Deborah Pearl: Evening Star

Evening Star Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Souvenir of You

Deborah Pearl — a vocalist, lyricist and screenwriter — has idolized Benny Carter most of her life.

Every jazz fan knows about Carter, icon and legend of the alto sax. He was born in New York City in 1907 — yes, 1907 — and lived until 2003, and was an active performer and composer for more than 80 years.

His mother began to teach him to play the piano when he was 10, but he switched to the trumpet in his teens, then finally chose the alto sax.

It’s virtually impossible to find an artist or band with whom Carter hasn’t performed: He played with Horace Henderson in college, Duke Ellington in the 1920s, Fletcher Henderson in ’28 and Chick Webb in ’31. Carter launched his own orchestra in 1932. He moved to Paris in ’35, toured Europe and then returned to the States in ’38, just in time for the swing era. By this time, he had developed his composition and arranging skills to the point where he was doing Hollywood film scores. He also continued to play with the new generation of musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles and many others. That continued into the 1980s.

In 1996, Carter received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor. His other awards are too numerous to count. Sadly, he passed away in 2003.

Pearl chose a baker’s dozen of Carter's compositions, wrote special lyrics for them, then set up recording sessions with two swinging big bands: Carter’s own group and the Rutgers University Orchestra. Carter himself is featured on two of the tracks: "Happy Feet" and "Anniversary Dance."

This album clearly demonstrates that both Carter and his work were essentially ageless. Some of the tunes were written decades ago, but they remain as fresh and "modern" as much of today’s music. Pearl is to be congratulated for a masterful effort that honors both Carter and her own talents.

Carmen McRae: Live at the Flamingo

Acrobat Music
By Ric Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 2.5.09
Buy CD: Live at the Flamingo

Acrobat Music has produced a series of “reissue” albums that feature well-known jazz artists; this one presents Carmen McRae in a concert she did in 1961, at London's famous Flamingo Jazz Club. It was her first live appearance outside the United States, and initially was released on Ember Records in 1962.

I became familiar with McRae in the latter stages of her five-decade career, when she was better known for her jazz-oriented performances of pop tunes than as a pure jazz vocalist. But, as this concert clearly reveals, the lady was a genuine swinger.

She began as a pianist in Harlem in the 1920s, and played with luminaries such as Benny Carter and Count Basie. Because she was hindered by asthma, she didn't perform as a vocalist until 1953, when she was a guest artist at Harlem's famous Milton's Playhouse. Proprietor Teddy Hill hired her on the spot as a club regular, and McRae was on her way.

For this Flamingo concert, she was backed by a trio led by pianist Don Abney; they supported her beautifully. She performed almost a dozen jazz standards, including “I Could Write a Book,” “Body And Soul,” “Moonlight in Vermont” and “Stardust.”

I can't remember an album where these wonderful tunes have been done better.

Despite the asthma, McRae was a heavy smoker and developed emphysema; she was forced to retire in 1991 and passed away in '94. This album clearly illustrates that she was one of the finest vocalists who ever graced the world of jazz.