Customer Reviews

A Woman Alone with the Blues (Remembering Peggy Lee)

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Maria Muldaur does not sound at all like Peggy Lee. But imitation is not the point of this recording. The point is that this is a tribute album - and a first class one at that! Muldaur catches the essence of what Peggy Lee was with class and a bit of sass. From the opening cover of Lee's classic "Fever" one can tell that they're in for a treat. Backed by Harry Connick Jr.'s band Muldaur winds her way through a number of great songs associated with Ms. Lee. Most of them are not familiar. But not to worry, in the hands of Muldaur they feel as comfortable as an old shoe and illustrate just how versatile Peggy Lee was. Muldaur sounds better here than she has since her days at Warner Brothers. She's always been at her best vocally when she didn't push her voice and here she let's her instrument flow with ease. While listening to this I was immediately transported back to "Sweet Harmony" and "Sweet and Slow". This is a "must have" for any Muldaur fan, any fan of Ms. Lee and any pop music lover in general. Everything here is going in the right direction. Kudos to Maria Mulduar for taking the time to sort through the many recordings of Peggy Lee and coming up with the songs that make up this album. Kudos to her again for being such a supporter of the American music genre. She teaches us something new with each recording she makes. Somewhere Peggy Lee is smiling....and last November in Portland, Maine (not far from my home) a studio was quietly swinging and I didn't even know it!

This is my 14th album by Maria Muldaur; and she keeps getting better, creating a diverse body of work. With her exquisite last CD remembering blues greats like Memphis Minnie on "Richland Woman Blues" and this set remembering Peggy Lee, she's becoming an interpretive musical historian of significance like the late John Hartford. With 21st century technical support, this set could be a blast from the 1930's - 1940's jazz era. Maria reinvents the music through her personality and makes it come alive. Among the many highlights on the CD is Peggy Lee's signature song "Fever" which burns and aches with libidinous longing. Dan Hicks duets on the swinging "Winter Weather" with the horns and brass pulsing to perfection. The two tracks that have me reaching for "repeat" come smack dab in the middle of the CD: Peggy Lee's penned "Everything Is Moving Too Fast" is a loose jazz & jive that'll set your toe to tapping while "Waitin' for the Train to Come In" highlights Maria's coos and sighs through a lovely melody. "Freedom Train," "Black Coffee" and the title track are also great highlights among an exquisitely strong set. This set will let you turn back the clock, imagine an earlier easier time when melodies were strong, Peggy Lee was one of her era's strongest vocalists, and somehow we are transported by Maria's magnificent performance to see that the music sounds as wonderful today as it did when it was first written. Enjoy!

Back in the 70s, Maria Muldaur made a trio of fantastic albums for Reprise -- "Maria Muldaur," "Waitress In A Donut Shop," and "Sweet Harmony" -- that have grown better with age. They're essential and resonant music, as strong as any female interpretive singer in jazz or pop has recorded. Yet, a series of badly produced pop albums made this listener lose track of where the singer was headed. It's been years since I listened Maria Muldaur, and while her vocal timbre has changed -- losing her flexible sliding top notes -- her dexterous phrasing has only become more beautiful and playful with time. This an exquisite album, and a tribute to Peggy Lee -- not an imitation. It captures the spirit of the late great Ms. Lee, while remaining a unique and individual creation. The song choices, beyond the obligatory "Fever," are deep and surprising. Ms. Muldaur reveals herself to be a true fan and disciple, yet never subverts her own personality in the process. Like her early Reprise solo work, this new album gains in strength with repeated listening. Just wonderful.

In the interests of full disclosure, I admit to being a Maria Muldaur fan-a self-described graduate of the "University of Muldaur." I have not only enjoyed her work over the years but have used it to explore the works of those that appear with her such as Roy Rogers, Dave Grisman, Bonnie Raitt, etc.

At the young age of 58, I have even enjoyed her so-called "children's" albums. But when I heard that she was releasing an album in tribute to Peggy Lee, I thought that perhaps Maria had gone off the rails. Who needs an album remembering Peggy Lee?

Answer: WE ALL DO!

This is a tribute to (not an imitation of) Lee as a performer and as a songwriter. Muldaur puts her own distinctive stamp on the material in much the same way that Mark O'Connor puts his stamp on the work of Stephanne Grapelli. I have it in place in my Muldaur collection and purchased extra copies for "stocking stuffers." Christmas is coming :-)!

