- The … Read Full Bio ↴“In a world of pretenders, Carmen Lundy is a genuine Jazz Singer”
- The Evening Standard
Carmen Lundy began her professional career in Miami, FL as a jazz vocalist and composer when there were very few young, gifted and aspiring jazz vocalists on the horizon. Over four decades later, Ms. Lundy is celebrated throughout the world for her vocal artistry and is highly regarded for her jazz innovation.
Currently on the Afrasia Productions label, Carmen is releasing her 14th album in the Fall of 2014. Almost two years in the making, “Soul To Soul” consists of new original songs by Lundy, and a few very special collaborations. The album features legendary artists - specialists on their respective instruments - including Patrice Rushen, Geri Allen, Randy Brecker, Ada Rovatti, Warren Wolf, Bennie Maupin, harpist Carol Robbins, and Simphiwe Dana, a stunning South African vocalist and composer, among others.
The highly regarded 2012 release “Changes” (Afrasia Productions) is on several ‘Top 10 Albums of 2012’ lists, and continues to garner both critical and popular acclaim. Said James Nadal of All About Jazz, “With her release of Changes, veteran singer Carmen Lundy rises to that proverbial summit to enjoy the rarefied air of the chosen few.”
Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Project - Grammy Winner for Best Jazz Vocal Album of 2011- features the Carmen Lundy composition “Show Me A Sign”, with Ms. Lundy’s original performance from the album “Solamente” reinvented on the arrangement.
Carmen has had several Top Ten albums on JazzWeek (“Jazz and the New Songbook-Live at The Madrid”, “Come Home”, and “Changes”) and a #3 spot on Billboard’s Jazz Chart for 23 weeks with her debut album “Good Morning Kiss”. Among her other awards and recognitions, especially rewarding was Miami-Dade's County Office of the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners proclaiming January 25th "Carmen Lundy Day”, along with handing Ms. Lundy the keys to the City of Miami.
Having recorded more than thirteen albums as a leader, Carmen’s far-reaching discography also includes performances and recordings with such musicians as brother and bassist Curtis Lundy, Ray Barretto, Kenny Barron, Bruce Hornsby, Mulgrew Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Kip Hanrahan, Courtney Pine, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Marian McPartland, Regina Carter, Steve Turre, Geri Allen, Robert Glasper, Patrice Rushen and the late Kenny Kirkland. Ms. Lundy’s 2005 release, the hugely successful “Jazz and The New Songbook-Live at The Madrid”, features some of the jazz world’s best known musicians paying tribute to Ms. Lundy.
Carmen Lundy’s work as a vocalist and composer has been critically acclaimed by The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Washington Post, Jazz Times, Jazziz, Downbeat and Vanity Fair among many others, as well as numerous foreign publications.
Christopher Loudon of Jazz Times writes “Carmen Lundy, as beautiful inside as out, has accomplished the near impossible for a jazz singer by maintaining a solid, successful, three-decade career while focusing largely on original, self-penned material.” And Don Heckman of The Los Angeles Times – “Lundy’s performance was the product of talent that has ripened fully. Her far-ranging, fluidly mobile voice roved through and around the melodies, and her innate sense of theatricality illuminated every layer of drama in her story-driven songs.”
As a composer, Ms. Lundy’s catalogue numbers over 100 published songs, one of the few jazz vocalists in history to accomplish such a distinction, and has led to the first publication of the Carmen Lundy Songbook (2007). Her songs have been recorded by such artists as Kenny Barron ("Quiet Times"), Ernie Watts ("At The End Of My Rope"), and Straight Ahead ("Never Gonna Let You Go"). Officially endorsed by Neumann microphones, Carmen Lundy continues to compose and expand her vast catalogue.
