Blues Cross Country


Blues Cross Country is a 1962 studio album by the American singer and songwriter Peggy Lee, principally arranged by Quincy Jones, with some arrangements by Benny Carter. The album can be described as a concept album, consisting of a musical journey across the United States through swinging blues songs, many of which were written by Lee with other contributors.
Blues Cross Country was the second of Lee's two albums featuring arrangements by Jones. He had also arranged her previous studio album, If You Go.

Critical reception

Blues Cross Country received good reviews at the time of its release from both Billboard magazine in March 1962, and Time magazine in May 1962. Billboard wrote that "Peggy's back, and this time in a blues mood—with sad blues, happy blues and swinging blues. She sings them in her own delightful style aided muchly by the fine arrangements of ork leader Quincy Jones. ... The album's a gas".
The AllMusic review by William Ruhlmann awarded the album four stars and commented that "Though Jones' arrangements are often a touch brassier than the blues standards can handle, Lee contributes just the right blend of vigor and feeling to the songs"

Track listing

  1. "Kansas City" – 2:29
  2. "Basin Street Blues" – 3:04
  3. "Los Angeles Blues" – 2:38
  4. "I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City" – 2:53
  5. "The Grain Belt Blues" – 1:52
  6. "New York City Blues" – 3:21
  7. "Goin' to Chicago Blues" – 2:37
  8. "San Francisco Blues" – 2:37
  9. "Fisherman's Wharf" – 3:11
  10. "Boston Beans" – 2:05
  11. "The Train Blues" – 2:42
  12. "Saint Louis Blues" – 2:15
;Bonus tracks issued on the 1999 CD release
  2. "Hey, Look Me Over" – 1:55
  3. "The Shining Sea" – 2:45

    Personnel