Talk To Me – Ray Bryant & Tina May
This is the vocal version of Ray's beautiful minor blues, "I Don't Care"—a tricky tune to sing but definitely worth it.
- Recording: Tina May & Ray Bryant - The Ray Bryant Songbook
- Recorded on: November 23, 2002
- Label: 33Jazz (150)
- Concert Key: A minor, G minor
- Vocal Range: Mezzo Soprano, D3 to E-flat5
- Style: Swing (medium)
- Vocal - Tina May
- Piano - Ray Bryant
- Trumpet - Don Sickler
- Alto Sax - Bobby Porcelli
- Tenor Sax - Patience Higgins
- Baritone Sax - Jay Brandford
- Bass - Tim Givens
- Drums - Vince Cherico
- Arranger - Don Sickler
Lyric Description: In playful contrast to Ray Bryant's original instrumental title, "I Don't Care," Tina's lyrics delineate a relationship between the singer, a compassionate and empathic prospective lover, and his or her beautiful but struggling love interest. The lyrics seductively encourage said love interest to open up and to share intimate emotions.
Minus You version: The accompaniment-only Minus You track has two open choruses for vocal solos. There's an instrumental introduction of four and a half bars which is not heard on the audio clip above; the melody starts on the pick up to the fifth complete bar. Click on the Minus You tab to hear how it works with the introduction.
Since the ensemble horns are included in the Minus You MP3 it's a good opportunity to get used to singing with an ensemble playing an arrangement behind the vocalist.
Additional vocal range: Key of A: E3-F5 [mezzo soprano]. This song has a very large range.
If another key would be better for you, send the key you'd like to Don and we'll post the transposition on the website for purchase. If you're not sure which key is best, send us your range and we'll work with you to figure out the best key.
Vocalist Tina May created a lyric for this surprisingly challenging melody, which oscillates between a laid back and a fast-moving structure. Ray loved her lyrics, and she sang it on the "Ray Bryant Songbook" CD which she and Ray recorded in 2002. They recorded this minor blues in Tina's key of G minor.
Ray Bryant's original composition (I Don't Care) was recorded instrumentally by the Cannonball Adderley Orchestra. Ray Bryant didn't record the tune himself until over 30 years after he wrote it, but it found its way into the hearts of other jazz greats, such as pianist Junior Mance
, long before that.Since the ensemble horns are included in the Minus You MP3 it's a good opportunity to get used to singing with an ensemble playing an arrangement behind the vocalist.
Additional vocal range: Key of A: E3-F5 [mezzo soprano]. This song has a very large range.
If another key would be better for you, send the key you'd like to Don and we'll post the transposition on the website for purchase. If you're not sure which key is best, send us your range and we'll work with you to figure out the best key.
Ray Bryant
December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011
Following performances in his native Philadelphia with guitarist Tiny Grimes and as house pianist at the Blue Note Club with Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Miles Davis and others, Ray Bryant came to New York in the mid-1950s. His first jazz recording session in New York was with Toots Thielemans (August, 1955) for Columbia Records. That session led to his own trio sessions as well as sessions with vocalist Betty Carter for Epic Records in May and June ("Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant"). On August 5, 1955, Ray recorded with Miles Davis, and on December 2, 1955, with Sonny Rollins, both for Prestige Records. Read more...
Tina May
March 30, 1961 – March 26, 2022
Influenced at an early age by her collection of Duke Ellington and Fats Waller records, May has become one of the finest jazz vocalists and lyricists the U.K. has produced. After heading her own Back Door Theatre Company in the early ‘80s, she established herself as a chanteuse in Paris, forming her first quartet in 1989. She has released seven albums under the U.K. record label 33Jazz, becoming a featured soloist in distinguished jazz events and venues including the Duke Ellington mass, London jazz club, and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Club in Paris. She frequently appears on BBC radio and television. Read more...