Carmen McRae/George Shearing - Two for the Road [Japanese Limited Edition]

The only recorded meeting between George Shearing and Carmen Mcrae took place in 1980 for Concord, and it's a shame there wasn't a follow-up date. Although the pianist's backing of singers on recordings is relatively infrequent, he always provides them with richly textured and inspired accompaniment. Mcrae is in great voice on this date, before her lifetime smoking habit brought on the emphysema that forced her 1991 retirement and caused her death in 1994. Although her voice had deepened over the years, she still retained the ability to bring out the best in songs with her emotional and dramatic interpretations. Read More