''Tonight Only!'' is a 1961 album by the

Dave Brubeck Quartet David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrast ...

featuring the singer

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretati ...

. This was the first of three albums that Brubeck and McRae would make together, they would later work on '' Take Five Live'' (1961) and ''

The Real Ambassadors ''The Real Ambassadors'' is a jazz musical developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Dave and Iola Brubeck, in collaboration with Louis Armstrong and his band. It addressed the Civil Rights Movement, the music business, America's place in t ...

'' (1962). Brubeck praised McRae's lyrical interpretations of his songs, later stating that "Carmen has added even to my own understanding of the music". Brubeck's wife, Iola, contributed lyrics to three songs: "Weep No More", "Briar Bush" and "Strange Meadow Lark".

Reception

The ''Billboard'' magazine review from 5 June 1961 chose ''Tonight Only!'' as one of its 'Spotlight Winners of the Week' and commented, "Brubeck teams up with canary Carmen McRae on this package and the results are eminently tasteful and listenable". The album was reviewed by

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author. Life and career Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Beginning in 1974, Yanow was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles and was the jazz e ...

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

who wrote, "One of the more obscure Dave Brubeck albums is really a showcase for the young singer Carmen McRae who performs nine numbers ...McRae is in fine voice but strangely enough all of the songs (except for "Strange Meadowlark") have been long forgotten. Stronger material would have resulted in a more memorable session".

Track listing

# "Melanctha" – 9:58 # "Weep No More" (Dave Brubeck, Iola Brubeck) – 2:49 # "Talkin' and Walkin'" (

Eugene Wright Eugene Joseph Wright (May 29, 1923 – December 30, 2020) was an American jazz bassist who was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Career Wright was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a cornetist at high school and led the 16-piece band D ...

) – 4:24 # "Briar Bush" (D. Brubeck, I. Brubeck) – 2:58 # "Paradiddle Joe" (Johnny Morris, Fred Parries, Jerry Pugsley) – 2:00 # "Late Lament" (

Paul Desmond Paul Desmond (born Paul Emil Breitenfeld; November 25, 1924 – May 30, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer and proponent of cool jazz. He was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet and composed the group's biggest hit, " ...

) – 6:17 # "Strange Meadow Lark" (D. Brubeck, I. Brubeck) – 2:38 # "Tristesse" (D. Brubeck) – 4:58 # "Tonight Only" (D. Brubeck) – 7:27 ''Tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, with McRae, were recorded on September 9, 1960; tracks 1 and 8 were recorded December 14, and on the following day, December 15, tracks 3, 6 and 9. Track 8, "Tristesse", is a piano solo by Brubeck.''Tonight Only!
at Jazzdisco.org

Personnel

;The Dave Brubeck Quartet: *

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

– piano *

–

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

Gene Wright Eugene Joseph Wright (May 29, 1923 – December 30, 2020) was an American jazz bassist who was a member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Career Wright was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was a cornetist at high school and led the 16-piece band D ...

–

double bass The double bass (), also known as the upright bass, the acoustic bass, the bull fiddle, or simply the bass, is the largest and lowest-pitched string instrument, chordophone in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding rare additions ...

Joe Morello Joseph Albert Morello (July 17, 1928 – March 12, 2011) was an American jazz drummer best known for serving as the drummer for pianist Dave Brubeck, as part of the Dave Brubeck Quartet, from 1957 to 1972, including during the quartet's "clas ...

– drums ;with *

– vocals (2, 4, 5, 7) ;Production *

Teo Macero Attilio Joseph "Teo" Macero (October 30, 1925 – February 19, 2008) was an American jazz record producer, saxophonist, and composer. He was a producer at Columbia Records for twenty years. Macero produced Miles Davis' ''Bitches Brew'' and Dave B ...

– producer, liner notes *Henry Parker – photography

References

{{Authority control 1961 albums Albums produced by Teo Macero Columbia Records albums Dave Brubeck albums Carmen McRae albums