This superb 4CD set from Acrobat Music chronicles the first decade and more of Carmen McRae's recording career, packing in an astonishing 97 tracks that include ‘Pass Me By’, taken from her first recording session with Mercer Ellington and his orchestra in NYC in May 1946, and her brace of chart entries, ‘The Next Time It Happens’ and ‘Skyliner’, both featuring orchestra conducted by Jack Pleis. In addition to guitarist Mundell Lowe, bassist Wendell Marshall and drummer Kenny Clarke, ‘Something to Live For’ is noteworthy for being the only occasion on which McRae was backed by Billy Strayhorn on piano – and indeed one of the set's highlights is an outstanding reading of Strayhorn's ‘Lush Life’ from McRae's 1956 album, Blue Moon. The 1956 album Torchy, in particular, contains some astonishingly powerful singing, with dazzling interpretations of ‘But Beautiful’, ‘Midnight Sun’, ‘We'll Be Together Again’ and more. As well as presenting most of the A and B sides of her singles on the Musicraft, Stardust and Decca labels from this era, it's also great to hear McRae's impressive instrumental chops on her 1957 album After Glow, on which she shares piano duties with Ronnell Bright and Ray Bryant.