It's Not About the Melody

It's Not About the Melody
Studio album by Betty Carter
Released	1992
Recorded	May 25–26, 1992, Clinton Recording Studios and Eastside Sound
Genre	Vocal jazz
Length	71:34
Label	Verve 314-513870-2
Producer	Betty Carter
Betty Carter chronology
Droppin' Things (1990) It's Not About the Melody (1992) Feed the Fire (1994)

It's Not About the Melody is a 1992 studio album by the American jazz singer Betty Carter.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The Allmusic review by Ron Wynn awarded the album four stars, and described Carter as "a vocal improviser in a manner few have equaled, and if her voice lacks the clarity and timbre of the all-time greats, she's more than compensated with incredible timing, flexibility and power."^[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Naima's Love Song"	Betty Carter, John Hicks	8:25
2.	"Stay as Sweet as You Are"	Mack Gordon, Harry Revel	7:11
3.	"Make Him Believe"	Carter	5:25
4.	"I Should Care"	Sammy Cahn, Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston	3:26
5.	"Once upon a Summertime"	Eddie Barclay, Michel Legrand, Eddy Marnay, Johnny Mercer	5:58
6.	"You Go to My Head"	J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie	5:35
7.	"In the Still of the Night"	Cole Porter	4:07
8.	"When It's Sleepy Time Down South"	Clarence Muse, Leon René, Otis Rene	7:45
9.	"The Love We Had Yesterday"	Pat Watson	7:17
10.	"Dip Bag"	Carter	8:57
11.	"You're Mine You"	Johnny Green, Edward Heyman	7:12
Total length:			71:34

Personnel

• Betty Carter - vocals
• Cyrus Chestnut - piano
• John Hicks
• Mulgrew Miller
• Craig Handy - tenor saxophone
• Walter Booker - double bass
• Christian McBride
• Ariel J. Roland
• Jeff "Tain" Watts - drums
• Lewis Nash
• Clarence Penn

References

1. "It's Not About the Melody". Allmusic. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
2. Allmusic review