Singer
Abbey Lincoln
's second recording, and her first for
Riverside
, finds her accompanied by quite an all-star roster: tenor saxophonist
Sonny Rollins
, trumpeter
Kenny Dorham
, pianist
Wynton Kelly
, bassist
Paul Chambers
, and drummer
Max Roach
. Even this early, she was already a major
jazz
singer with a style of her own.
Lincoln
was careful from this point on to only interpret lyrics that she believed in. Her repertoire has a few superior
standards
(including several songs such as
"I Must Have That Man!"
and
"Don't Explain"
that are closely associated with
Billie Holiday
) plus
Oscar Brown, Jr.
's
"Strong Man"
Phil Moore
"Tender as a Rose"
; she takes the latter unaccompanied.
is slightly unusual in that
is absent and
makes an extremely rare appearance on bass. All three of
albums are well worth the listen. [Some reissues add alternate takes of "I Must Have That Man!" and "Porgy" to the original program.] ~ Scott Yanow