Abbey Lincoln - 1958 - It's Magic

Abbey Lincoln 

1958

It's Magic

01. I Am In Love 2:51
02. It's Magic 3:58
03. Just For Me 3:09
04. An Occasional Man 3:18
05. Ain't Nobody's Business 4:23
06. Out Of The Past 4:41
07. Music, Maestro, Please 3:14
08. Love 2:38
09. Exactly Like You 2:48
10. Little Niles

Arranged By – Benny Golson (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B2, B4)

Bass – Paul Chambers(tracks: A3 to A5, B2, B4), Sam Jones (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B3, B5)
Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones
Flute, Baritone Saxophone – Jerome Richardson (tracks: A3, A4, B2), Sahib Shihab (tracks: A1, B3)
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trombone – Curtis Fuller (tracks: A1, A3, A4, B2, B3)
Trumpet – Art Farmer (tracks: A1, A2, B1, B3, B5), Kenny Dorham (tracks: A3 to A5, B2, B4)
Vocals – Abbey Lincoln

Recorded in New York; August 1958.

Strongly influenced by jazz icons Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong, both of whom she met early in her career, Abbey Lincoln's distinctive vocal style, thought-provoking writing, and spirited personality secured her a place among the jazz luminaries.

Born in Chicago and raised in rural Michigan, Lincoln began performing while still in high school. In 1951, she moved to the West Coast, working under various names (Gaby Lee, Anna Marie, Gaby Wooldridge) before settling on Abbey Lincoln. She recorded her first album with jazz great Benny Carter in 1956 and appeared in the 1957 film, The Girl Can't Help It. Lincoln then recorded a series of albums for the Riverside label with drummer Max Roach, who had introduced her to the label's owner.

Lincoln's collaborations with Roach (to whom she was married from 1962-70) lasted more than a decade, and included the seminal recording, We Insist! Freedom Now Suite in 1960. This was the beginning of a more social and political activist approach to her music. Over the years, she has worked with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Sonny Rollins, Eric Dolphy, Coleman Hawkins, Miles Davis, Jackie McLean, Clark Terry, and Stan Getz.

In addition to her music, Lincoln also pursued acting, appearing in the films Nothing But A Man and For Love of Ivy and on television series, such as Mission: Impossible and the Flip Wilson Show. She also taught drama at the California State University. She did not record any albums as a leader from 1962-72, but made a grand return to jazz with her 1973 recording, People In Me, her first album of all original material.

Lincoln returned to her influences in 1987, recording two albums in tribute to Billie Holiday, and then a series of recordings for Verve throughout the 1990s and 2000s that showcased her writing prowess. Her emotionally honest, mature style was present in every song she sang.

To start, note the difference between this album cover and those of her two previous albums. Rather than being marketed as a sexy woman who happens to have pipes, she is now marketed as a woman with pipes who happens to be sexy. The song selections here cover the spectrum of relationships, ranging from love unreturned to love celebrated. "Little Niles" by Randy Weston tells the story of a boy transitioning from childhood to adulthood, performed at a much slower tempo than the rest of the selections. The selection foreshadows a shift away from torch songs and ballads, and is also the standout track on this album. There are even moments where Abbey mimics the sound of trumpet in exchanges with Benny Golson and Art Farmer. This is absolutely essential for the Abbey Lincoln fan.

At first blush, she's sort of Billie Holiday-lite, or a less earthy version of Dinah Washington, a bluesy pop singer hanging out with jazzbos. But then Abbey almost seems like a folk singer, albeit with jazz accompaniment. She has this clear enunciation and a way of bringing the characters in her songs to life. In another era, she might have been Joan Baez or Joni Mitchell. She really draws you into the words, the stories of the songs, more than do Billie or Ella or Sarah. But there's more to it still: after a few listens to It's Magic, you realise there are real fine jazz chops here, a real feeling for time and how to emphasise bits of melody. The inestimable Benny Golson gives her beautiful arrangements, and Kenny Dorham and Philly Joe Jones do stunningly supportive work, but Abbey is in command of this material and really makes even novelty tunes like "Just For Me" into luscious and dramatic performances. Although Abbey is the antithesis of Anita O'Day -- whose work was *all* about swing and improvisation, never about the lyrics -- Abbey takes her place besides Anita as the female jazz singer whom the canon does the greatest injustice.