Like her idol Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae could own a ballad and make it all her own. She could also swing every bit as hard as her other main influence, Ella Fitzgerald. Coming up during the bebop era and under the musical sway of Thelonious Monk, Carmen made a series of recordings for the Decca label that would cement her reputation and launch a career that close to 50 years. Whether in small groups or backed by a studio orchestra, Carmen McRae recorded definitive versions of songs that make up the backbones of jazz and the Great American Songbook. 

Tracklisting:

A1. It's A Lovely Day Today (w/ Paul Weston & His Orchestra)
A2. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (w/ Louis Armstrong)
A3. It's Only A Paper Moon (w/ The Delta Rhythm Boys)
A4. Someone To Watch Over Me
A5. You Do Something To Me
A6. Isn't It Romantic?
A7. Misty
B1. Blue Skies
B2. Cheek To Cheek (w/ Louis Armstrong)
B3. I've Got A Crush On You
B4. All The Things You Are (w/ Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra)
B5. Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered
B6. Puttin' On The Ritz (w/ Paul Weston & His Orchestra)