Carmen McRae
| Carmen McRae | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Carmen Mercedes McRae |
| Also known as | "The Singer's Singer" |
| Born | April 8, 1920 |
| Origin | Harlem, New York City, New York, United States |
| Died | November 10, 1994 (aged 74) Beverly Hills, California, United States |
| Genres | Vocal jazz, bebop, traditional pop |
| Occupations | Singer, pianist |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1944s–1994 |
| Labels | Decca, Verve, Atlantic, Novus, Columbia, Blue Note, Concord, Buddah |
| Associated acts | Sammy Davis, Jr. Billie Holiday Cal Tjader George Shearing Dave Brubeck |
Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer, composer, pianist, and actress. Considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable.[1] McRae drew inspiration from Billie Holiday, but established her own distinctive voice. She went on to record over 60 albums, enjoying a rich musical career, performing and recording in the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
McRae was born in Harlem to Jamaican immigrant parents, Osmond and Evadne McRae. She began studying piano when she was eight, and the music of jazz greats like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington filled her home. She met singer Billie Holiday when she was just 17 years old. As a teenager McRae came to the attention of Teddy Wilson and his wife, the composer Irene Kitchings Wilson. One of McRae's early songs, "Dream of Life" through their influence, was recorded in 1939 by Wilson’s longtime collaborator Billie Holiday.[2] McRae considered Holiday to be her primary influence.
In her late teens and early twenties, McRae played piano at a New York club called Minton's Playhouse, Harlem's most famous jazz club, sang as a chorus girl, and worked as a secretary. It was at Minton's where she met trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Had her first important job as a pianist with the Benny Carter's big band (1944), worked with Count Basie (1944) and made first recording as pianist with Mercer Ellington Band (1946–1947). But it was while working in Brooklyn that she came to the attention of Decca’s Milt Gabler. Her five year association with Decca yielded 12 LPs.
In 1948 she moved to Chicago with comedian George Kirby. She played piano steadily for almost four years before returning to New York. Those years in Chicago, McRae told Jazz Forum, "gave me whatever it is that I have now. That's the most prominent schooling I ever had."[3] Back in New York in the early 1950s, McRae got the record contract that launched her career. In 1954, she was voted best new female vocalist by Down Beat magazine. She married bassist Ike Isaacs in the late 1950s.
Among her most interesting recording projects were Mad About The Man (1957) with composer Noël Coward, Boy Meets Girl (1957) with Sammy Davis, Jr., participating in Dave Brubeck's The Real Ambassadors (1961) with Louis Armstrong, a tribute album You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) (1983), cutting an album of live duets with Betty Carter, The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (1987), being accompanied by Dave Brubeck and George Shearing, and closing her career with brilliant tributes to Thelonious Monk, Carmen Sings Monk (1990), and Sarah Vaughan, Sarah: Dedicated to You (1991).
As a result of her early friendship with Billie Holiday, she never performed without singing at least one song associated with "Lady Day", and recorded an album in 1983 in her honor entitled For Lady Day, which was released in 1995. Some songs included are; "Good Morning Heartache", "Them There Eyes", "Lover Man", "God Bless the Child", "Don't Explain", just to name a few. McRae also recorded with the world best jazz musicians, Take Five Live (1961) with Dave Brubeck, Heat Wave (1982) with Cal Tjader, and Two for the Road (1989) with George Shearing.
Carmen McRae sang in jazz clubs throughout the United States—and across the world—for over fifty years. McRae was a popular performer at the legendary Monterey Jazz Festival (1961–1963, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1982). Performing with Duke Ellington's at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1980, singing "Don't Get Around Much Any More", and at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1989.[4]
Carmen McRae was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema.[5] McRae died on November 10, 1994, in Beverly Hills, California from a stroke, following complications from respiratory illness.
