Black Coffee

During the early ’50s, Peggy Lee rode high on the strength of her own taste into stardom – she was a glamorous beacon whose sultry voice gave her performances a shimmering eroticism. Black Coffee may be the greatest album of her genuine “concept albums.” Originally recorded in 1953, Lee turned Black Coffee into a jazz project – something no other mainstream pop singer had done up to that point. It was so successful that three years later, Decca asked her to expand it into the newer 12″ format. Many years later, she named this album as her own favorite. The songs in this collection reveal Peggy Lee at her most captivating. Here she displays a versatility which matches her wonderful vitality, emphasizing the quality of her voice as well as the music.