More Info on Carmen McRaeSimilar Jazz MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Carmen McRae| image = Carmen McRae.jpg| caption =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Carmen Mercedes McRae| alias = "The Singer's Singer"| birth_date = birth date|1920|4|8|mf=y| Died = death date and age|1994|11|10|1920|4|8 Beverly Hills, California , United States | origin = Harlem, New York City|Harlem , New York City, New York , United States | instrument = Piano | genre = Vocal jazz , bebop , traditional pop | occupation = Singer, pianist| years_active = 1944s& ndash;1994| label = Decca Records|Decca , Verve Records|Verve , Atlantic Records|Atlantic , Novus Records|Novus , Columbia records|Columbia , Blue Note records|Blue Note , Concord Records|Concord , Buddah Records|Buddah | associated_acts = Sammy Davis, Jr. Billie Holiday Cal Tjader George Shearing Dave Brubeck Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 & ndash; November 10, 1994) was an United States|American jazz singer , composer , pianist , and actress . Considered one of the most influential jazz vocal ists of the 20th century, it was her behind-the-beat phrasing and her ironic interpretations of song lyrics that made her memorable.Allmusic|class=artist|id=p103651 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.
Biography
McRae was born in Harlem to Jamaican people|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.Larkin, Colin. The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Guinness , page 2650, (1995) - ISBN 1561591769 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 Records|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."Jazz Forum, No. 2, 1990 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 (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 (Oh Where Can You Be? )|Lover Man ", " God Bless the Child (Billie Holiday song)|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. http://www.montreuxsounds.com/history_1989.php Montreux Jazz Festival
Carmen McRae was forced to retire in 1991 due to emphysema .Allmusic|class=artist|id=p103651|pure_url=yes All Music: Carmen McRae McRae died on November 10, 1994, in Beverly Hills, California from a stroke, following complications from respiratory illness.
Awards
Carmen McRae Grammy Award Recognitions http:/ / theenvelope.latimes.com/ factsheets/ awardsdb/ env-awards-db-search,0,7169155.htmlstory? searchtype=all& query=Carmen+McRae& x=12& y=12 Grammy Award Database
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
Filmography
Movies
1986: " Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling ", played the grandmother http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800083467/cast Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
1967: " Hotel (1967 film)|Hotel ", played Christine http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1800078291/cast Hotel (1967)
1960: "The Subterraneans", played herself http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808737876/info The Subterraneans (1960)
1956: "The Square Jungle", herself http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808735845/cast The Square Jungle (1956)
Television
1982: "L. A. Jazz"
1981: "Billie Holiday. A Tribute"
1981: "At the Palace"
1980: "From Jumpstreet"
1979: " Roots: The Next Generations ", played Lila http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078678/fullcredits#cast Roots: The Next Generations (1979)
1979: "Carmen McRae in Concert"
1976: "Sammy and Company"
1976: "Soul"
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
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
George Shearing album)>Two for the Road (with George Shearing )
Concord Jazz
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
http://www.carmenmcraediscography.com/ Carmen McRae Full Discography
http://www.cd-v.net/jazz/discography/mcrae_d.html Carmen McRae Discography
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0574424/ Filmography
http://carmenmcrae.bluemusicgroup.com Carmen McRae's Artist Page
IMDB name|0574424
Persondata|NAME = McRae, Carmen Mercedes |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |SHORT DESCRIPTION = American jazz musician and actress |DATE OF BIRTH = April 8, 1920 |PLACE OF BIRTH = New York City |DATE OF DEATH = November 10, 1994 (aged 74) |PLACE OF DEATH = Beverly Hills, CaliforniaDEFAULTSORT:Macrae, Carmen Category:Deaths from stroke Category:Deaths from emphysema Category:Vocal jazz musicians Category:Bebop singers Category:African American musicians Category:African American female singers Category:American jazz pianists Category:American jazz singers Category:American musicians of Jamaican descent Category:LGBT African Americans Category:People from Harlem Category:People from the Greater Los Angeles Area Category:Traditional pop music singers Category:Torch singers Category:Female jazz musicians Category:1920 births Category:1994 deaths
