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Drg
2005
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Diahann Carroll
The Magic Of Diahann Carroll
About This Album
DRG's The Magic of Diahann Carroll is a two-fer CD reissue of the two
Carroll
LPs that United Artists Records released in 1960, the studio set Diahann Carroll and André Previn (UAS-6069) and the live album Diahann Carroll at the Persian Room (UAS-6080). Despite being only 24-years-old when these albums were made,
Carroll
was a show business veteran who had launched her nightclub career in her teens after winning first place on the TV talent show Chance of a Lifetime, then appeared on Broadway (House of Flowers) and on-screen (Carmen Jones) before turning 20. Her stint on United Artists (which had already included an LP of songs from Porgy and Bess, reflecting her appearance in the 1959 film version, also featuring
Previn
) followed one on RCA Victor (Sings Harold Arlen Songs [1957], Best Beat Forward [1958]) and preceded one on Atlantic (Fun Life [1961]) before she returned to Broadway for a Tony-winning turn in No Strings (1962), did more recording for Disque D'Or ('A' You're Adorable [1965]) and Columbia (Nobody Sees Me Cry [1967]), and, of course, became a sitcom star (Julia [1968-71]). The
Previn
album, which features bassist
Red Mitchell
and drummer Frank Capp, is full of standards and show tunes by the likes of
George Gershwin
, Cole Porter, and Richard Rodgers that
Carroll
handles effectively, leaving room for the rhythm section, particularly
Previn
on the piano, to solo frequently.
It's a low-key, torchy set for the most part, with occasional up-tempo moments, notably "I Should Care." This is in contrast to the live material that follows, recorded at New York's Plaza Hotel on February 4, 1960. Here,
Carroll
fronts a big band in a varied set, again leaning on standards, and she willingly evokes such predecessors as
Ethel Waters
and
Lena Horne
by borrowing their signature songs. You can hear their influence on her, but she often takes a softer approach and brings an actress' training to her interpretations, even to the point of creating a character and telling that character's story as a long introduction to "I Wish I Were in Love Again."
Carroll
achieved such fame later in her career on TV that it's easy to forget her early successes in other media. This collection helps bring the diversity of her talents into focus. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
Continued…
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