Out There With Betty Carter - Betty Carter (1LP Vinyl) [Verve by Request]

Out There With Betty Carter by Betty Carter.

Few voices in jazz command attention the way Betty Carter's does, and "Out There With Betty Carter" is one of the earliest showcases of a singer who would spend a lifetime bending phrasing to her own will. Originally released in 1958, this session captures Carter surrounded by an ambitious cast of players and arrangements, giving her material the kind of setting that pushes a vocalist to reach further.

The program moves with real variety across its two sides. The A side opens with a spirited "You're Driving Me Crazy" and rolls through "I Can't Help It," "By The Bend Of The River," "Bab's Blues," "Foul Play," and "You're Getting To Be A Habit." The B side offers a more reflective turn, from "On The Isle Of May" and the aching "But Beautiful" to "All I've Got," "Make It Last," "Blue Bird Of Happiness," and the closing "Something Wonderful." It is a sequence that lets Carter shift from swinging confidence to tender restraint without ever losing her singular sense of time.

Much of the record's character comes from Gigi Gryce, who arranged and conducted the session, with Melba Liston contributing arrangements on "Make It Last" and "Something Wonderful." Liston also lends her trombone throughout, and the horn writing gives these performances a lift and a shape that frame Carter's voice rather than crowd it. The result is a vocal album with the ambition and detail of a full ensemble date.

The personnel reads like a roll call of the era's finest. The A side brings a deep reed section with Jimmy Powell and Tommy Gryce on alto, Sahib Shihab on baritone, and Benny Golson on tenor, alongside trumpeter Kenny Dorham. Jerome Richardson adds tenor, flute, and bassoon, while Ray Copeland's trumpet and Liston's trombone carry across the full record. The rhythm section is anchored by Wynton Kelly on piano and Specs Wright on drums throughout, with Sam Jones and Peck Morrison sharing bass duties across the two sides.

This reissue was manufactured at Third Man Pressing, with lacquer cut by Ryan Smith, who also handled the reissue mastering. Reissue supervision came from Ken Druker, with the original session supervised by Dave Clark. Liner notes are provided by Dzondria LaISAC, with design by Leroy Winbush and Winbush Associates credited as producer.

For collectors of vocal jazz and admirers of Carter's uncompromising artistry, this is a document of a major talent early in her journey, framed by arrangers and instrumentalists of the highest order. It rewards close listening and repeated spins, a record that continues to feel, as its title promises, genuinely out there.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. You're Driving Me Crazy
A2. I Can't Help It
A3. By The Bend Of The River
A4. Bab's Blues
A5. Foul Play
A6. You're Getting To Be A Habit
B1. On The Isle Of May
B2. But Beautiful
B3. All I've Got
B4. Make It Last
B5. Blue Bird Of Happiness
B6. Something Wonderful

Credits:
Jimmy Powell - Alto Saxophone (A1 to A6)
Tommy Gryce - Alto Saxophone (A1 to A6)
Melba Liston - Arranged By (B4,B6)
Gigi Gryce - Arranged By, Conductor
Sahib Shihab - Baritone Saxophone (A1 to A6)
Peck Morrison - Bass (A2, B1 to B6)
Sam Jones - Bass (A1 to A6)
Leroy Winbush - Design
Specs Wright - Drums (A1 to B6)
Ryan Smith (2) - Lacquer Cut By
Dzondria LaISAC - Liner Notes
Ryan Smith (2) - Mastered By [Reissue Mastering]
Wynton Kelly - Piano (A1 to B6)
Winbush Associates - Producer
Dave Clark (8) - Supervised By
Ken Druker - Supervised By [Reissue Supervision]
Benny Golson - Tenor Saxophone (A1 to A6)
Jerome Richardson - Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Bassoon
Melba Liston - Trombone (A1 to B6)
Kenny Dorham - Trumpet (A1 to A6)
Ray Copeland - Trumpet (A1 to B6)
Betty Carter - Vocals

Notes:
Originally released in 1958
Reissue Manufactured at Third Man Pressing

Artist: Betty Carter

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Peacock's Progressive Jazz

Catalog Number: PLP 90

Series: Verve by Request

Release Year: 2025

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)