That Touch of Mink

Exceto o maravilhoso Black Coffee, há pouca coisa de qualidade da Peggy Lee para baixar na mulinha. Alguns discos com um formato estranho, daqueles que não abrem.

Aproveitando um presente – hoje é aniversário do sogrão – eu copiei uma pérola peggyleeniana, que passo a dividir com vocês.

Falando um pouco em presentes... Eu rodei todas as lojinhas obscuras que vendem CDs no centro de Porto Alegre e só encontrei duas coletâneas chinelas da Peggy Lee por 30 dinheirinhos. Peguei o ônibus T9 (quem mora aqui sabe o que é – um transversal, não transexual) e voltei para o antigo bairro - Petrópolis – para ir à Banana Records (aquela em que o Antony Kieds comprou coisinhas). Só lá pude encontrar duas coletâneas mais ou menos, uma edição com dois LPs em um único CD e o que gostei mais, Mink Jazz, só 39 dinheiros por uma edição imported madeinusa.

Mink Jazz foi gravado dez anos depois de Black Coffee, 1963, no auge do lounge. Só a capa é um primor. Notem a naturalidade: peruca bem natural, maquiagem bem natural, um mink e um chandelier. Tudo muito natural, não é messssm?

A versão em CD saiu em 1997 trazendo 5 faixas extras: o single Little Boat (O Barquinho), a inédita I’m a fool to want you, simplesmente apoteótica, a latina engraçadinha I didn’t find love, e Please don’t rush me de autoria da própria Peggy. A idéia aqui é fazer um complete Mink Jazz sessions, que funciona muito bem, pois os bônus são tão bons quanto as faixas lançadas originalmente no LP.

Além e O Barquinho, a influência da bossa-nova fica clara na versão de The Lady is a tramp. No mais, canções conhecidas e desconhecidas, todas muito bem executadas pela nata de instrumentistas de Jazz da época e a suavidade, sensualidade e força de Peggy Lee.

Eu tenho ouvido a minha cópia sem parar. Espero que gostem.



Buscando mais informações sobre o álbum encontrei essa lista no site da amazon.com:

“My 13 Reasons to Just Utter-Lee Adore Peggy Lee

1. She was the first to employ the “echo effect” in recording (“Don’t Smoke in Bed”).

2. She was a good enough sport to appear on The Judy Garland Show while Judy belted out many Lee compositions & screeched like Mickey Mouse to milk laughter as Lee purred “Fever.”

3. She wrote many of her own songs (a rarity at the time), including “I Love Being Here with You” (Diana Krall covered), “Good Day,” uncredited lines in “Fever” (Madonna covered, after bringing flowers to Lee), the score of Lady & the Tramp (she also played 4 characters) & she collaborated with Paul McCartney (Let’s Love) & Duke Ellington (I’m Gonna Go Fishin’).

4. She liked egg drop soup, which I find the most compelling reason, personally.

5. She created the greatest jazz-pop record of all time with Quincy Jones, Blues Cross-Country.

6. Cary Grant chased her when she was well into her 40s.

7. She won a lawsuit against Disney Corporation in 1992. “Don’t mess with the Mouse” became “Don’t Mess with Miss Peggy Lee.”

8. She was nominated for an Oscar for her acting in Pete Kelly’s Blues (as well as 12 Grammys). She was so convincing as the alcoholic singer Rose that she gained an untrue reputation as an alcoholic.

9. Her voice was so pristine that the Queen of England ordained a command performance of “The Folk’s Who Live on the Hill.” Her understated elegance was so boundless that she could pull off everything from rock renditions of “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” to a swing interpretation Sly and the Family Stone’s “Everyday People." She overcame a horrific childhood to become a legend, & channeled her pain to produce, soul-stirring blues.

10. She is the only female artist to have top 10 hits in the 40s, 50s, & 60s.

11. She was said to have caused a fuss being “too sexy” in a White House performance. Peggy, who was wearing a black long-sleeve gown, responded “I can’t help it if I’m sexy.” Lee paved the way for countless jazz-pop chanteuses & created a new openness in sensuality with songs like “I’m a Woman" & “Fever."

12. Miss Peggy Lee’s platinum blonde hair, birthmark, & perpetual plumpness inspired the creation of Miss Piggy.

13. She invented the fade-out ending."

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