Jazz singers have a great deal of difficulty in building a fresh repertoire because so many pop songs are not really transferable to creative music. Carmen Lundy solves the problem on this CD by writing six of her own songs, both lyrics and music. Her talents in that area are impressive and it would not be surprising if a few future standards came out of her repertoire. Lundy's memorable, deep voice, which has a wide range, can go very low (as heard on Jobim's "Triste") and on "Firefly" she overdubs a second part, making the performance sound like a male-female duet. A tasteful string section is used on some selections, but most songs utilize the core of a strong rhythm section (pianist Cedar Walton, John Clayton, or Nathan East on bass and drummer Ralph Penland) plus occasional guests Ernie Watts and Gary Herbig on reeds. Whether interpreting ballads, singing more heated pieces, or floating over a funky vamp, Carmen Lundy pays close attention to the lyrics and mood of each song but feels free to improvise spontaneously. This is one of her strongest recordings, with the high points including "Spring Can Really Hang You up the Most," "Firefly," "Forgive Me," and "My Ship." by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most 7:06
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf
2 Better Days 4:00
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
3 My Favorite Things 4:43
Lyrics By, Music By – Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rogers
4 Firefly 5:28
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
5 Forgive Me 6:27
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
6 These Things You Are To Me 5:27
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
7 Triste 4:08
Arranged By – John Clayton, Jr.
Lyrics By, Music By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
8 I Don't Want To Love Without You 5:00
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy, Julie Raynor
9 Old Friend 6:17
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
10 Here's To You 4:05
Lyrics By, Music By – Carmen Lundy
11 My Ship 4:19
Lyrics By, Music By – Ira Gershwin, Kurt Weil
12 'Round Midnight 5:57
Arranged By, Conductor – Jeremy Lubbock
Lyrics By, Music By – Bernie Hanighen, Cootie Williams, Thelonious Monk
Oboe – Earle Dumler
Credits :
Arranged By – Carmen Lundy (faixas: 2 to 4, 6, 8 to 11)
Bass – John Clayton Jr. (faixas: 1, 2, 5 to 7, 9 to 11)
Bass [String] – Buell Neidlinger, Margaret Storer, Norman Ludwin
Cello – Ernie Ehrhardt, Fred Seykora, Larry Corbett, Margaret Edmondson, Ray Kelley, Suzie Katayama
Clarinet – Gary Herbig (faixas: 7)
Concertmaster – Assa Drori
Contractor [String] – Jules Chaikin
Creative Director – Sam Gay
Drums – Ralph Penland (faixas: 1 to 11)
Electric Bass – Nathan East (faixas: 3, 4, 8)
Flute – Gary Herbig (faixas: 3, 7)
Piano – Cedar Walton (faixas: 1 to 11)
Soprano Saxophone – Gary Herbig (faixas: 6)
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts (faixas: 3, 4, 8)
Viola – James Ross, Keiko Elegino, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Marilyn Baker
Violin – Assa Drori, Brian Leonard, Don Palmer, Elizabeth Wilson, Gordon Marron, Henry Ferber, Israel Baker, Jay Rosen, Joel Derouin, Marc Sazer, Mari Tsumura, Pip Clarke, Ruth Johnson, Shari Zippert
Vocals – Carmen Lundy 
