Great American Songbook Ladies

Tracy Stark’s newest CD, Shades of Beautiful:?The Tracy Stark Songbook, is proof that this multi-award-winning, busy lady is much more than a skilled piano partner who is a great arranger. She is an accomplished songwriter who deserves more recognition. In his liner notes, James Gavin quotes Stark: “… Cabaret used to be a genre: the Great American Songbook, show tunes, standards. In the present world, I see it as a giant umbrella of any genre, as long as you can create a sense of intimacy.” Mission accomplished. Those words describe a CD that is sure to make a mark. It’s an intimate album for sure and it touches several genres with intelligence and great style.

Being British, I know nothing about Kathie's career in television (her fame did not cross the Atlantic), so I can judge her purely on her musical ability. I only discovered her through the internet. My first two CD's of Kathie's were this one and the Christmas CD, and they are my two favorites of Kathie's.

Born in Austin, Texas and raised in Altadena, California, Carmen Bradford grew up with music in her home and in her heart. It was only natural that Carmen would follow in the footsteps of her great family legacy, being the daughter of legendary trumpeter/ composer Bobby Bradford and world renowned vocalist/composer Melba Joyce. Her grandfather Melvin Moore sang with Lucky Millender and Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band in the 1940s and sang with the Ink Spots, making Carmen the third generation of incredible musicians. She has carved out a place in music history for herself and is playing an integral role in this uniquely American art form called jazz. Carmen Bradford is Jazz Royalty.