Blues Cross Country is a 1962
studio album by
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.[1]
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 (1961).
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.[citation needed]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 [sic] leader Quincy Jones. .. The album's a gas".[3]
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"[1]