Abbey Lincoln, born in Chicago in 1930, was a jazz vocalist and songwriter, who also became an actress and civil rights activist during the 1960s, and was married to renowned jazz drummer Max Roach. Greatly influenced by Billie Holiday, her stock-in-trade was the delivery of heartfelt versions of classic standards, as well as seamlessly interpolating her vocals into extended jazz improvisations. Scott Yanow at allmusic.com calls her “A dramatic performer whose interpretations were full of truth and insight – she always meant the lyrics she sang”. 

This 53-track collection features all the titles from albums at the start of her career, “A Story of A Girl In Love” on Liberty, “That’s Him”, “It’s Magic” and “Abbey Is Blue” on Riverside, “Straight Ahead” on Candid, and selected titles from the Max Roach albums “Moon-faced And Starry-eyed” on Mercury, and “Percussion Bitter Sweet” on Impulse. It features recordings with some of the noted jazz musicians of the era, including The Benny Carter Orchestra, and in the small groups, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Rollins, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Max Roach, Benny Golson, Philly Joe Jones, Stanley Turrentine, Ray Bryant, Booker Little, Eric Dolphy and others. 

She was a highly distinctive song stylist and this is an enlightening and enjoyable showcase for an artist who is sometimes referred to as the last of the great jazz singers.

CD 1
1. LOVE WALKED IN Abbey Lincoln 
2. I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT YOU Abbey Lincoln 
3. WOULD I LOVE YOU Abbey Lincoln 
4. I WAKE UP SMILING Abbey Lincoln 
5. THIS CAN'T BE LOVE Abbey Lincoln 
6. CRAZY HE CALLS ME Abbey Lincoln 
7. TWO CIGARETTES IN THE DARK Abbey Lincoln 
8. THE MASQUERADE IS OVER Abbey Lincoln 
9. TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS Abbey Lincoln 
10. TOGETHER Abbey Lincoln 
11. AFFAIR Abbey Lincoln 
12. NO MORE Abbey Lincoln 
From the album “A Story of A Girl In Love” Liberty  LRP3025  1957
13. STRONG MAN Abbey Lincoln 
14. HAPPINESS IS A THING CALLED JOE Abbey Lincoln 
15. MY MAN Abbey Lincoln 
16. TENDER AS A ROSE Abbey Lincoln 
17. THAT'S HIM Abbey Lincoln 
18. I MUST HAVE THAT MAN Abbey Lincoln 
19. PORGY Abbey Lincoln 
20. WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN Abbey Lincoln 
21. DON'T EXPLAIN Abbey Lincoln
From the album “That's Him!”    Riverside    RLP 12-251   1957

CD 2
1. CAN’T HELP LOVIN’ DAT MAN Abbey Lincoln 
From the album “That's Him!”    Riverside    RLP 12-251   1957
2. I AM IN LOVE Abbey Lincoln 
3. IT'S MAGIC Abbey Lincoln 
4. JUST FOR ME Abbey Lincoln 
5. AN OCCASIONAL MAN Abbey Lincoln 
6. AIN'T NOBODY'S BUSINESS Abbey Lincoln 
7. OUT OF THE PAST Abbey Lincoln 
8. MUSIC, MAESTRO, PLEASE Abbey Lincoln 
9. LOVE Abbey Lincoln 
10. EXACTLY LIKE YOU Abbey Lincoln 
11. LITTLE NILES Abbey Lincoln 
From the album “It's Magic”  Riverside  RLP 12-277    1958
12. AFRO-BLUE Abbey Lincoln 
13. LONELY HOUSE Abbey Lincoln 
14. LET UP Abbey Lincoln 
15. THURSDAY'S CHILD Abbey Lincoln 
16. BROTHER, WHERE ARE YOU? Abbey Lincoln 
17. LAUGH, CLOWN, LAUGH Abbey Lincoln 
18. COME SUNDAY Abbey Lincoln 
19. SOFTLY, AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE Abbey Lincoln 
20. LONG AS YOU'RE LIVING Abbey Lincoln
From the album “Abbey Is Blue”   Riverside    RLP 1153 1959

CD 3
1. LOST IN THE STARS Abbey Lincoln 
From the album “Abbey Is Blue”   Riverside    RLP 1153     1959
2. I CONCENTRATE ON YOU Abbey Lincoln 
3. NEVER LEAVE ME Abbey Lincoln 
From the album “Moon Faced and Starry Eyed”  Max Roach 
Mercury SR60215  1960
4. STRAIGHT AHEAD Abbey Lincoln 
5. WHEN MALINDY SINGS Abbey Lincoln 
6. IN THE RED Abbey Lincoln 
7. BLUE MONK Abbey Lincoln 
8. LEFT ALONE Abbey Lincoln 
9. AFRICAN LADY Abbey Lincoln 
10. RETRIBUTION Abbey Lincoln 
From the album “Straight Ahead”  Candid   CJM8015   1961
11. GARVEY'S GHOST Abbey Lincoln 
12. MENDACITY Abbey Lincoln
From the album “Percussion Bitter Sweet”    Max Roach 
Impulse    A-8   1961