Carmen McRae

Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretation of lyrics.

Early life and education McRae was born in Harlem, New York City, United States. McRae considered Holiday to be her primary influence.

Early career In her late teens and early twenties, McRae played piano at Minton's Playhouse, 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 Benny Carter's big band (1944), worked with Count Basie (1944) and under the name "Carmen Clarke" (having married Clarke)

Return to New York Back in New York in the early 1950s, McRae got the record contract that launched her career. She was voted best new female vocalist of 1954 by DownBeat magazine. McRae married twice: to drummer Kenny Clarke from 1944 to 1956, though they separated in 1948; and to bassist Ike Isaacs from 1956 to 1967. Both marriages ended in divorce.

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 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 she recorded an album in 1983 in her honor entitled For Lady Day, which was released in 1995, with songs including "Good Morning Heartache", "Them There Eyes", "Lover Man", "God Bless the Child" and "Don't Explain". McRae also recorded with some of the world's best jazz musicians in albums such as Take Five Live (1961) with Dave Brubeck, Two for the Road (1980) with George Shearing, and Heat Wave (1982) with Cal Tjader. The latter two albums were part of a notable eight-year relationship with Concord Jazz.

Performances McRae sang in jazz clubs throughout the United Statesand across the worldfor more than fifty years. She left New York for Southern California in the late 1960s, but appeared in New York regularly, usually at the Blue Note, where she performed two engagements a year through most of the 1980s. In May–June 1988, she collaborated with Harry Connick Jr. on the song "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" (S. Clare & S. Stept) in New York City at the RCA Studios, for Connick's debut album, 20.

Awards + Carmen McRae Grammy Award Recognitions Year Category Title Label Result 1971 Best Jazz Performance - Soloist Carmen McRae Atlantic Nominee 1977 Best Jazz Vocal Performance At the Great American Music Hall Blue Note Nominee 1984 Best Jazz Vocal Performance You're Lookin' at Me (A Collection of Nat King Cole Songs) Concord Jazz Nominee 1987 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female Any Old Time Denon Nominee 1988 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Duo or Group The Carmen McRae-Betty Carter Duets Great American Music Hall Nominee 1988 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female Fine and Mellow Concord Jazz Nominee 1990 Best Jazz Vocal Performance - Female Carmen Sings Monk Novus Nominee

+ Carmen McRae Awards Year Organization Category Result 1993 NAACP NAACP Image Awards Winner 1994 National Endowment for the Arts NEA Jazz Masters Winner

Discography

Studio albums

Filmography Films 1955: The Square Jungle - Herself 1960: The Subterraneans - Herself 1967: Hotel 1985: McRae's rendition of You Took Advantage of Me backed the title credit sequence of Real Genius 1986: Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling

Television 1976: Soul 1976: Sammy and Company 1979: Carmen McRae in Concert 1979: Roots: The Next Generations 1980: From Jumpstreet 1981: At the Palace 1981: Billie Holiday. A Tribute 1982: L. A. Jazz