[edit] Awards
| Carmen McRae Grammy Award Recognitions[6] | ||||
| Year | Category | Title | Label | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female | Carmen Sings Monk | Novus | Nominee |
| 1988 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female | Fine and Mellow | Concord Jazz | Nominee |
| 1988 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Duo or Group | The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets | Great American Music Hall | Nominee |
| 1987 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female | Any Old Time | Denon | Nominee |
| 1984 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance | You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) | Concord Jazz | Nominee |
| 1977 | Best Jazz Vocal Performance | Carmen McRae at the Great American Music Hall | Blue Note | Nominee |
| 1971 | Best Jazz Performance - Soloist | Carmen McRae | Atlantic | Nominee |
| Carmen McRae Awards | ||||
| Year | Organization | Category | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | National Endowment for the Arts | NEA Jazz Masters | Winner | |
| 1993 | NAACP | NAACP Image Awards | Winner | |
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Movies
- 1986: "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling", played the grandmother[7]
- 1967: "Hotel", played Christine[8]
- 1960: "The Subterraneans", played herself[9]
- 1956: "The Square Jungle", herself[10]
[edit] Television
- 1982: "L. A. Jazz"
- 1981: "Billie Holiday. A Tribute"
- 1981: "At the Palace"
- 1980: "From Jumpstreet"
- 1979: "Roots: The Next Generations", played Lila[11]
- 1979: "Carmen McRae in Concert"
- 1976: "Sammy and Company"
- 1976: "Soul"
[edit] Partial Discography
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Sarah: Dedicated to You | Novus |
| 1988 | Carmen Sings Monk | Novus |
| 1988 | Fine and Mellow: Live at Birdland West (Live) | Concord |
| 1987 | The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (Live, with Betty Carter) | Great American Music Hall |
| 1987 | What Do The Words Say (with Ray Brown) | Blue Music Group |
| 1983 | You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) | Concord Jazz |
| 1982 | Heat Wave (with Cal Tjader) | Concord Jazz |
| 1980 | Two for the Road (with George Shearing) | Concord Jazz |
| 1977 | At The Great American Music Hall | Blue Note |
| 1975 | Live at Century Plaza | Atlantic |
| 1972 | The Great American Songbook | Atlantic |
| 1970 | Just a Little Lovin' | Atlantic |
| 1967 | Portrait of Carmen | Atlantic |
| 1967 | Sounds of Silence | Atlantic |
| 1967 | For Once in My Life | Atlantic |
| 1965 | Alive! | Columbia |
| 1962 | Something Wonderful | Columbia |
| 1962 | The Real Ambassadors | Columbia |
| 1961 | Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man and other Billie Holiday Classics | Columbia |
| 1961 | Take Five Live | Columbia |
| 1960 | Book of Ballads | Kapp |
| 1958 | Boy Meets Girl (with Sammy Davis, Jr.) | Decca |
| 1958 | Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport (Released 2001) | Verve |
| 1957 | After Glow | Decca |
| 1956 | Blue Moon | Decca |
| 1955 | Torchy | Decca |
| 1954 | Easy to Love | Bethlehem |
| 1954 | Carmen McRae | Bethlehem |
[edit] References
- ^ Carmen McRae at Allmusic
- ^ Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness, page 2650, (1995) - ISBN 1561591769
- ^ Jazz Forum, No. 2, 1990
- ^ Montreux Jazz Festival
- ^ All Music: Carmen McRae
- ^ Grammy Award Database
- ^ Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
- ^ Hotel (1967)
- ^ The Subterraneans (1960)
- ^ The Square Jungle (1956)
- ^ Roots: The Next Generations (1979)
[edit] External links
- Deaths from stroke
- Deaths from emphysema
- Vocal jazz musicians
- Bebop singers
- African American musicians
- African American female singers
- American jazz pianists
- American jazz singers
- American musicians of Jamaican descent
- LGBT African Americans
- People from Harlem
- People from the Greater Los Angeles Area
- Traditional pop music singers
- Torch singers
- Female jazz musicians
- 1920 births
- 1994 deaths
