Carmen Wilken

Carmen achieved far greater success with his debut solo album than he ever had with his old group, The Raspberries. In part this was because, freed from the restrictions of leading a rock band, he could indulge his taste in big, lush ballads. That's what he did here, especially on the album's three Top 40 hits, one of which, "All by Myself," was a gold-selling #2 hit.

After three decades of Carmen in opéra comique-style, each one offering its own brand of authenticity, here we are back in the 19th century with the old grand opera version, with the Guiraud recitatives, tacked on after Bizet’s death. This was the way Carmen was usually performed until the 1950s, when producers and scholars started to reconsider the original.

Carmen Lundy has that rare combination of qualities found in great jazz singers: imagination, a superb sense of swing phrasing and improvisation, a broad vocal range with powerful lungs, and a sure grasp of jazz tradition. This Is … features not only Lundy's voice, but also her songwriting, another of her talents. While her lyrics are not always as clever as her music, with its challenging turnarounds and charged interplay, Lundy's baring of her life experiences makes This Is … a record you can sink your ears into. Her band, including brother Curtis Lundy on bass, drummer Ralph Peterson, pianist Anthony Wonsey, and saxophonists Mark Shim and Bobby Watson, can sometimes sound tentative and they are ill-supported by a diaphanous mix. But Carmen and her songs are the stars.

Tutta la carriera, dal debutto a Sanremo giovani del ’95 con “Quello che sento” fino ai successi dell'ultimo album “L’abitudine di tornare”, in 57 grandissimi brani.

Fade To Black is Carmen Lundy's 16th album and one of her most personal to date. Grammy® Nominated for her previous album Modern Ancestors, these 11 original songs, written and arranged by Carmen Lundy, were conceived during the challenging months of the pandemic and reflect this time of great loss, sorrow, healing, and hope for a brighter, more inclusive future for us all. Tackling the difficult social issues of our time while also musing on the joys of love and relationships, this stunning set of songs takes us on an emotional journey that culminates in the extraordinary hymn-like ballad titled "Rest In Peace". Jazzy, passionate, introspective, thoughtful, smart, kind, honoring and loving, Carmen has crafted an album without borders that transfixes it's listeners.

In the early seventies, the British-American group Carmen broke new ground in rock music, combining the British flair for progressive rock with traditional Spanish folk themes into a very fresh, energetic and powerful new mix. The sound is centered around guitar, keyboards are used subtly but to good effect. On the whole, they are a rather hard band to describe… Some vague comparisons could be made to Jethro Tull, Mezquita (some of the Spanish themes), and Triana (the flamenco/prog combination).

Released in 1970, Just a Little Lovin' was the fourth (and last) studio album Carmen McRae cut for Atlantic Records in the late '60s/early '70s. The albums were for the most part a mix of pop and jazz songs with a decidedly pop angle. Just a Little Lovin' isn't too different, though it leans more toward the soulful end of the street. Producer Arif Mardin put McRae together with the Dixie Flyers studio band, backup singers extraordinaire the Sweet Inspirations, and an all-star horn section led by King Curtis, and then let her loose on the usual Beatles covers (a lifeless "Something," a very relaxed and sensual "Here, There and Everywhere," and a dramatic take on "Carry That Weight") and pop tunes like Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We" and Laura Nyro's "Goodbye Joe"…