In 1958,
Sammy Davis, Jr. and
Carmen McRae met up to create one of the most charming and lovable duet records you are liable to hear in a lifetime of listening.
Boy Meets Girl is an unmitigated joy from beginning to end and arguably might be even better than anything produced by the legendary pairing of
Ella Fitzgerald and
Louis Armstrong. That's for the experts to worry about, though. Everyone else should just sit back and enjoy the duo tackle some of the best tunes big-time writers like
Cole Porter,
Hoagy Carmichael, and
Jerome Kern had to offer, classics like "You're the Top," "Cheek to Cheek," "A Fine Romance," and "Two Sleepy People." Swinging easily throughout, they sound like two pals who are having the time of their lives.
Davis goofs his way through the album, casting asides like a wisecracking kid, while
McRae sails along like the consummate pro she always is. They achieve a perfect balance between sophisticated charm (
McRae) and eager-to-please hamminess (
Davis) and the record is a joy from beginning to end. Of particular note are their take on "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (where
Davis cracks
McRae up a couple of times), the very romantic "There's a Small Hotel" (which shows the pair weren't all laughs but had some emotional depth too), and their lighthearted romp through "You're the Top." There are no weak tracks to be found and the record is truly a hidden gem any vocal jazz fans worth their salt should strive to seek out.