Carol Sloane first success in jazz in the 1960s recording for Columbia Records. However, her career stalled after two albums and with the exception of occasional albums recorded in Japan (where jazz had a larger fan base), Sloane's career stalled. In the late 1980s, her music carer was reignited when she recorded critically-acclaimed albums for the Contemporary and Concord Jazz labels. She continued recording into the new millennium,[2] which included Dearest Duke. The album was recorded in January 2007 at the Peter Contrimas Studio in Westwood, Massachusetts. Serving as co-producers were Sloane herself, along with Ken Peploswki, Mat Domber and Rachel Domber.[3]Dearest Duke consisted of 12 tracks recorded as a tribute to jazz musician, Duke Ellington.[1] A majority of the album's tracks are ballads in collaboration with pianist Brad Hatfield and clarinet-saxophonist Brad Peplowski.[4]
Release and critical reception
Dearest Duke was released by Arbors Records on June 12, 2007 and was offered as a compact disc (CD) upon its original release.[3] It was offered digitally.[5] The album generated a positive critical reception. Christopher Loudon of the Jazz Times praised Sloane's interpretation of Ellington's tracks and blend with the instrumentalists: "Her ability to shape 11 duskily majestic tracks supported by just piano (courtesy of Brad Hatfield) plus touches of woodwind and brass (with Ken Peplowski alternating on clarinet and sax) simply heightens their magnificence."[6] Matt Schudel of The Washington Post praised Sloane and the album, writing, "This is the finest vocal album I've heard all year, and if Carol Sloane isn't America's greatest living jazz singer, then no one deserves the title."[4] Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. of AllMusic rated it three and a half stars, also praising Sloane's ability to make Ellington's songs her own and concluding, "There's something to be said for bringing all musical elements to bear on the singer and the song, and this approach works just fine on Dearest Duke."[1]
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