Live at Century Plaza
Carmen McRae · 1975
76 min · 24 tracks · jazz
Carmen McRae's voice weaves through jazz standards with a blend of intimacy and improvisational flair.
Top tracks — play these first
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Elusive Butterfly Start here — accessible entry with immediate hook
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For Once in My Life — This rendition transforms a well-known standard into a soulful exploration of longing, driven by McRae's emotive phrasing and interpretative depth.
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Midnight Sun — Her interpretation captures the song’s haunting beauty, enhanced by subtle melodic shifts that highlight McRae's unique vocal timbre.
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Miss Otis Regrets — In this performance, McRae's storytelling shines, using dynamic contrasts to convey the song’s poignant narrative with striking clarity.
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Satin Doll — McRae infuses this classic with a playful yet sophisticated approach, showcasing her ability to revitalize familiar material while maintaining its essence.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- intimate evening listening experience
- nostalgic reflections on love
- smooth transitions between tracks
- warm vocal delivery and phrasing
- short, concise song expressions
Maybe skip if you
- prefer upbeat, fast-paced music
- want contemporary production styles
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Deep Cut — A solid live album that showcases her talent but isn't a primary entry point.
- Career context
- By the time 'Live at Century Plaza' was released in 1975, Carmen McRae had established herself as a prominent jazz vocalist following her breakthrough in the late 1950s. This album came during a period of significant acclaim for McRae, showcasing her ability to connect deeply with live audiences while experimenting with different arrangements of classic songs.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Billie Holiday· Sarah Vaughan· Ella Fitzgerald
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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For Once in My Life
The lyrics shift from hopefulness to a bittersweet realization of love's complexities.
This structural pivot enriches the emotional depth of the song, allowing McRae to explore contrasting feelings within a single phrase.
Tracklist
- 1 Elusive Butterfly Start here 2:54
- 2 Midnight Sun 4:55
- 3 For Once in My Life 2:43
- 4 Yesterday 3:08
- 5 Spread to All 2:34
- 6 The Right to Love 3:54
- 7 If You Never Fall in Love With Me 4:12
- 8 I'm Always Drunk in San Francisco 3:06
- 9 Introduction 0:24
- 10 Why Shouldn't I 5:23
- 11 I Thought About You 3:49
- 12 The Sound of Silence 2:57
- 13 Away, Away, Away 2:44
- 14 Did I Ever Love 3:35
- 15 On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) 1:35
- 16 Sweet Pumpkin 3:05
- 17 Introduction 0:31
- 18 No More Blues 2:45
- 19 Miss Otis Regrets 5:27
- 20 Satin Doll 4:28
- 21 Never Let Me Go 2:49
- 22 My Ship 4:06
- 23 Never Will I Marry 2:34
- 24 September in the Rain 3:10
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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