1982 · Album
Ms Magic
Recorded Details unverified — omitted to avoid error · Details unverified — omitted to avoid error · Produced by Details unverified — omitted to avoid error
Carmen McRae Doing What She Does
McRae never oversings — and on this record, that restraint is exactly the point.
Carmen McRae had a long recording career — 29 studio albums, 26 live albums, and 25 compilations — which means any single record risks getting lost in the shuffle. Ms Magic sits comfortably in the middle stretch of her output, and it is a solid, enjoyable listen without being the first thing you'd hand someone new to her work. What it does well is showcase her phrasing. McRae had this way of sitting back in a line, arriving at a word a little late, treating lyrics like she was having a private thought rather than performing a song. That quality is all over this record.
The material here suits her. These are songs she clearly understands, and she doesn't push them harder than they need to go. Some singers feel the need to prove something on every track — McRae never does that. She picks her moments, lands a note with extra weight when it counts, and otherwise keeps things clean. The rhythm section stays supportive without stepping on her, which is exactly what you want.
If you're already a fan, this belongs in the collection without question. If you're just starting out with McRae, something like Carmen McRae at Ronnie Scott's (1983) might hook you faster because the live setting lets her personality come through more immediately. But don't skip this one. It shows a side of her that's easy to overlook — controlled, dry, a little cool — and that's actually what made her distinctive among her contemporaries. She wasn't trying to out-emote anyone. She was just telling you what the song meant.
Who's playing
Where next?
More by Carmen McRae
Live at Bubba's 1988
By Special Request 1956
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Take Five at Basin Street East 1961
Carmen Sings Monk 1990
The musicians on this record
Red Clay 1970
Freddie Hubbard
plays brass here
plays brass here
Winelight 1980
Grover Washington Jr.
plays soprano saxophone here
plays soprano saxophone here
Music for Violin & Jazz Quartet 1981
Buster Williams
plays bass here
plays bass here
