Carmen McRae (1922 - 1994) was one of the great jazz vocalists of the 20th century – next to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Born in Harlem, New York, she played the piano at "Minton's Playhouse” in the 1940s, a club where the young beboppers like Dizzy Gillespie and Carmen's husband-to-be Kenny Clarke developed this new music. Next important career steps were an engagement with the Benny Carter band as a pianist and with Count Basie - as a singer. Having spent four years in Chicago from 1948 on, she finally signed an artist contract in her hometown New York and went on to release twelve albums over the next five years. Accompanied by great orchestras, in duets with Sammy Davis Jr. or even in smaller, more intimate settings like on "Birds of a Feather", with Ben Webster in perfect form, she was able to prove her musical expressiveness. She also did not miss the chance to play the piano herself on the occasional song, of course. Feat: Sammy Davis Jr., Ben Webster, Herbie Mann, Billy Strayhorn, Kenny Clarke, Ray Bryant, Tadd Dameron, Charlie Shavers, Art Farmer, Nat Adderley, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper.

Contains The Albums:

You'd Be so Easy to Love

Torchy

By Special Request

Blue Moon

After Glow

Birds of a Feather

Sammy Davis Jr. and Carmen McRae – Boy Meets Girl

Sammy Davis Jr. And Carmen McRae – Porgy And Bess

Mad About The Man

Carmen For Cool Ones

Book of Ballads

Something To Swing About

When You're Away

Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics

André Previn, Gerry Mulligan, Carmen McRae

The Dave Brubeck Quartet Guest Star: Carmen McRae –Tonight Only!

Carmen McRae –…At The Flamingo Jazz Club

Carmen McRae / Dave Brubeck – Take Five