I Heard It on NPR: Ladies Jazz It Up

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: National Public Radio
• ASIN: B000FI9OFE
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #164,557 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Embraceable You

2. Love Me or Leave Me

3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You

4. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

5. Some Other Spring

6. Don't Go to Strangers

7. Teach Me Tonight

8. The Best Is Yet to Come

9. But Beautiful

10. Inner City Blues

11. Say It (Over and Over Again)

12. I Love Being Here With You [Live]

13. Almost Like Being in Love [Live]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 An Exquisite Introduction, January 2, 2007

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I Heard It on NPR: Ladies Jazz It Up (Audio CD)

NPR put together this ravishing collection of female jazz singers, and they've doena an admirable job. It features 15 singers, and is more of a sampler than a historical document; Peggy Lee gets as much attention as Billie Holiday--they're each allotted one track each. Still, it's a superb introduction to these jazz vocalists, most of them considered the very best in the genre, with a few newcomers as well. Many of the songs share an emotional base of blues, regret, and other love-wrought musings, but there's enough variety to steer clear of easy stereotyping. Highlights include Sarah Vaughan's opening "Embraceable You" (1954; Sassy at her best, with Clifford Brown on trumpet); the understated but powerfully expressive styles of Carmen McCrae and the late Shirley Horn, and a very sensual, teasing rendition of "Teach Me Tonight," by the great Dinah Washington.

While I wish the producers had chosen a different quintessential Billie Holiday song, and the final duet of Nancy Wilson and Dee Dee Bridgewater is almost embarrassing in its forced "we-still-can-sing-can't-we-grrl" tone, the album delivers rich surprises as well. These include Diana Krall's fast-paced vocal on "I Love Being Here with You," Ms. Anita O'Day, whose Vaughan-like sound was a personal revelation, and Carla Cook doing justice to Marvin Gaye's hard-hitting, tough/beautiful "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)." Inevitably, any listener will complain of omissions, but for the price, the quality of the recordings, and the variety of styles, this is one of the best single-disk collections you'll find.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hot Album!!!, July 12, 2010

By 

Svennie (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Heard It on NPR: Ladies Jazz It Up (Audio CD)

I bought this as a present and the recipient was thrilled. When I heard the album, I could see why!! Great assortment of classic songs by some of the best singers ever!!!