Carmen McRae: Birds Of A Feather (Verve Vault) (180 g) (LP)

Jazz singer Carmen McRae had already established herself as a successful artist at Decca Records when the label developed an album concept for her—*Birds of a Feather*—that was as charming as it was unusual: a collection of songs entirely dedicated to the world of birds. Thanks to McRae’s unmistakable sense of phrasing and Ralph Burns’s sophisticated orchestral direction, however, the album goes far beyond its playful thematic concept. McRae’s confident, expressive vocals and her cool timbre blend with elegantly arranged orchestral accompaniment, lending well-known standards like “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Skylark,” and “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano” a unique touch. In doing so, she combines lightness and swing with that subtle emotional depth that is one of her greatest strengths. Verve Vault Series: Stereo, mastered entirely analog by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl by Optimal. Single sleeve featuring the iconic original artwork