Carmen McRae
Encyclopedia
Carmen Mercedes McRae 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. 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.
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. 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." 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.
Carmen McRae was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema
. McRae died on November 10, 1994, in Beverly Hills, California
from a stroke, following complications from respiratory illness.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, 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. McRae drew inspiration from Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
, 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.
Biography
McRae was born in HarlemHarlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
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
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
and Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
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
Teddy Wilson
Theodore Shaw "Teddy" Wilson was an American jazz pianist whose sophisticated and elegant style was featured on the records of many of the biggest names in jazz, including Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.-Biography:Wilson was born in Austin, Texas in...
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. McRae considered Holiday to be her primary influence.
In her late teens and early twenties, McRae played piano at a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
club called Minton's Playhouse
Minton's Playhouse
Minton’s Playhouse is a jazz club and bar located on the first floor of the Cecil Hotel at 210 West 118th Street in Harlem. Minton’s was founded by tenor saxophonist Henry Minton in 1938...
, 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
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Oscar Pettiford
Oscar Pettiford
Oscar Pettiford was an American jazz double bassist, cellist and composer known particularly for his pioneering work in bebop.-Biography:...
, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke
Kenny Clarke , born Kenneth Spearman Clarke, nicknamed "Klook" and later known as Liaqat Ali Salaam, was a jazz drummer and an early innovator of the bebop style of drumming...
. Had her first important job as a pianist with the Benny Carter
Benny Carter
Bennett Lester Carter was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. He was a major figure in jazz from the 1930s to the 1990s, and was recognized as such by other jazz musicians who called him King...
's big band (1944), worked with Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
(1944) and made first recording as pianist with Mercer Ellington
Mercer Ellington
Mercer Kennedy Ellington was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and arranger.Ellington was born in Washington, DC, the son of famous composer, pianist, and bandleader Duke Ellington...
Band (1946–1947). But it was while working in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
that she came to the attention of Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
’s Milt Gabler
Milt Gabler
Milton Gabler was an American record producer, responsible for many innovations in the recording industry of the 20th century.-Early life:...
. Her five year association with Decca yielded 12 LPs.
In 1948 she moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
with comedian George Kirby
George Kirby
George Kirby was an American comedian, singer, and actor from Chicago, Illinois.Kirby broke into show business in the 1940s at the Club DeLisa, a South Side establishment that employed a variety-show format and preferred to hire local singers, dancers, and comedians...
. 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." 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
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
magazine. She married bassist Ike Isaacs
Ike Isaacs (bassist)
Ike Isaacs was an American jazz bassist from Ohio.Isaacs played trumpet and tuba as a child before settling on bass. He served in the Army during World War II, where he took lessons from Wendell Marshall. Following this he played with Tiny Grimes , Earl Bostic , Paul Quinichette , and Bennie Green...
in the late 1950s.
Among her most interesting recording projects were Mad About The Man (1957) with composer Noël Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
, Boy Meets Girl (1957) with Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
, participating in Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
's The Real Ambassadors
The Real Ambassadors
The Real Ambassadors is a jazz musical developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Dave and Iola Brubeck, in collaboration with Louis Armstrong and his band. It addressed the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, the music business, America’s place in the world during the Cold War, the nature of God, and...
(1961) with Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, a tribute album You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
Songs) (1983), cutting an album of live duets with Betty Carter
Betty Carter
Betty Carter was an American jazz singer renowned for her improvisational technique and idiosyncratic vocal style...
, The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (1987), being accompanied by Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
and George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
, and closing her career with brilliant tributes to Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, Carmen Sings Monk
Carmen Sings Monk
Carmen Sings Monk is a 1988 studio album by the American jazz singer Carmen McRae, focusing on the songs composed by Thelonious Monk.-Track listing:# "Get It Straight" – 3:58...
(1990), and Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."...
, Sarah: Dedicated to You
Sarah: Dedicated to You
Sarah: Dedicated to You is a 1991 studio album by Carmen McRae, with the Shirley Horn trio. Recorded in tribute to Sarah Vaughan, this was McRae's last recording.-Reception:...
(1991).
As a result of her early friendship with Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
, 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
Good Morning Heartache
"Good Morning Heartache" is a song written by Irene Higgenbotham, Ervin Drake, and Dan Fisher. Originally recorded by jazz singer Billie Holiday on January 22, 1946.-About the songwriters:...
", "Them There Eyes", "Lover Man
Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)
"Lover Man " is a 1941 popular song written by Jimmy Davis, Roger Ramirez, and James Sherman. It is particularly associated with Billie Holiday, for whom it was written, and her version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989. Holiday's version reached #5 on the R&B chart and #16 on pop...
", "God Bless the Child
God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)
"God Bless the Child" is a song written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr. in 1939, first recorded on May 9, 1941 under the Okeh label.Holiday's version of the song was honored with the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in...
", "Don't Explain", just to name a few. McRae also recorded with the world best jazz musicians, Take Five Live (1961) with Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
, Heat Wave (1982) with Cal Tjader
Cal Tjader
Callen Radcliffe Tjader, Jr. a.k.a. Cal Tjader was a Latin jazz musician, though he also explored various other jazz idioms. Unlike other American jazz musicians who experimented with the music from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he never abandoned it, performing it until his...
, and Two for the Road (1989) with George Shearing
George Shearing
Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s...
.
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
Monterey Jazz Festival
The Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the longest consecutively running jazz festivals. It debuted on October 3, 1958 and was founded by San Francisco jazz radio broadcaster Jimmy Lyons.-History:...
(1961–1963, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1982). Performing with Duke Ellington's at the North Sea Jazz Festival
North Sea Jazz Festival
The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam...
in 1980, singing "Don't Get Around Much Any More", and at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
in 1989.
Carmen McRae was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
. McRae died on November 10, 1994, in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
from a stroke, following complications from respiratory illness.
Awards
| Carmen McRae Grammy Award Grammy Award A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry... Recognitions |
||||
| 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 NEA Jazz Masters The National Endowment for the Arts , every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the highest honors that the United States bestows upon jazz musicians... |
Winner | |
| 1993 | NAACP | NAACP Image Awards | Winner | |
Movies
- 1986: "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is CallingJo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is CallingJo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling is a 1986 film starring Richard Pryor. This was the first and only feature film he directed .-Plot:...
", played the grandmother - 1967: "Hotel", played Christine
- 1960: "The Subterraneans", played herself
- 1956: "The Square Jungle", herself
Television
- 1982: "L. A. Jazz"
- 1981: "Billie Holiday. A Tribute"
- 1981: "At the Palace"
- 1980: "From Jumpstreet"
- 1979: "Roots: The Next GenerationsRoots: The Next GenerationsRoots: The Next Generations is a 1979 television miniseries that continues the story of the family of Alex Haley from the 1880s, and their life in Henning, Tennessee, to the 1960s, with Haley researching his family history and his travels to Africa to learn of his ancestor, Kunta Kinte...
", played Lila - 1979: "Carmen McRae in Concert"
- 1976: "Sammy and Company"
- 1976: "Soul"
Discography
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Sarah: Dedicated to You Sarah: Dedicated to You Sarah: Dedicated to You is a 1991 studio album by Carmen McRae, with the Shirley Horn trio. Recorded in tribute to Sarah Vaughan, this was McRae's last recording.-Reception:... |
Novus |
| 1988 | Carmen Sings Monk Carmen Sings Monk Carmen Sings Monk is a 1988 studio album by the American jazz singer Carmen McRae, focusing on the songs composed by Thelonious Monk.-Track listing:# "Get It Straight" – 3:58... |
Novus |
| 1988 | Fine and Mellow: Live at Birdland West Fine and Mellow: Live at Birdland West -Reception:The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album four stars and said that "Although Carmen McRae is the obvious star of her live record...she gives plenty of solo space to her notable all-star band". Yanow wrote of the songs that "McRae updates them a bit and makes them sound... (Live) |
Concord |
| 1987 | The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets (Live, with Betty Carter Betty Carter Betty Carter was an American jazz singer renowned for her improvisational technique and idiosyncratic vocal style... ) |
Great American Music Hall |
| 1987 | What Do The Words Say (with Ray Brown Ray Brown (musician) Raymond Matthews Brown was an American jazz double bassist.-Biography:Ray Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and had piano lessons from the age of eight. After noticing how many pianists attended his high school, he thought of taking up the trombone, but was unable to afford one... ) |
Blue Music Group |
| 1983 | You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) You're Lookin' at Me is a 1983 studio album by Carmen McRae, recorded in tribute to Nat King Cole. The album features guitarist John Collins, a former member of Nat King Coles' trio.-Reception:... |
Concord Jazz |
| 1982 | Heat Wave (with Cal Tjader Cal Tjader Callen Radcliffe Tjader, Jr. a.k.a. Cal Tjader was a Latin jazz musician, though he also explored various other jazz idioms. Unlike other American jazz musicians who experimented with the music from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, he never abandoned it, performing it until his... ) |
Concord Jazz |
| 1980 | Two for the Road Two for the Road (Carmen McRae and George Shearing album) Two for the Road is an album by Carmen McRae and George Shearing. -Track listing:# "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You" – 3:41# "You're All I Need" – 3:15... (with George Shearing George Shearing Sir George Shearing, OBE was an Anglo-American jazz pianist who for many years led a popular jazz group that recorded for MGM Records and Capitol Records. The composer of over 300 titles, he had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s... ) |
Concord Jazz |
| 1975 | Live at Century Plaza | Atlantic |
| 1972 | The Great American Songbook | Atlantic |
| 1970 | Just a Little Lovin | Atlantic |
| 1967 | Portrait of Carmen Portrait of Carmen Portrait of Carmen is a 1968 studio album by Carmen McRae, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson, Shorty Rogers, Benny Carter and Gene Di Novi... |
Atlantic |
| 1967 | Sounds of Silence | Atlantic |
| 1967 | For Once in My Life | Atlantic |
| 1965 | Alive! | Columbia |
| 1962 | Something Wonderful | Columbia |
| 1962 | The Real Ambassadors The Real Ambassadors The Real Ambassadors is a jazz musical developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Dave and Iola Brubeck, in collaboration with Louis Armstrong and his band. It addressed the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, the music business, America’s place in the world during the Cold War, the nature of God, and... |
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 Boy Meets Girl (Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae album) Boy Meets Girl is a 1957 studio album by Sammy Davis, Jr., and Carmen McRae. - Track listing :# "Happy to Make Your Acquaintance" – 3:14# "Tea for Two" – 2:37... (with Sammy Davis, Jr. Sammy Davis, Jr. Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities.... ) |
Decca |
| 1958 | Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport Ella Fitzgerald & Billie Holiday at Newport is a 1958 live album by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, recorded at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival.... (Released 2001) |
Verve |
| 1957 | After Glow | Decca |
| 1956 | Blue Moon | Decca |
| 1955 | Torchy | Decca |
| 1954 | Easy to Love | Bethlehem |
| 1954 | Carmen McRae | Bethlehem |