| Fine and Mellow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1991 | |||
| Genre | R&B, blues | |||
| Label | Fantasy | |||
| Producer | Ralph Jungheim | |||
| Ruth Brown chronology | ||||
| ||||
Fine and Mellow is an album by the American musician Ruth Brown, released in 1991. [1] [2] After recuperating from leg surgery, Brown supported the album with several concert appearances. [3]
Fine and Mellow is an album of Brown's favorite songs. [4] Produced by Ralph Jungheim, it was recorded with session bands in New York City and in Hollywood. [5] [6] The songs were arranged by Frank Owens. [7] Rodney Jones played guitar; Herman Riley contributed on saxophone. [8] [9] The title track was written by Billie Holiday. [10] "Salty Papa Blues" is a version of the song made famous by Dinah Washington. [11] "It's Just a Matter of Time" is a cover of the Brook Benton song. [7] "Knock Me a Kiss" is a cover of the song made famous by Louis Jordan. [12]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD | [8] |
| North County Times | [13] |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer |  [10] |
| The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul | [14] |
Newsday wrote that Brown's "brash style never adapts to songs synonymous with other singers, but adopts them as her own." [6] The Los Angeles Times said that the album "underlines her versatility and her ability to use an actor's touch to inject drama or humor into a song." [15] The Vancouver Sun deemed Fine and Mellow "the blues in all its raunchy glory." [9] The Chicago Tribune opined that "her singing has plenty of snarl and bite, and she shrewdly has surrounded herself with a terrific lineup of instrumentalists." [16]
Stereo Review considered it the best album of Brown's return to recording, likening it to "taking a stroll down memory lane and on into the kind of crowded, smoke-filled club where countless organ-and-vocal combos delighted weekend crowds." [7] The Philadelphia Inquirer called it "another big, brash affair that showcases Brown as earthmother/vamp, a singer who ... can deliver lyrics with a wink and a sneer." [10] The North County Times labeled it a "mini-history of Black American music." [13]
AllMusic called the album a "nice contemporary effort with a strongly swinging R&B flavor running throughout." [11]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fine and Mellow" | |
| 2. | "I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues" | |
| 3. | "A World I Never Made" | |
| 4. | "Salty Papa Blues" | |
| 5. | "I'll Drown in My Own Tears" | |
| 6. | "Knock Me a Kiss" | |
| 7. | "It's Just a Matter of Time" | |
| 8. | "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" | |
| 9. | "Nothing Takes the Place of You" | |
| 10. | "I'll Be Satisfied" |
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