This landmark 1961 recording established Abbey's presence as both a vocalist of power, and an African American activist in the movement for racial justice. Included here are songs such as African Lady, a Langston Hughes poem; When Malindy Sings, based on a poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar; and Left Alone, with lyrics by Billie Holiday and music by Mal Waldron (pianist for both Billie and Abbey).... with additional accompaniment from jazz greats like (Abbey's husband-to-be) Max Roach on drums, Coleman Hawkins on sax, and Eric Dolphy on reeds. She displays her Billie Holiday influences as well as an emotional intensity in her vocal interpretations.

Straight Ahead is an album by American jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln featuring performances recorded in 1961 for the Candid label. accessed March 15, 2011

Reception

The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 5 stars and stated "this is one of Abbey Lincoln's greatest recordings".Yanow, S. accessed March 15, 2011

Personnel

*Abbey Lincoln — vocals

*Booker Little — trumpet

*Julian Priester — trombone

*Eric Dolphy — alto saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, piccolo

*Walter Benton, Coleman Hawkins — tenor saxophone

*Mal Waldron — piano

*Art Davis — bass

*Max Roach — drums

*Roger Sanders, Robert Whitley — congas

References

Category:Candid Records albums

Category:Abbey Lincoln albums

Category:1961 albums

This text has been derived from Straight Ahead (Abbey Lincoln album) on Wikipedia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0

Artist/Band Information

Anna Marie Wooldridge (August 6, 1930 – August 14, 2010), better known by her stage name Abbey Lincoln, was a jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress. Lincoln was unusual in that she wrote and performed her own compositions, expanding the expectations of jazz audiences.

Biography

Born in Chicago, Illinois, she was one of many singers influenced by Billie Holiday. She often could be found at the Blue Note in New York City.

With Ivan Dixon, she co-starred in Nothing But a Man, an independent film written and directed by Michael Roemer. She also co-starred with Sidney Poitier and Beau Bridges in 1968's For Love of Ivy, and received a 1969 Golden Globe nomination for her appearance in the film.

Lincoln also appeared in the 1956 film The Girl Can't Help It, for which she famously wore a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in Gentleman Prefer Blondes and interpreted the theme song, working with Benny Carter.

Lincoln sang on the 1960s landmark jazz civil rights recording, We Insist! – Freedom Now Suite (1960) by jazz musician Max Roach and was married to him from 1962 to 1970.

Especially since this album, Abbey Lincoln was connected to the political fight against racism in the United States.

In the 1990 Spike Lee movie Mo' Better Blues 1990, she played young Bleek Gilliams' mother, who was very insistent that Bleek (played as an adult by Denzel Washington) come inside their house and practice his trumpet instead of playing outside with his friends.

In 2003, she received the National Endowment for the Arts NEA Jazz Masters Award.

Lincoln died on August 14, 2010 in Manhattan at the age of 80. - accessed August 2010 Her death was announced by her brother, David Wooldridge, who told the New York Times that Lincoln had died in her Manhattan nursing home after suffering deteriorating health for years following open heart surgery in 2007. No cause of death was officially given. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered.

Discography

*1956: Abbey Lincoln's Affair – A Story of a Girl in Love (Liberty) with Benny Carter Orchestra, Marty Paich Orchestra, Jack Montrose

*1957: That's Him (Riverside) with Paul Chambers, Wynton Kelly, Max Roach, Wynton Kelly, Sonny Rollins, Kenny Dorham

*1958: It's Magic (Riverside) with Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Sahib Shihab

*1959: Abbey Is Blue (Riverside) with Kenny Dorham, Wynton Kelly, Les Spann, Sam Jones, Philly Joe Jones

*1960: We Insist! – Freedom Now (with Max Roach)

*1961: Straight Ahead (Candid Records) with Coleman Hawkins, Eric Dolphy, Booker Little, Mal Waldron, Max Roach

*1973: People in Me (Polygram) with Kunimitsu Inaba, James Mtume, Al Foster, Hiromasa Suzuki, Dave Liebman

*1980: Painted Lady (with Archie Shepp) (Itm)

*1980: Golden Lady (Inner City Records)

*1983: Talking to the Sun (Enja Records)

*1987: Abbey Sings Billie, Vol. 1 & 2 (Enja)

*1990: The World Is Falling Down (Verve)

*1991: You Gotta Pay the Band (Verve) with Stan Getz, Hank Jones, Charlie Haden, Mark Johnson, Maxine Roach

*1992: Devil's Got Your Tongue (Verve)

*1992: When There is Love (with Hank Jones) (Verve)

*1993: The Music is the Magic (Live at Sweet Basil's New York) (Itm) with Rodney Kendrick, Michael Bowie, Yoron Israel

*1994: A Turtle's Dream (Verve) with Roy Hargrove, Kenny Barron, Pat Metheny

*1996: Who Used to Dance (Verve) with Graham Haynes, Steve Coleman, Oliver Lake

*1998: Wholly Earth (Verve) with Nicholas Payton, Bobby Hutcherson

*2000: Over the Years (Verve)

*2003: It's Me (Verve)

*2007: Abbey Sings Abbey (Verve)

References

This text has been derived from Abbey Lincoln on Wikipedia and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0