wonderful Mabel Mercer from the Cole Porter CD also stocked by Amazon and you grab this one as the only other CD of hers currently available you may be a little disappointed. One of the customer reviewers of the Cole Parter said that she was past her best on that disc, mostly recorded when she was in her early to middle 50s. I just wish I could hear her earlier work as I think the Cole Porter is quite wonderful. But Echoes of my Life was made when Ms Mercer was 76 - incredibly enough. It's hardly fair to say that she's past her prime perhaps - it's a miracle that she was working at all - but it's undoubtedly true. There are occasional flashes of her genius, but they are sadly isolated. It is curious, to put it mildly, that albums like this are being issued when none of her earlier work (which I understand was copiously recorded) is available."

Mercer's storytelling genius

mtierney@wvwise.org | Big Ugly Creek (Harts), WV United States | 10/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, the voice has faded from its recorded strongest point (50s recordings--oh had someone recorded her in the 30s.) But a pretty voice was never Mercer's point. She is one of the great storytellers of cabaret singing and her dramatic phrasing--poignant here, dramatic there, from wry to wonder--is as powerful as ever and perhaps more so with the wisdom of her 76 years. My Aunt saw Mercer in New York during this period and was so moved that she ordered a phone to share a bit of the concert with my midwest bound mother. Mercer, as a song saver and storyteller is peerless. Now let's get The Art of Mabel Mercer re-issued as soon as possible."

THE INCOMPARABLE MABEL MERCER

Santo Giglio | BROCKPORT, NY | 03/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THERE IS PROBABLY NO EXPLAINING THE MAGIC AND THE GREAT TALENT OF MABEL MERCER IF ONE DOES NOT COMPREHEND WHAT A UNIQUE AND INCREDIBLE ARTIST SHE WAS. I FEEL MOST FORTUNE TO HAVE SEEN MISS MERCER SEVERAL TIMES AT BOTH THE ST. REGIS AND CLEO'S IN NYC AND WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE MEMORIES. SHE WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE AND I MISS HER VERY MUCH. THIS RECORDING DONE LATE IN HER LIFE SERVES AS FURTHER TESTAMENT TO HER LEGEND. THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER LIKE HER."