Her own recordings consist of 1985’s “Good Morning Kiss” (CLR/Afrasia Productions), “Moment To Moment” (Arabesque/Afrasia Productions), “Night And Day” (CBS/SONY and re-issued by Afrasia in 2011), “Old Devil Moon” (JVC), “Self Portrait” (JVC), “Something To Believe In” and “This Is Carmen Lundy” (both for Justin Time), “Jazz and The New Songbook – Live at The Madrid” (2-disc set and DVD, Afrasia Productions), “Come Home” (Afrasia), “Solamente” and the 2012 release “Changes” (Afrasia Productions). Her newest recording “Soul To Soul” is almost 2 years in the making, and will be released in the Fall of 2014 on Afrasia Productions.
www.carmenlundy.com
The Lamp is Low
Carmen Lundy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dream and watch the shadows came and go, the lamp Is low
While you linger in my arms, my lips will sigh "I love you so"
Dream the sweetest dream will ever know
Tonight the moon is high, the lamp Is low
Dream beside me in the midnight glow, the lamp Is low
Dream and watch the shadows came and go, the lamp Is low
Dream the sweetest dream will ever know
Tonight the moon is high, the lamp Is low
The lyrics of Carmen Lundy's song, "The Lamp is Low", exude feelings of love, tenderness, and intimacy. They begin with an invitation to dream together in the serene ambiance of the midnight glow where the lamp's light quivers softly, creating dancing shadows that float on the walls. The phrase "the lamp is low" serves as a metaphor for the transience of life, and how moments of passion and affection between individuals can create a sense of time standing still.
The next line speaks to the power of shared experiences, as the singer invites the listener to focus on the shadows coming and going, indicating the passing of time. The lines that follow are deeply romantic, with the singer expressing her love to the listener through a delicate sigh as they hold each other. The moment is fleeting, but the sweet dream they share will remain with them forever.
The last line, "Tonight the moon is high, the lamp is low," brings the lyrics full circle, emphasizing the beauty and fragility of the present moment. The moon serves as a reminder of the temporary nature of life, much like the light that flickers beside them, casting an ephemeral glow on their embrace.
Line by Line Meaning
Dream beside me in the midnight glow, the lamp Is low
Join me in my world and let us indulge in the serene, calm and magical atmosphere of the midnight light, made possible by the dimming lamp.
Dream and watch the shadows came and go, the lamp Is low
As we dream together, let us observe the dance of the shadows, dipping and rising to the rhythm of the soft light provided by the low lamp.
While you linger in my arms, my lips will sigh "I love you so"
As I hold you close to my heart, I cannot help but express my love for you, through the soft sighs that escape my lips.
Dream the sweetest dream will ever know
Let us dream of a reality that seems impossible, where all our deepest desires are fulfilled and we live happily ever after; a dream as sweet as it is enchanting.
Tonight the moon is high, the lamp Is low
On this particular night, the moon is shining bright, casting a beautiful glow on everything around us, while the lamp burns low, creating a sense of intimacy and closeness in the air.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JULE STYNE, SAMMY CAHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paula Williams Aycox
I have been listening to to Ms. Carmen sense 1984 only saw her once in concert. She is the absolute BEST and this is one of my many favorites .love you Carmen
Valerie Chandler
Hey P!!! Funny meeting you here. Yes, Carmen is my all time favorite!❤❤❤ I saw her at the Kennedy Center in DC about 5 years ago and she blew me away!!!😍
ekcentrik
I think Carmen Lundy's version of this beautiful song is my favorite. She brings a glorious ,almost ethereal feel to it. She makes the song flow through your being.
Michael Sutton
What incredible vocals! Beautiful!
Willie Horne
I remember seeing her in a club called SOB's in the late 80s .The band was tight and she killed it on this tune.
josh p
I LOVE this song. Such a nice voice.
POLLYANNA BABY CHANNEL
... the crackling of the vinyl is so nostalgic of a state of mind. <3
Andrew Mcintosh
Such a talent so beautiful the arrangements speak for themselves and she has this smooth gentle voice that smash the arse out of classic just go Carmen x
Swing Journal
Carmen Lundy is a fantastic singer and "The Lamp is Low" is my favorite jazz standard. The melody was borrowed from Ravel's "Pavan for a Deceased Infanta". I recorded "The Lamp is Low" as well and I could release it in USA not be able to release it in Japan because of Ravel's copyright.
Chester Field
Sweet Jesus how good is she?? This tune is out of this world.