A great illustration of the genius of Carmen McRae in the 70s – a record that easily shows why Carmen was hipper than most of her contemporaries from two decades before! The set has the vocalist somehow managing to still stick in a straight jazz style, without going for cheaper soul routines – yet also opening up with more of a sense of mature presence that showed the sophistication of the times – a killer blend that really makes the album a gem from these 70s years! The live setting features Carmen working through a mixture of new and old material in some really unique variations – working with a small group that includes Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet and Marshall Otwell on keyboards, carving out some space with a really wonderfully confident feel. Numbers include "No More Blues", "Only Women Bleed", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Star Eyes", "Dindi", "Never Let Me Go", "On A Clear Day", "On Green Dolphin Street", and "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco". LP, Vinyl record album