A Woman Alone With the Blues
Maria Muldaur
Telarc Records CD-83568
Faced with memorial albums, such as this tribute to Peggy Lee, the critic often has trouble deciding whether to review the original artist or the one performing the covers. This is not a problem when dealing with Maria Muldaur, whose own take on torch songs is absolutely opaque to the influences of others. Even when the others are the original recording artists. Even when the other is Peggy Lee. It is true that Ms. Muldaur has never had another "Midnight at the Oasis," and that it seems difficult to keep her off of bad albums, but her own best efforts, those over which she exercises artistic control, remain the hottest burning torch songs available.
There is a late 40s-early 50s eroticism here, an old-style, sultry ambience that makes clothing sexy; that turns a clarinet line into foreplay. Instrumentation, while we're on that subject, includes guitar, piano, alto and tenor sax, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, bass, drums and vibes. Control is a large part of this release, too. There are solos, but no excesses. Lyrics are pared to avoid repetition, and the music behind them swoops up or down appropriately with the precision and grace of a bird of prey.
Due to a circle of friends, neighbors and peers that, over the years, has ranged from Kitty Wells to Rev. Gary Davis to Bob Dylan, Maria Muldaur has been through a number of musical phases over the years, some more interesting and exciting than others, and one never knows quite what to expect from her new CDs. Thus, when something as spectacularly good as A Woman Alone With the Blues comes out, it comes with an extra kick for the buyer, something akin to doing well at the racetrack and feeling the dual exhilarations of winning and of obtaining a large sum of money.

I absolutely love this album by Maria Muldaur. It may be a homage to the late Peggy Lee but Muldaur makes the songs her own. She has experimented with many genres in the past and has been successful in all that she has chosen. Muldaur should be much more well-known amongst the general public than she is but like any artist who has been pegged by a bit radio hit, such as Melanie with "Brand New Key" and Janis Ian with "At Seventeen", Muldaur is best remembered for "Midnight At the Oasis". All three artists have continued to record and have moved into different types of music. Muldaur is a true artist and this album is evidence of that.I cannot recommend it highly enough. I am certain that Peggy Lee herself would have liked it very much. The songs were specially picked by Maria after immersing herself in Peggy Lee's music and it was difficult for her to choose a limited number of great songs made famous by Peggy Lee but her selections have proven to be the best for her own renditions. It is a very fine Blues album and I have no hesitatiion in giving it five stars. It it the type of album that is not suitable for background music--it is captivating and one is drawn into really listen. That, to me, is the sign of a great album.

Over the years Maria Muldaur has combined her vocal talents and intelligence to explore many areas of the pop music spectrum, always with very good results. With this new release, Maria has recorded her masterpiece. This album is perfection, from song selection to the wionderful musicians and most of all Maria's lovelysexybluesyjazzy vocals. Featuring members of the Harry Connick Jr. Big Band rhythm section, Dan Hicks and stellar horns, this release is the both the best tribute to Peggy Lee and the best Maria Muldaur cd EVER!! Standout cuts include Fever,I Don't Know Enough About You, Some Cats Know (my favorite), Everything Is Moving Too Fast, Freedom Train( an Irving Berlin song I was unaware of),and Black Coffee. Ok, stop reading and buy this release now!!!!

Based on her last two releases, Maria Muldaur has become one of my favorite singers. Her rendition of "Some Cats Know", on the Peggy Lee tribute, should be enough to convince you that she belongs in the ranks of the greats. But there is so much more to enjoy. "I Don't Know Enough About You" ,"Everything Is Moving Too Fast", "Black Coffee"...all are handled with class and sass! Now I need to start catching up on all the stuff I missed over the years. I'm looking forward to it.

Maria Muldaur, a singer of note in her own right, takes her turn at paying homage to the late Peggy Lee and what a tribute it is . From her song selection, to arrangements, to vocal style, which mimics Lee's subtle phrasing and nuanced swing, Muldaur delivers an album that is captivating. What a joy these songs are to hear by Muldaur. Most tribute make you long to hear the real thing, but Muldaur scores big on this impressive outing. Jazz singer Jeannie Bryson and Seattle based Connie Evingson had recent CD tributes to Lee, but they pale in comparison to Muldaur's work.

For some reason I could never stand Peggy Lee; can't quite put my finger on it but perhaps it was something about her voice that irritated me. For that reason I was a little reluctant to get this album. My doubts were gone right from the first song. Muldaur's treatment of these songs is superb and this is one of her best albums. I could be considered a bit biased. I now have 17 Muldaur albums and not a bad one in the lot; all 4 and 5 star-rated albums. One thing I have noticed too is the quality band work that backs up Muldaur on most of her albums, including this one. Buy ANY Muldaur blues album for a real treat.