Remastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering
When Carmen McRae made the splendid Sings Lover Man and other Billie Holiday Classics in 1961 it was a heartfelt tribute to her main influence. By then she was a mature, confident stylist, sufficiently secure in her own musical identity not to be intimidated by her great idol. Few singers could dare to take on "Strange Fruit" especially accompanied only by guitar or risk echoing Lady Day's approach on songs like "Trav'lin Light" and "Them There Eyes," and emerge not merely unscathed, but with her reputation enhanced. She gets wonderful support from Nat Adderley, Lockjaw Davis and Mundell Lowe, while Norman Simmons contributes brilliantly as pianist and arranger. Amid striking performances other standouts include "God Bless The Child," "Yesterdays" and "My Man."
Musicians:
Carmen McRae, vocals
Nat Adderley, cornet
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, tenor saxophone
Mundell Lowe, guitar
Norman Simmons, piano
Bob Cranshaw, bass
Walter Perkins, drums
- Them There Eyes
- Yesterdays
- I'm Gonna Lock My Heart
- Strange Fruit
- Miss Brown To You
- My Man
- I Cried For You
- Lover Man
- Trav'Lin' Light
- Some Other Spring
- What A Little Moonlight Can Do
- God Bless The Child