Carmen McRae

2 LPs ON 1 CD

4 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE
4 STARS DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

This edition presents the complete original Carmen McRae LP "Book of Ballads" (Kapp KL-1117), which showcases the singer performing a selection of beautiful ballads backed by an orchestra conducted by Frank Hunter. Another complete LP by the singer for the same label, "Something to Swing About" (Kapp KL-1168) has been added here as a bonus, as well as three songs from the same period that originally appeared on single 78 rpm discs.

PERSONNEL:

[1-12] BOOK OF BALLADS

CARMEN McRAE (vcl). Orchestra conducted & arranged by FRANK HUNTER
Including DON ABNEY (p), JOE BENAJAMIN (b), CHARLIE SMITH (d).
New York, December 1 & 2, 1958.

[13-24] BONUS ALBUM: SOMETHING TO SWING ABOUT

CARMEN McRAE (vcl), with orchestra conducted & arranged by ERNIE WILKINS:
Art Farmer, Jimmy Maxwell, Richard Williams, Al Stewart, Lennie Johnson (tp),
Ernie Royal (tp, replaces Maxwell on tracks 15-19 & 24),
Jimmy Cleveland, Billy Byers, Mickey Gravine (tb), Paul Faulise (b-tb),
Vinnie Dean, Phil Woods (as), Porter Kilbert (as, replaces Woods on tracks 16-18),
Zoot Sims, Budd Johnson (ts), Sol Schlinger (bar), Dick Katz (p),
Tommy Williams (b), Floyd Williams (d).

New York, November 10-12, 1959.

[26-27] BONUS TRACKS:

(25-26) Same personnel as 1-12
New York, January 5, 1959. Issued as a single on Kapp 259.

(27) CARMEN McRAE with unidentified orchestra.
New York, June 29, 1959. Issued on the single Kapp 290.

INCLUDES 16-PAGE BOOKLET

TRACKS:

01 By Myself
02 The Thrill Is Gone
03 How Long Has This Been Going On?
04 Do You Know Why?
05 My Romance
06 Isn’t It Romantic?
07 If Love Is Good To Me
08 When I Fall In Love
09 Please Be Kind
10 He Was Too Good To Me
11 Angel Eyes
12 Something I Dreamed Last Night
13 Three Little Words
14 I Couldn’t Care Less
15 That’s For Me
16 (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know
17 You Leave Me Breathless
18 It’s Love
19 Love Is A Simple Thing
20 Comes Love
21 A Sleepin’ Bee
2 I See Your Face Before Me
23 Alone Together
24 Falling In Love With Love
25 Which Way Is Love?
26 Play For Keeps
27 Talk To Me