Carmen Mcrae - Can't hide love (Soul/Jazz)

1. Can't Hide Love 

2. The Man I Love 

3. Only Women Bleed 

4. I Wish You Well 

5. All By Myself 

6. Music 

7. Lost Up In Loving You 

8. You're Everything 

9. Would You Believe 

10. A Child Is Born 

 Carmen McRae went in to A&M Recording Studio in May 1976 and the legendary singer was more than prepared to record a solid Masterpiece Collection, returning to the high level of quality established in her classic Atlantic Records recordings. Supporting cast reads like who's who of the recording industry over the past fifty years with greats like Dave Grusin, Harvey Mason, Joe Sample, Thad Jones, Dale Oehler, Johnny Mandel, Gerald Wilson, Larry Carlton, Ernie Watts, and so on plus her great traveling conductor/keyboard master Marshall Otwell who was amazing the years fronting Carmen's touring group. Carmen McRae loved to stretch and the stuffy jazz community didn't give support to these avant-guard productions because she was singing current material and a Jazz Singer (Carmen clearly didn't like this label) was expected to stand in cobwebs singing old standards...clearly this wasn't Carmen's vision singing everything from Alice Cooper, Thad Jones, Cole Porter, Bill Withers, Kenny Rankin, George Gershwin, Earth, Wind & Fire, Eric Carmen and Chick Corea, with each stellar performance in this mind-boggling eclectic mix of great songs definitive...throughout this tremendous collection, the legendary lady is so loose & scats giving torchy & soulful performances that define what the art of singing is all about. Carmen toured with a magnificent concert in 1976, singing all these great songs live with a sublime group that featured the best of the best and memory remains strong of the haunting pathos in "Would You Believe", soft beauty of "A Child Is Born" then the edgy soulfulness of "Only Women Bleed"...thankfully this great collection remains but too bad the concert tour was not filmed as it was a totally memorable experience. Sadly radio gave no support to this Vocal Masterpiece so it was to be just enjoyed by those of us who knew the legendary lady never did anything less than great and "Can't Hide Love" is the ultimate musical treasure! Bravo Carmen, you are loved & missed RIP great lady...