LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1958 | |||
Recorded |
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Studio | New York City, New York, United States | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:46 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Nesuhi Ertegun | |||
LaVern Baker chronology | ||||
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LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith is the third studio album from American rhythm and blues singer LaVern Baker, released by Atlantic Records in 1958 and featuring cover versions of Bessie Smith songs. After her sophomre release LaVern Baker collected mostly previously-released singles, this album included only new tracks. The album was initially released in monaural sound and sold well enough that Atlantic re-released it in stereo sound in November for the holiday season. [2]
Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Scott Yanow writing that this album "should not have worked", but the combination of musicians and "potentially conflicting styles" of blues and jazz leads to "quite successful and often exciting" music. [1] In the 2004 edition of The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, this album was rated 4 out of 5 stars and the editors write that this is "an essential document" that displays Baker's ability to sing with various moods and styles and shows "intelligence and personality" in reinterpreting the original work. [3] George Starostin wrote of the music that "the arrangements are tight, thick, meaty, imposing, celebratory... and not particularly memorable" and praises the track selection as well as Baker's vocals as "beyond questioning", but considers the album "a bit dull". [4]
LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1958 | |||
Recorded |
| |||
Studio | New York City, New York, United States | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 41:46 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | Nesuhi Ertegun | |||
LaVern Baker chronology | ||||
|
LaVern Baker Sings Bessie Smith is the third studio album from American rhythm and blues singer LaVern Baker, released by Atlantic Records in 1958 and featuring cover versions of Bessie Smith songs. After her sophomre release LaVern Baker collected mostly previously-released singles, this album included only new tracks. The album was initially released in monaural sound and sold well enough that Atlantic re-released it in stereo sound in November for the holiday season. [2]
Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4.5 out of 5 stars, with critic Scott Yanow writing that this album "should not have worked", but the combination of musicians and "potentially conflicting styles" of blues and jazz leads to "quite successful and often exciting" music. [1] In the 2004 edition of The New Rolling Stone Album Guide, this album was rated 4 out of 5 stars and the editors write that this is "an essential document" that displays Baker's ability to sing with various moods and styles and shows "intelligence and personality" in reinterpreting the original work. [3] George Starostin wrote of the music that "the arrangements are tight, thick, meaty, imposing, celebratory... and not particularly memorable" and praises the track selection as well as Baker's vocals as "beyond questioning", but considers the album "a bit dull". [4]