Leroy Carr's In The Evening

Leroy Carr's legacy is perhaps not as appreciated today as it once was. A major recording star, his duets with guitarist Scrapper Blackwell, are classic blues recordings. Furthermore, he contributed countless classic blues songs that have become standards. Today we have an "In the Evening" playlist kicking off with his original recording.

While Ray Charles has also recorded this, let us not forget Charles Brown, who was an early influence on Brother Ray.

Big Bill Broonzy did this as hear here.

Robert Lockwood had a fondness for Leroy Carr as did most folks of his generation. Here he is playing his 12 string guitar and singing this classic.

Big Joe Turner did a nice rendition of this.

Here is Jimmy Witherspoon with a band that included Jay McShann on piano and was led by former Basie-ite, Budddy Tate.

Here is Ella Fitzgerald singing it for Decca Records,

Here is a Count Basie trio recording of this classic.

Here is Big Joe Williams and his 9-string guitar.

And here is the shouter Joe Williams at Newport in 1963 with a band including Howard McGhee and Clark Terry.

Here is Ernestine Anderson with Milt Jackson and others.

Then there is Gary Clark Jr. at the White House doing it.

Then there is Yusef Lateef's recording on the oboe.

I could include many more renditions, but here is a ringer to close this post with.  I wonder if the Carr estate gets royalties for Robert Johnson's recording, Love in Vain, that uses Carr's music.

Ernestine Anderson Swings The Penthouse

Ernestine Anderson
Ernestine Anderson Swings The Penthouse
HighNote

With the recent passing of the wonderful singer, Ernestine Anderson, the release in 2015 of "Ernestine Anderson Swings The Penthouse" should not be overlooked. This live performance comes from a 1962 Seattle performance long before Carl Jefferson added her to his Concord Records artist roster when Ray Brown had been championing her. Of course when this was recorded she had already worked with Johnny Otis, toured with Lionel Hampton, recorded with Gigi Gryce and recorded an album in Scandinavia that was licensed to Mercury. She was at the first Monterey Jazz Festival, named DownBeat's New Star Jazz Singer and recorded other albums for Mercury.

Of course her early career is overshadowed by her later day career in terms of the quantity of her recordings. But here, backed by a sterling trio of pianist Dick Palombi, bassist Chuck Metcalf and drummer Bill Richardson, she brings a vibrancy to a number of standards with her own swinging delivery, impeccable phrasing and vocal dynamics making for terrific renditions of such timeless classics as "You Make Me Feel So You," "On Green Dolphin Street," Little Girl Blue," "Just in Time," "This Can't Be Love," "There Will Never Be Another You," and "Honeysuckle Rose." There is no poor tracks here as she is completely in control of the material and the trio swings hard backing her.

Ernestine Anderson certainly swung The Penthouse back when this is recorded, but the music is still fresh and vibrant and this is a wonderful addition to her recorded legacy.

I purchased this. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here she is in Europe in 1967 singing Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'."