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MP3 Mel Carter - The Heart & Soul of Mel Carter
12 MP3 Songs in this album (44:58) !
Related styles: JAZZ: Jazz Vocals, JAZZ: Jazz-Pop
People who are interested in Sam Cooke Nina Simone Tony Bennett should consider this download.
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Let me take you on a personal musical journey and feel the joy I had of remembering special moments in my life connected with the songs I’ve chosen for this CD. I was a big fan of Hoagy Carmichael in my teens, seeing and hearing him do his songs in films. One of these was “Heart And Soul” which was the second most played song at parties, next to the number one being “Chopsticks.” The Cleftones had a doo wop hit with this song in the fifties. Here’s my take on it.
In 1957 I recorded an Ivory Joe Hunter song called “I Need You So” for Mercury Records. Among the other songs submitted to me was “It May Sound Silly.” This minor hit for Ivory Joe Hunter later became a mega-hit for the McGuire Sisters — and now this was my chance to keep the hit going.
When I first came to Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Gloria Lynne — what a singer! She did this album in the sixties with Hal Mooney’s orchestra, in which “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone” and “Who’s Sorry Now” were two cuts that totally blew me away. I decided to couple these two songs together, and well, just take a listen and see what you think.
Johnny Ray was the first male singer that I heard who had emotion in his singing. Prior to him, all the male singers I listened too had this deep, macho sound. One of his biggest songs, “Cry,” had this bridge that he just exploded on — it was perfect, made it his song. I approached it in a different way and I hope you like my tribute to Johnny and the song “Cry.”
I had the pleasure of working with the great Laverne Baker who scolded me for whistling in the dressing room. She had this huge hit, among many, “Tomorrow Night.” Well, in my research, I found a recording of Lonnie Johnson, the great blues singer, so I thought I would try my hand or voice (smile!) at doing a traditional blues song, Mel Carter style.
Remember what I said earlier about the male singers with the macho sound? Two of the best ever were Billy Eckstine and Arthur Prysock. Both of these guys had hit recordings that I loved and one, I just had to do, was Arthur Prysock’s “I Worry About You.” The strings on that Old Town record were just too much for vinyl.
I don’t know what Rodgers and Hart must have thought when they heard the Belmonts’ version of “Where Or When” — or how pumped up they must have been when they heard Betty Roche’s version with Jack McDuff on the organ. Now I’m putting my version out there in the universe — so, listen up Richard and Lorenz!
In the fifties, there were these fabulous R&B groups that I loved. I won’t mention all the ones I liked — only those connected with the songs I’ve decided to do on this CD. The Five Keys did a recording of “The Glory of Love” and this song is a must for all of those who are in love. I put it together with “You’ll Never Know” — a song I heard Alice Faye sing in the film “Hello, Frisco, Hello.” This is for lovers only.
Sonny Til and the Orioles were the most fluid R&B group I ever heard, and this man’s voice was like cream being poured over fresh berries. Of all the hits they had, the one that stood out for me was “It’s Too Soon to Know” and this song is one of my all-time favorites. Ready — Set — Go!
Dinah Washington! Just saying her name was music to me and the clique of friends l ran around with as a teenager. She was the diva of all divas who could go from blues to jazz to ballads and be most effective in all of them. I chose “If It’s the Last Thing I Do” — the most memorable song for me by her — and I hope you feel the same way.
I’m lucky that as a teen I got to go to stage shows. They would have the regular movies playing at the theatres during the week, and on the weekends there would be live performances by popular artists of the day. I was at every one of those shows and saw lots of performers. Buddy Johnson and his sister Ella Johnson was one of the acts I saw. Ella was the first blues singer that sang so you understood all the words. “Baby, I’m Yours” was one of her songs that stayed with me through the years.
I hope you enjoyed this musical journey as much as I have enjoyed recording these special songs for you. I give you, “The Heart and Soul of Mel Carter.”
Thanks for listening... MC
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Heart and Soul / Reprise
It May Sound Silly
Piano/arr. - Randy Randolph
Bass - James Leary
Drums - Dean Koba
Guitar - Grant Geissman
Trumpet - Charlie Peterson
Trombone - Duane Benjamin
Alto Sax - Tim Messina
Too Soon to Know
If It’s the Last Thing I Do
Baby I’m Yours
Piano/arr. - Randy Randolph
Bass - James Leary
Drums - Quinton Denard
Guitar - Gregg Poree’
Trumpet - Noland Shaheed
Trombone - Duane Benjamin
Alto Sax - Jeff Clayton
The Glory of Love/You’ll Never Know
Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone/Who’s Sorry Now
Tomorrow Night
Cry
Piano/arr. - John Rodby
Bass - Kevin O’Neal
Drums - Dean Koba
Guitar - Grant Geissman
Trumpet - Noland Shaheed
Trombone - Duane Benjamin
Alto Sax - Fred Jackson
I Worry About You
Where or When
Piano/arr. - Randy Randolph
Bass - Jeff Littleton
Drums - Quinton Denard
Guitar - Gregg Poree’
Trumpet - Charlie Peterson
Trombone - Duane Benjamin
Alto Sax - Fred Jackson
Produced by Mel Carter
Recorded, Mixed & Mastered by Randall Tobin
at Theta Sound Studio, Burbank, California
Art Direction by Mel Carter & Theta Media Group
Photography by Denice Duff
©2008 CSP Records mc
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This CD is dedicated to my mom (Claudia) and Charles Martin.
A special thanks to Clare Cameron and Larry Kleno, whose support and love have been a big part of this project. A special thanks to Norma Jean for being there always, when I needed someone to bounce off of (thanks Minnie Me). Special thanks to Gladys for the encouraging remarks and sheer joy of just giving of herself to the project. Special thanks to Susan for believing in the project and for just being! (smile). Thanks Ken, Randy, Richard and Pat, Dennis and Lula, Curtis and Yvonne, Lish and Lisa, Zelda, you all know who you are and what you have done for me at a special time in my life — Thank You.
To all of the fans... Thank you for sticking by me for all these years and may our musical journey continue forever!
To Kim, Larry, Kesha, Kellie and all the little ones — to Gary and Ari, Darlene and Darius, Stephanie, I love you all so much — thank you for sharing your love with me.
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