It's Not About the Melody

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

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	^[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.	""	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 - piano
Mulgrew Miller - piano
Craig Handy - tenor saxophone
Walter Booker - double bass
Christian McBride - bass
Ariel J. Roland - bass
Jeff "Tain" Watts - drums
Lewis Nash - drums
Clarence Penn - drums

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "It's Not About the Melody". Allmusic. Retrieved April 20, 2011.

[Allmusic-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "It's Not About the Melody". Allmusic. Retrieved April 20, 2011.

[1]

show v t Betty Carter
Studio albums	Social Call Out There The Modern Sound of Betty Carter 'Round Midnight Inside Betty Carter Now It's My Turn The Betty Carter Album Look What I Got! It's Not About the Melody I'm Yours, You're Mine
Duet albums	Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant Ray Charles and Betty Carter The Carmen McRae – Betty Carter Duets
Live albums	Betty Carter at the Village Vanguard Finally, Betty Carter Round Midnight The Audience with Betty Carter Whatever Happened to Love? Droppin' Things Feed the Fire
Compilations	I Can't Help It
Related articles	"Open the Door"

show v t John Hicks
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
As leader or co-leader	Hells Bells (1975) Steadfast (1975) After the Morning (West 54, 1979) Some Other Time (1981) John Hicks (1982) In Concert (1984) Inc. 1 (1985) Luminous (and Elise Wood, 1985–88) Two of a Kind (and Ray Drummond, 1986–87) I'll Give You Something to Remember Me By (1987) East Side Blues (1988) Naima's Love Song (1988) Oleo (New York Unit, 1989) Rhythm-a-Ning (and Kenny Barron, 1989) Blue Bossa (New York Unit, 1990) Is That So? (1990) Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume Seven (1990) Power Trio (1990) St. Thomas: Tribute to Great Tenors (1991) Tribute to George Adams (1991–92) After the Morning (Dominic Sciscente Music, 1992) Blues March: Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) Crazy for You (1992) Friends Old and New (1992) Moanin': Portrait of Art Blakey (1992) Now's the Time (New York Unit, 1992) Over the Rainbow (New York Unit, 1992) Single Petal of a Rose (1992) The Missouri Connection (and Jay McShann, 1992) Beyond Expectations (1993) Lover Man: A Tribute to Billie Holiday (1993) Akari (New York Unit, 1994) Duality (and Peter Leitch, 1994) Gentle Rain (1994) In the Mix (1994) Heart Beats (Keystone Trio, 1995) Piece for My Peace (1995) Cry Me a River (1997) Newklear Music (Keystone Trio, 1997) Nightwind: An Erroll Garner Songbook (1997) Something to Live For: A Billy Strayhorn Songbook (1997) Trio + Strings (1997) Hicks Time (released 1998) Impressions of Mary Lou (1998) Beautiful Friendship (and Elise Wood, 2000) Music in the Key of Clark (2001) Fatha's Day: An Earl Hines Songbook (2003) Twogether (with Frank Morgan, 2005–6) I Remember You (2006) On the Wings of an Eagle (2006) Sweet Love of Mine (2006)
With Art Blakey	'S Make It (and The Jazz Messengers, 1964) Soul Finger (and The Jazz Messengers, 1965) Hold On, I'm Coming (1966) Child's Dance (and The Jazz Messengers, 1972)
With Arthur Blythe	Illusions (1980) Blythe Spirit (1981) Blythe Byte (2001) Exhale (2002)
With David Murray	Morning Song (1983) Sketches of Tokyo (co-led, 1985) I Want to Talk About You (1986) Ming's Samba (1988) Ballads for Bass Clarinet (1991) David Murray/James Newton Quintet (1991) Fast Life (1991) MX (1992) For Aunt Louise (1993) Jazzosaurus Rex (1993) Love and Sorrow (1993) Saxmen (1993) Like a Kiss that Never Ends (2000)
With Pharoah Sanders	Journey to the One (1979) Pharoah Sanders Live... (1981) Rejoice (1981) Africa (1987) A Prayer Before Dawn (1987)
With others	Solid! (Eric Alexander, 1998) Sunday in New York (Eric Alexander, 2005) Eby (Hamiet Bluiett, 1984) Fast Last! (Lester Bowie, 1974) Now It's My Turn (Betty Carter, 1976) The Audience with Betty Carter (1979) It's Not About the Melody (Betty Carter, 1992) Gardenias for Lady Day (James Carter, 2003) The Bassist: Homage to Diversity (Richard Davis, released 2001) Structurally Sound (Booker Ervin, 1966) Flying Colors (Ricky Ford, 1980) Interpretations (Ricky Ford, 1982) Awakening (Sonny Fortune, 1985) The Outside Within (Chico Freeman, 1978) Spirit Sensitive (Chico Freeman, 1978–79) Habana (Roy Hargrove, 1997) Again and Again (Oliver Lake, 1991) 52nd Street Themes (Joe Lovano, 1999) On This Day ... Live at The Vanguard (Joe Lovano, 2002) Streams of Expression (Joe Lovano, 2005) Hi Voltage (Hank Mobley, 1967) Taru (Lee Morgan, 1968) Staying on the Watch (Sonny Simmons, 1966) Live at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival (Charles Tolliver, 1972) Love Remains (Bobby Watson, 1986)