Cheap Carmen Sings Monk (Music) (Carmen McRae) Price

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Customer Reviews of Carmen Sings Monk

Carmen's Monk
Beautiful! <
>Very rarely have I heard so distinctive interpretations of Monk's music by other artists. McRae gives her inimitable imprint on the material, at the same time preserving the akward uniqueness that is Monk. <
>Since her versions of these songs contain lyrics and are slightly less jagged and jumpy than the originals, this beautiful CD may also serve as a very useful introduction to Monk's genius.

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Monk And McRae - An Unparalleled Twosome!
Carmen McRae's voice is fine. One of my favorite jazz vocalists, she is best known, however, for her witty and frequently ironic interpretations of lyrics, and her unique phrasing. Thelonious Monk, a brilliant pianist and composer, was one of the top jazz improvisers of the 1950's and 60's. Monk and McRae were good friends, and that's a good thing, especially because their friendship led to the making of this album. The combination of his music and her vocals are just dynamite. Pure magic! <
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>Ms McRae sings thirteen of Monk's outstanding compositions on this CD. Two bonus numbers are versions of "Get It Straight," ("Straight No Chaser"), and "Suddenly," ("In Walked Bud"), from live performances. George Mraz's intro and solo on the opener, "Get It Straight," are superb. The other live track is my all time favorite, "Dear Ruby." What a song! And then there's the profound blues of "'Round Midnight" - outrageously outstanding!!! At times quirky, at others relaxed and swinging cool, Carmen captures Monks spirit and his angular melodies beautifully. <
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> Most lyrics are by Jon Hendricks, with Abbey Lincoln, ("Blue Monk"), Bernie Hanighen, Sally Swisher and Mike Ferro contributing their writing talents to the other pieces. Titles have been changed, i.e., "Rhythm-a-ning" becomes "Listen to Monk," "Monk's Dream" becomes "Man, That Was A Dream," because, according to the music publishers, the pure instrumental versions have become part of a separate "Monk literature." Carmen is assisted here by tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, pianist Eric Gunnison, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Al Foster. Tenor sax Charlie Rouse and pianist Larry Willis provide back-up on the live tracks only. I only wish there had been more live sound. <
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>Carmen McRae movingly states, in the linear notes accompanying the CD, how proud she is of this album and the musicians involved. I thank Ms. McRae for making this wonderful compilation, at age 68, no less! It is one of the best CDs I own. It's must have. ENJOY! <
>JANA

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Carmen is the Coolest
This is one of the greatest vocal jazz albums ever made, and here's why: <
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>Thelonious Monk wrote difficult, jagged, dissonant tunes. Beautiful and interesting, yes; but not the kind of songs that anyone can sing note-perfect in the shower. It would take an extraordinary singer even to try to do a set of songs set to tunes like "Well You Needn't", "Ruby My Dear", "Blue Monk", "Ask Me Now" and the like. <
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>Along came Carmen McRae, at age 68; and with all of the wisdom and wit that a true old pro like that can muster, she knocked off these tunes as if they are the easiest songs in the world to sing. And because of her professionalism, she drove her sidemen to new heights. The tenor sax here, for example, is the old Monk sideman, Charlie Rouse; he never sounded better than here. <
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>Many of these lyrics are by the James Joyce of Jive, Jon Hendricks. Mr. Hendricks has done some of these songs with these lyrics himself, such as "trinkle Trinkle" and on the Monk album "Underground", "In Walked Bud." Here, Carmen makes "In Walked Bud" (first take, the live one)the highlight of the album. Carmen is able to spit out all the words to the melody as if telling an in-joke that only the hipsters among us can understand. Carmen is just the coolest. <
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>I love jazz singers who push themselves on difficult projects to do something unique. This is just such a project, and an essential for any fan of vocal jazz. RC