Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations

Jazz April Birthday: Carmen McRae

cm3.jpg
Ron Hudson
/

Singer, composer, pianist, and actress Carmen McRae was considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century. 

Her distinctive phrasing and her interpretations of song lyrics set her apart from her more popular contemporaries, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.

Known as the "singer's singer," her warm voice had a slight edge that could convey irony or heartbreak.   Carmen would get deep inside the lyric of a song and make you feel the last tiny drop of emotion in the story.

"Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread-without it, it's flat." - Carmen McRae

http://youtu.be/nPzIh-Z4CuI

Originally from Detroit, Robin Lloyd has been presenting jazz, blues and Latin jazz on public radio for nearly 40 years. She's a member of the Jazz Education Network and the Jazz Journalists Association.
Related Content
  • Jazz April is the combination of Jazz Appreciation Month and the second annual International Jazz Day, April 30, 2013.Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) is…

Why Support KNKX?

You depend on KNKX for trusted, in-depth local news, music by knowledgeable hosts and enlightening NPR programs. We depend on members for more than half of our financial support.

Give Today