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Blues Cross Country

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Blues Cross Country
Studio album by
Released1962
Recorded1962
GenreVocal jazz
Length36:24
LabelCapitol ST 1671
ProducerDave Cavanaugh
Peggy Lee chronology
If You Go
(1961)
Blues Cross Country
(1962)
Bewitching-Lee
(1962)

Blues Cross Country is a 1962 studio album by Peggy Lee, principally arranged by Quincy Jones, with some arrangements by Benny Carter. The album can be described as a concept album, consisting of a musical journey across the United States through swinging blues songs, many of which were written by Lee with other contributors.[1]

Blues Cross Country was the second of Lee's two albums featuring arrangements by Jones. He had also arranged her previous studio album, If You Go (1961).

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

Blues Cross Country received good reviews at the time of its release from both Billboard magazine in March 1962, and Time magazine in May 1962.[citation needed] Billboard wrote that "Peggy's back, and this time in a blues mood - with sad blues, happy blues and swinging blues. She sings them in her own delightful style aided muchly by the fine arrangements of ork [sic] leader Quincy Jones. .. The album's a gas".[3]

The Allmusic review by William Ruhlmann awarded the album four stars and commented that "Though Jones' arrangements are often a touch brassier than the blues standards can handle, Lee contributes just the right blend of vigor and feeling to the songs"[1]

Track listing

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  1. "Kansas City" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 2:29
  2. "Basin Street Blues" (Spencer Williams) - 3:04
  3. "Los Angeles Blues" (Peggy Lee, Quincy Jones) - 2:38
  4. "I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City" (Johnny Lange, Leon Rene) - 2:53
  5. "The Grain Belt Blues" (Lee, Milt Raskin, Bill Schugler) - 1:52
  6. "New York City Blues" (Jones, Lee) - 3:21
  7. "Goin' to Chicago Blues" (Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing) - 2:37
  8. "San Francisco Blues" (Lee, Raskin) - 2:37
  9. "Fisherman's Wharf" (Lee, Raskin) - 3:11
  10. "Boston Beans" (Lee, Raskin, Schugler) - 2:05
  11. "The Train Blues" (Jones, Lee) - 2:42
  12. "Saint Louis Blues" (W. C. Handy) - 2:15
Bonus tracks issued on the 1999 CD release
  1. "Hey, Look Me Over!" (Cy Coleman, Carolyn Leigh) - 1:55
  2. "The Shining Sea" (Lee, Johnny Mandel) - 2:45

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Blues Cross Country". Allmusic. Retrieved March 18, 2011.
  2. ^ Allmusic review
  3. ^ "Blues Cross Country". Billboard Music Week. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 17, 1962. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. ^ https://www.discogs.com/release/15858483-Peggy-Lee-Blues-Cross-Country/image/SW1hZ2U6NjA4OTM5NzQ= [bare URL]
  5. ^ https://www.discogs.com/release/15858483-Peggy-Lee-Blues-Cross-Country/image/SW1hZ2U6NjA4OTM5NzQ= [bare URL]