1990 · Album
Carmen Sings Monk
Recorded 1990 · Not specified in provided Wikipedia text · Produced by Not specified in provided Wikipedia text
Carmen's Late Tribute to Monk's Vision
A focused, intelligent record that lets McRae sit with Monk's melodies and find her own way through them.
Carmen Sings Monk arrived in 1990 as one of the final studio recordings from Carmen McRae, and it's a straightforward project: twelve songs written by Thelonious Monk, played by a singer who understood his compositions deeply. McRae doesn't try to reinvent anything here. She sings the melodies clearly, the band responds, and the whole thing feels like a conversation between people who know what they're doing.
The core group—Clifford Jordan on saxophone, Eric Gunnison on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Al Foster on drums—keeps things tight and uncluttered. Jordan plays both soprano and tenor depending on what the tune calls for, and he knows when to step back and when to push forward. Two tracks, "Get It Straight" and "Suddenly," were recorded live at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco that same year with Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone, the saxophonist who played longest alongside Monk himself. Larry Willis replaced Gunnison on piano for those sessions. The live tracks have a looser feel than the studio material, which makes sense—there's air in them, room for things to happen. The studio recordings feel more deliberate, more constructed.
AllMusic gave this record five stars, and you can hear why: it's honest work from musicians who respected both the material and each other. This isn't a peak Carmen McRae record the way her earlier work could be, but it's also not a farewell performance dressed up as something grander. It's simply a session where an experienced singer and an experienced band spent time with Monk's unusual, difficult, rewarding songs. If you know McRae's discography well, you'll find it a solid late entry. If you're new to her, her earlier recordings offer more immediate rewards.
Who's playing
George Mrazdouble bass
Larry Willispiano
Eric Gunnisonpiano
Charlie Rousetenor saxophone
Clifford Jordantenor saxophone
Al Fosterdrums
Where next?
More by Carmen McRae
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