I'm Coming Home Again is a double studio album by American singer Carmen McRae, released in March 1980 by Buddah Records. It was produced by Vic Cirumbolo and arranged by Mario Sprouse and Terri Gonzalez. The album was also re-released under the name Ms. Magic with selected tracks and a different cover.

I'm Coming Home Again
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 1980 (1980-03)
RecordedNovember–December 1979[1]
StudioColumbia Recording Studios, New York City
GenreVocal jazz
Length1:15:26
LabelBuddah
ProducerVic Chirumbolo
Carmen McRae chronology
Jazz Gala 79
(1979)
I'm Coming Home Again
(1980)
Two for the Road
(1980)

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
     [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [4]

Cash Box magazine noted that "McRae is one of the most unique song stylists in jazz, with a gruff yet satin voice, expressive phrasing and great story-telling depth. I'm Coming Home Again finds McRae in lush, sympathetic settings that recall the halycon days of Creed Taylor's CTI productions, several of these highly-arranged songs have great black contemporary and adult contemporary potential."[5] A Record World magazine reviewer stated that MacRae "is in excellent form here. Backed by an all-star gathering of talent, such as Freddie Hubbard, Buster Williams and Hubert Laws, she effortlessly glides through this varied material. This double LP package is a must for jazz airplay and should have a place on all R&B stations that play just good music."[6] Ron Wynn of AllMusic, commenting on the "stripped-down" reissue, stated that it is "a good compilation of obscure cuts from McRae in different contexts."[3]

Track listing

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Side A
  1. "I'm Coming Home Again" (Bruce Roberts, Carole Bayer Sager) – 4:18
  2. "Burst in With the Dawn" (Al Jarreau) – 4:34
  3. "I Need You in My Life" (Arthur and Charlotte Schlosser) – 3:58
  4. "Come in from the Rain" (Melissa Manchester, Carole Bayer Sager) – 4:18
Side B
  1. "I Won't Last a Day Without You" (Roger Nichols, Paul Williams) – 7:06
  2. "Won'tcha Stay With Me" (Henry E. Davis) – 6:10
  3. "Mr. Magic I" (Ralph MacDonald, William Salter) – 4:54
Side C
  1. "Everything Must Change" (Benard Ighner) – 9:10
  2. "Sweet Alibis" (Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager) – 4:50
  3. "The Masquerade Is Over" (Herbert Magidson, Allie Wrubel) – 4:41
  4. "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" (Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager) – 4:35
Side D
  1. "Mr. Magic II" (Ralph MacDonald, William Salter) – 14:09
  2. "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel) – 7:40

Personnel

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Charts

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Chart performance for I'm Coming Home Again
Chart (1980) Peak
position
US Best Selling Jazz LPs (Billboard)[7] 20

References

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  1. ^ "Carmen McRae The 1970's". Jazz Discography. August 22, 2006. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  2. ^ "Carmen McRae - I'm Coming Home Again". AllMusic. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "Ms. Magic Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  4. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "McRae, Carmen". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1561592371.
  5. ^ "Jazz Album Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. New York: The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc. April 12, 1980. ISSN 0008-7289.
  6. ^ "Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. New York: Record World Pub. Co. March 29, 1980. p. 127. ISSN 0034-1622.
  7. ^ "Carmen McRae: Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
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