With A Compilation As Good As This, You Can't Go Wrong! This Is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg!
"At the end of the '20s, into the '30s and '40s, there was a revolution in popular music that will never be topped. Like a renaissance period that was pure and magic, it will become our classical music, and it turns out to be the Great American Songbook." ~ Tony Bennett ~
If there are singers who have every right to do a compilation of their most remarkable recordings of standards known as the Great American Songbook, Tony Bennett is surely one of them, no ifs and buts, without questions! And this CD, "Tony Bennett Sings The Ultimate American Songbook, Volume I" is just the tip of the iceberg. Volume I boasts of 15 most-loved songs taken from a dozen of different albums that he recorded between 1958 and 1997 with a crew of the finest musicians you can ever hope for to make these recordings as grand as possible and as everlasting as time - to name a few, Count Basie Orchestra, The Ralph Sharon Trio, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Torrie Zito and Frank DeVol.
Kudos to compilation producer Didier Deutsch who did a lovely job in the repertoire, which starts off in a swinging fashion with "Anything Goes," a Cole Porter gem from Broadway musical of the same title. Mr. Bennett's marvelous treatment of Ray Noble's "The Very Thought Of You," which was originally released in 1966 is among the best interpretations ever recorded. It is sung as beautiful as a bouquet of delicate pink roses! I savored each and every note from the first to the last! And I was blown away by the gorgeous and elegant orchestral arrangement by Cyril Ornadel and the splendid cornet solo by Bobby Hackett.
He gives a delightful twist to the music of Jerome Kern and a charming reading of the lyric of Dorothy Fields in my all-time favorite "The Way You Look Tonight." The utmost confidence and distinctive vocal style that Mr. Bennett project are presented in the best tracks such as "It Had To Be You," "You Go To My Head" and "A Foggy Day." He puts a lot of verve in the swingiest track, "Taking A Chance On Love," with Count Basie And His Orchestra. Torrie Zito, one of the most remarkable Sinatra arrangers, has written an enchanting chart arrangement with his usual trademark - a touch of Debussy to the timeless gem by George and Ira Gershwin, "They Can't Take That Away From Me" making it as one of the highlights from this collection. Ditto with "I'll Be Seeing You," "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Moonglow," a wonderful and flawless duet with k.d. lang.
With the backing of jazz greats Dave Brubeck (piano), Paul Desmond (alto sax), Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums), Tony Bennett sings with elan, and the group exuberantly jazzified Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen's chestnut "That Old Black Magic."
Another Cole Porter classic was interpreted with a heartfelt poignancy that goes with the reading of the lyric, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye." Its stylish and sophisticated orchestral arrangement was done by Frank DeVol.
"When you're near
There's such an air of spring about it
I can hear a lark somewhere
Begin to sing about it
There's no love song finer
But how strange the change from major to minor
Ev'ry time we say goodbye."
Although this is not a CD of new recordings, with a compilation as good as this, you can't go wrong! I'll certainly look forward to succeeding volume(s)!
Timeless music from a timeless artist to enjoy now and forever!