Carmen McRae At The Top Of Her Game
Christopher Carter | Phoenix, AZ USA | 02/12/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Three albums produced by Carmen McRae in 1964 (Second to None, Haven't We Met?, Alfie) for Mainstream Records are some of the finest singing and production I've heard out of her. The arrangements by don Sebesky and Peter Matz are imaginative and supportive without being overbearing. This is a CD worth getting if you want to be introduced to the majesty of Carmen McRae"
MAGICAL & MAGNIFICENT~BRAVO CARMEN!!!
Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 04/14/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Once in a lifetime collections and once-in-a lifetime singers are rare musical treasures and when Carmen McRae recorded these stellar classic lp's in 1964, Carmen was at the peak of her wondrous & remarkable vocal powers with a unique way of phrasing and emoting all her own and luckily arranging legends Peter Matz & Don Sebesky were up to the challenge of creating some of the greatest arrangements ever surrounding a legendary singer with a full orchestra of the finest musicians around and the results are classic collections that sadly will never be duplicated or matched...magical vocals in sublime settings (listen to awesome definitive versions of Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries, Alfie, Where Did It Go?, The Night Has A Thousand Eyes, He Loves Me, Blame It On My Youth, And I Love Him, Who Can I Turn To?, Limehouse Blues, Sweet Georgia Brown, etc. & be totally blown away by this incredible singer!) create a spectacular kaleidoscope of emotions with passion, pathos, love, loss, longing, joy, love deeply etched in to each great song in a way never experienced or heard before with such intensity and depth of emotion in a definitive collection of such wildly diverse songs. From a wide span of composers such as Robin-Kern, Merrill-Styne, French classic Gilbert Becaud, Michel Legrand, Ruth Batchelor-Artie Shaw, Lennon-McCartney, Bacharach-David, Duke Ellington, Kenny Rankin, Anthony Newley-Leslie Bricusse, amazingly Carmen McRae takes works from all of these awesome legendary composers and does the definitive version of each and every song in this stunning collection making this the master class textbook collection of amazing performances for any aspiring singer and what a stunning collection of winners it is...soulful singing at it finest, Bravo to Carmen for this sublime collection that is timeless and truly magnificent and the title of one of the classic lp's in this masterpiece collection is "SECOND TO NONE" and that really does say it all...when they heard the tracks in this incomparable collection of riveting and illuminating performances they knew!!!"
Finally at long last...
Jim Andrews | Chicago, Illinois USA | 08/02/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Carmen's indelible recording of the almost unknown song "Winter in May," on C.D. An unforgettable, an unforgettable performance, Carmen surpassing herself, which is saying something. These recordings represent a high point in a career of high points. Don't let this one get away!"
Track Listings (25) - Disc #1