Carol Sloane & Clark Terry: The Songs Ella & Louis Sang

The tasteful, yet simple support of a piano trio to back them serves the purpose well. Other than a brief piano solo on "Stompin' at the Savoy" and again on "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," the rhythm section of bassist Marcus McLaurine, drummer Dennis Mackrell, and pianist Bill Charlap maintains a strict policy of walking the bass, sweeping the brushes, and filling in with the piano's lighter side. Both Clark Terry and Carol Sloane sing lyrics on all but the final number; Terry uses a muted trumpet for ten of the songs. His flugelhorn blends with Sloane's voice on "Stars Fell on Alabama," and Terry's open trumpet works alone in tribute to Armstrong's clear attack and phrasing for "When It's Sleepy Time Down South."

Terry's mumbles routine on "Stompin' at the Savoy," along with Sloane's articulate scatting, adds a considerable amount of fun to the session, and each singer weaves the lyrics into their wordless choruses.

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