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Carmen McRae On Piano Jazz

Published April 10, 2015 at 11:10 AM EDT

Carmen McRae on the cover of <em>Rhino Hi-Five: Carmen McRae.</em> — Carmen McRae on the cover of *Rhino Hi-Five: Carmen McRae.*

Vocalist Carmen McRae (1920-1994) was an expert on rhythm, deft phrasing and personal, bittersweet ballads. Her enigmatic, dark contralto voice helped place her among the pantheon of great female jazz singers.

In 1994, McRae received the Jazz Master Award from the National Endowment for the Arts. On this 1985 episode of Piano Jazz, McRae accompanies herself for "As Long As I Live" and joins host Marian McPartland to perform "Carmen's Blues."

Originally broadcast in the spring of 1985.

Set List

"I'm Pulling Through" (Kitchings, Herzog)

"Sweet Lorraine" (Burwell, Parish)

"I Never Felt This Way Before" (Ellington)

"Theme For Carmen" (McPartland)

"As Time Goes By" (Hupfeld)

"Carmen's Blues" (McPartland, McRae)

"As Long As I Live" (Arlen)

"Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry" (Cahn, Styne)

"I Hadn't Anyone Till You" (Noble)

"Embraceable You" (Gershwin)

"Old Devil Moon" (Harburg, Lane)