Pianist and vocalist Barbara Carroll (1925 – 2017) was a celebrated musician who performed and recorded prolifically over seven decades. After moving to New York in 1947, Carroll launched her career as one of the first female bebop players. For a remarkable 25 years, she played at Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel, securing her place in the hearts of Manhattan jazz lovers. On this 1991 Piano Jazz, McPartland exclaims that the two are “survivors of this thing,” in regard to their extensive careers as women musicians. They reminisce about the early days of their friendship, and Carroll plays an original dedicated to Bill Evans, “Too Soon.”
Full episode: https://www.npr.org/2018/07/05/625365105/barbara-carroll-on-piano-jazz
On NPR: https://www.npr.org/2017/02/17/515787395/remembering-barbara-carroll-the-first-lady-of-jazz-piano