Peggy Lee - Mink Jazz
Our Price: $29.99
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.81 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: Peggy LeeEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1998-09-11
Music Label: Blue Note Records
Soundtracks:
- It's A Big Wide Wonderful World
- Whisper Not
- My Silent Love
- The Lady Is A Tramp
- Days Of Wine And Roses
- As Long As I Live
- I Won't Dance
- Cloudy Morning
- I Could Write A Book
- I Never Had A Chance
- Close Your Eyes
- Where Can I Go Without You?
- I'll Get By
- Please Don't Rush Me
- I'm A Fool To Want You
- I Didn't Find Love
- Little Boat
Free Music Notes for Mink Jazz
Free Music Review: 17 Lustrous Diamonds
Hit: 5 Stars
Not a compilation of her greatest "hits," this album from a musician's point of view ranks with Peggy's two mid-1950s Deccas, "Black Coffee" and "Dream Street," as one of her three most indispensable sessions (though no Peggy Lee collection is complete without the elusive but sublime "The Shining Sea," a tune Peggy penned with help from Johnny Mandel).
The truth of the matter is that practically anything by Peggy Lee from the early '50s to the late '70s is "can't miss." The exceptions are those recordings on which, like Sinatra, Ella, Carmen McRae and others, she tried to reach a larger audience by going to inferior material (hits of the day) or ephemeral-sounding instrumentation (electric bass, electric keyboards, Motown back-up singers, etc.). Otherwise, it's not that difficult to agree with (though I choose not to) Peter Richmond who, in his recent biography of Norma Delores Engstrom, tries to make the case that she is the single greatest female interpreter of American popular song. And it really wasn't until the 1950's that she cultivated that breathy, kittenish, exquisitely intimate sound that some of us find all but irresistible. (After 1980 her voice would lose its light and airy quality, sounding limpid and weak but demonstrating all the more the artistry required to "shape" the earlier sound we had become spoiled by.)
Special highlights on "Mink Jazz" are the tracks incorporating Jack Sheldon's inimitable trumpet, which is the instrumental equivalent of Peggy's voice. "Where Can I Go Without You" comes not only as a musical revelation--an underrated, overlooked treasure--but as a perfect vehicle for Jack's trumpet artistry and the complementary pairing of both musicians. The reason for the "Jazz" in the title is that the arrangements (half by the legendary Benny Carter) eschew strings and big orchestrations in favor of "jazz-instrumentation" ensembles of no more than 6-8 musicians. As usual, Peggy "cuts to the chase" of each song, with most of the improvisation delegated to Jack (the only musician common to the two supporting ensembles).
Some sources ("All-Music Guide") are dismissive of "Mink Jazz" and similar Lee sessions for not being more adventurous, extemporaneous, and "creative." It's true that Lee was an absolute perfectionist, but the result of that insistence on tightness and rightness was some of the freshest, most scintillating performances of American song ever committed to record. If none of the tracks on this generous program (17 tracks) runs over three minutes, the "miniaturist" scale of each is in no way reflective of a lack of creativity or of a lack of depth, thoughtfulness, and feeling on the part of Lee. (Go ahead, download just one. I dare you not to order the rest.)
Broadway & Vocalists Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Broadway & Vocalists Music CDs
George Shearing, Mel Torme - Elegant EveningSHEARING,G/TORME,M; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $6.93
Price in other shops:
Stan Getz - Spring Is HereRelease date: 1993-01-11; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Rosemary Clooney - Girl SingerRelease date: 1999-04-01; Music CD
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops:
The Blenders - NogRelease date: 1998-10-20; Music CD
Best price: $9.64
Price in other shops:
Brave Combo, Tiny Tim - GirlTIM,TINY/BRAVE COMB; Release date: 1996-03-19; Music CD
Best price: $10.36
Price in other shops:
Belleville a Cappella Choir - Southern Journey, Vol. 11: Honor The Lamb - The Belleville A Cappella ChoirRelease date: 1998-02-10; Music CD
Best price: $83.93
Diane Schuur - Love SongsRelease date: 1993-05-11; Music CD
Best price: $4.00
Price in other shops:
![Love Is the Thing [Vinyl] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
Nat King Cole - Love Is the Thing [Vinyl]Release date: 1996-11-19; Music CD
Best price: $169.99
Linda Ronstadt - Linda Ronstadt: Greatest HitsRelease date: 1998-01-13; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Buddy Rich, Sammy Davis Jr - Sounds of 66Release date: 1996-09-17; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Peggy Lee - Pretty Eyes / Guitars a La LeeRelease date: 1999-02-15; Music CD
Best price: $17.98
Peggy Lee - Two Shows Nightly (Deluxe Edition)Release date: 2010-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $25.07
Peggy Lee - Things Are SwinginRelease date: 2004-04-20; Music CD
Best price: $5.92
Price in other shops:
Peggy Lee - Peggy at Basin Street EastRelease date: 2002-11-12; Music CD
Best price: $15.29
Price in other shops:
Peggy Lee - All Aglow AgainRelease date: 2008-05-27; Music CD
Best price: $3.92
Price in other shops:
Peggy Lee - Jump for JoyRelease date: 2009-07-07; Music CD
Best price: $11.71
Price in other shops:
Peggy Lee - Black Coffee (Dig)Release date: 2004-10-26; Music CD
Best price: $8.02
Price in other shops:
George Shearing, Peggy Lee - Beauty and the BeatRelease date: 2003-05-20; Music CD
Best price: $4.24
Price in other shops:
Peggy Lee - Black Coffee & Dream StreetRelease date: 2010-12-07; Music CD
Best price: $8.81
Price in other shops:
Peggy Lee - Man I Love / If You GoRelease date: 1997-02-26; Music CD
Best price: $9.26
Price in other shops: