Tony Bennett & Diana Krall - Love Is Here To Stay (With The Bill Charlap Trio)

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
Time: 36:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:50) 1. 'S Wonderful
(2:48) 2. My One And Only
(3:05) 3. But Not For Me
(2:45) 4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(4:26) 5. Love Is Here To Stay
(1:57) 6. I Got Rhythm
(3:40) 7. Somebody Loves Me
(2:53) 8. Do It Again
(3:58) 9. I’ve Got A Crush On You
(2:41) 10. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:23) 11. They Can’t Take That Away From Me
(1:56) 12. Who Cares?

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall's partnership didn't begin with the 2018 duets album Love Is Here to Stay. Krall popped up on two prior duets albums from Bennett and the pair toured at the dawn of the 2000s, but Love Is Here to Stay marks their first full record together, and it's an elegant affair.

Conceived as a tribute to George Gershwin, the album is filled with familiar tunes, but hints of imagination lurk around the edges, such as the revival of "Fascinating Rhythm," the tune Bennett recorded for his first single in 1949. Nearly 70 years separate that version of "Fascinating Rhythm" from this 2018 rendition, and while Bennett certainly sounds older his voice is slightly raspy, he can't hit the high notes the way he used to, nor does he sing with quite as much force he still sounds spry and commanding, happily dancing through these cozy melodies, singing with as much rhythm as lyricism. “

Krall responds in kind, trading staccato phrases that are slyly complementary to Bennett's own. In the Bill Charlap Trio, the pair have empathetic support, keeping the proceedings both light and lush, helping to turn this album into a charming testament to endurance endurance of the Gershwin catalog, the collaboration between Krall and Bennett, and, especially, how Tony Bennett can still sound completely committed to songs he's spent decades singing.By Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-here-to-stay-mw0003196487#review“

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall's partnership didn't begin with the 2018 duets album Love Is Here to Stay. Krall popped up on two prior duets albums from Bennett and the pair toured at the dawn of the 2000s, but Love Is Here to Stay marks their first full record together, and it's an elegant affair.“

Personnel: Tony Bennett – vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4–12); Diana Krall – vocals (tracks 1–11); arrangement (track 3).

The Bill Charlap Trio: Bill Charlap – piano, arrangement (all tracks); Peter Washington – bass (tracks 1, 2, 4–12); Kenny Washington – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4–12)“

Love Is Here To Stay (With The Bill Charlap Trio)

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Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Cheek To Cheek

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:20
Size: 115,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:03)  1. Anything Goes
(2:50)  2. Cheek to Cheek
(2:36)  3. Don't Wait Too Long
(3:13)  4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:08)  5. Nature Boy
(2:11)  6. Goody Goody
(3:10)  7. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(1:57)  8. Firefly
(3:56)  9. I Won't Dance
(1:48) 10. They All Laughed
(4:14) 11. Lush Life
(3:49) 12. Sophisticated Lady
(2:06) 13. Let's Face the Music and Dance
(4:04) 14. But Beautiful
(2:23) 15. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:43) 16. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) [Live from Frederick P. Rose Hall, New York 2014]

Lady Gaga has flat-out said that recording the jazz standards album Cheek To Cheek with the legendary Tony Bennett saved her from possible artistic death. It’s the culmination of a lifelong love affair with jazz, which Gaga has said she started singing when she was 13 years old. So, how does Gaga rate next to Bennett, who was well into his second (or third) career resurgence when she was born? Despite the 60-year age difference between the “Applause” singer and the vocal legend, on the 11-track album the pair sound like a match made in heaven. They flawlessly merge their unique styles and show off a charming in-studio rapport that totally translates to the collection of jazz and pop vocal standards. ~ Gil Kaufman  http://www.mtv.com/news/1931065/lady-gaga-tony-bennett-cheek-to-cheek-review-breakdown/

Cheek to Cheek

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Tony Bennett - Here's To The Ladies

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:35
Size: 153,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:41) 1. People
(3:50) 2. I'm In Love Again
(3:56) 3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
(5:10) 4. My Love Went To London
(5:40) 5. Poor Butterfly
(3:27) 6. Sentimental Journey
(4:42) 7. Cloudy Morning
(3:45) 8. Tenderly
(2:09) 9. Down In The Depths
(2:52) 10. Moonlight In Vermont
(4:04) 11. Tangerine
(2:49) 12. God Bless The Child
(3:42) 13. Daybreak
(5:29) 14. You Showed Me The Way
(2:55) 15. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:24) 16. Maybe This Time
(1:58) 17. I Got Rhythm
(1:55) 18. My Ideal

For years, it was rumored that Frank Sinatra was going to record an album called Here's to the Ladies, but the Chairman of the Board never got around to actually making the record. However, Tony Bennett did and his record covers a wider range of artists and styles than Sinatra's scheduled record. Naturally, Bennett turns in a thoroughly entertaining, professional performance. It's a solid contribution to his impressively assured and diverse comeback. By Stephen Thomas Erlewine
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/heres-to-the-ladies-mr0000372200

Personnel: Tony Bennett – vocals; Ralph Sharon – piano; Clayton Cameron – drums; Doug Richeson – double bass; Lew Soloff – trumpet solos; unidentified session orchestra and big band (except for tracks 8, 10, 12, 16, 17 & 18); Jorge Calandrelli – arranger, conductor of the orchestral charts (tracks 2, 4–7, 13–15); Bill Holman – arranger, conductor of the Big Band charts (tracks 1, 3, 9, 11)

R.I.P.

Born: August 3, 1926, Long Island City, New York, United States
Died: July 21, 2023, New York, New York, United States

Here's To The Ladies

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Dave Brubeck & Tony Bennett - The White House Sessions, Live 1962

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:50
Size: 145,3 MB
Art: Front

( 0:52)  1. Introduction Of Dave Brubeck Quartet
( 5:27)  2. Take Five
( 1:19)  3. Band Introduction
(11:09)  4. Nomad
( 8:25)  5. Thank You (Dziekuje)
( 8:49)  6. Castilian Blues
( 0:34)  7. Introduction
( 1:59)  8. Just In Time
( 3:00)  9. Small World
( 2:31) 10. Make Someone Happy
( 1:17) 11. Rags To Riches
( 2:45) 12. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
( 3:37) 13. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
( 1:59) 14. Lullaby Of Broadway
( 2:10) 15. Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)
( 3:20) 16. That Old Black Magic
( 3:29) 17. There Will Never Be Another You

Since both were performing their own sets at the White House Seminar American Jazz Concert on the Sylvan Theater grounds on August 28, 1962, Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck decided to perform an impromptu collaborative set together that day, and although one song from it was eventually released, a version of "That Old Black Magic," the rest of the hour-or-so-long tape ended up lost in the vast Sony catalog vault, filed, as it turned out, with several classical tapes, until it surfaced again shortly after Brubeck's death in 2012. Now finally available, it reveals two master performers at the very top of their respective games. Bennett's signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," had been released only a couple of weeks before the concert, while Brubeck's "Take Five" had just begun to take on its iconic significance. 

Brubeck and his quartet, Paul Desmond on alto sax, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums, played a four-song set, followed by a six-song set from Bennett and his band, with Ralph Sharon on piano, Hal Gaylor on bass, and Billy Exiner on drums. Then came an unrehearsed and impromptu four-song set from Bennett and Brubeck, with Wright on bass and Morello on drums (alto saxophonist Desmond sat out) that included versions of "That Old Black Magic" (the only track previously released before this), "Lullaby of Broadway," "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)," and "There Will Never Be Another You," each of which purveys a loose, fun elegance that makes this archival find a true treasure. Bennett and Brubeck would not perform together again until both appeared and briefly reunited on-stage at the 2009 Newport Jazz Festival. By Steve Leggett  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-white-house-sessions-live-1962-mw0002529832

Tony Bennett - Blue Velvet

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:05
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:03) 1. Blue Velvet
(2:47) 2. I Won't Cry Anymore
(3:10) 3. Have A Good Time
(3:01) 4. Congratulations To Someone
(3:06) 5. Here Comes That Heartache Again
(2:23) 6. While We're Young
(3:20) 7. Solitaire
(3:07) 8. My Heart Won't Say Goodbye
(2:52) 9. Until Yesterday
(3:08) 10. Funny Thing
(3:14) 11. May I Never Love Again
(2:49) 12. It's So Peaceful In The Country

Through Tony Bennett's long, remarkable career, it's possible to trace the evolution and endurance of vocal pop and jazz in the 20th century. Unlike his idol Frank Sinatra, Bennett was too young to be part of the first wave of the Great American Songbook in the years before World War II. He achieved his national breakthrough in 1951, when the charts were dominated by soft-focused orchestral pop and novelties, music that Bennett himself would often sing during his early years.

Occasionally, he was given the opportunity to sing jazz while recording for Columbia in the '50s, but it was a pop song that turned him into a superstar in 1962: "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," a song styled after the classic pop of the pre-war era. "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" turned into an enduring standard of the 20th century but, for a while, its popularity eclipsed that of the singer who popularized the tune. Bennett didn't weather the '60s well, thanks to record companies who attempted to modernize his sound, and while he had an artistically fruitfully '70s on his short-lived independent label Improv, he recorded albums with pianist Bill Evans that established his jazz bona fides he suffered a series of personal problems that left him at rock bottom at the dawn of the '80s.

It was then he achieved one of the greatest comebacks in pop music history. Hiring his son Danny as his manager, he reunited with his music director/pianist Ralph Sharon and began targeting younger audiences without shedding his longtime fans. This strategy paid off in the '90s, when 1992's Perfectly Frank topped Billboard's jazz charts and went Gold. Bennett's crossover to the pop mainstream seemed to culminate with 1994's MTV Unplugged, an unexpected hit that took home the Grammy for Album of the Year, but it turned out his revival was no flash in the pan. Bennett stayed in the spotlight until the '90s, not only maintaining his audience but building it through a series of duets with stars as diverse as Lady Gaga and Diana Krall. His partners may have changed along with the times, but through it all, Bennett remained a skilled, charismatic practitioner and vocal advocate for classic American pop.

The son of a grocer, Tony Bennett was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926. Raised in Astoria, Queens by Italian emigrates his father John was a recent arrival from Reggio Calabria, his mother Anna was born to natives of the Calabria region who headed to the States in 1899 Bennett suffered from poverty and ill fortune as a child, yet he also cultivated an interest in art and music. By the time his father died when Tony was ten, he was already singing professionally, notably performing alongside Mayor Fiorello La Guardia at the opening of the Triborough Bridge in 1936. As a teenager, Bennett had several gigs as a singing waiter and he enrolled in New York's School of Industrial Art, studying music and painting. When times got tight in his family, he dropped out of school to support his mother and siblings, making money once again as a singing waiter.

Bennett was drafted into the Army in 1944, during the final year of World War II. Stationed in Europe, he saw combat in France and Germany; he was also part of the liberation of a Nazi concentration camp outside of Landsberg. Staying in Germany as part of the occupying force, he sang in a Special Services band before his discharge in 1946. Upon returning home, he attended the American Theatre Wing under the G.I. Bill, all the while working as a singing waiter.

During 1949, Bennett's career began to take off. While working under the stage name Joe Bari, he recorded a version of George & Ira Gershwin's "Fascinating Rhythm" for Leslie, a single that didn't go anywhere but did coincide with the singer catching the attention of Pearl Bailey. She hired him to open for her at a Greenwich Village concert, which was attended by comedian Bob Hope. Taken by the singer then known as Joe Bari, Hope invited the vocalist on tour on the provision he change his name. Deeming Anthony Bendedetto too long for a marquee, Hope shortened the singer's name to Tony Bennett.

Things began to happen quickly for Bennett after this point. In 1950, he recorded a demo of "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams," on the basis of which Mitch Miller signed him to Columbia Records. The label was steeling itself for the departure of Frank Sinatra, who feuded often with Miller. Bennett eased into his vacancy by singing chart-friendly pop tunes, starting with "Because of You," which was buttressed by an arrangement by Percy Faith. It reached number one in September 1951, followed quickly by a cover of Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." This single also reached number one, its success often cited as elevating Hank Williams' reputation outside of the South and country music circles. "Cold Cold Heart" also proved Bennett wasn't a one-hit wonder, either.

During 1952, he racked up three hit singles, the biggest of which was "Here in My Heart," which peaked at 15, and he reached the top of the charts again in 1953 with "Rags to Riches," which was followed quickly by the number two single "Stranger in Paradise," a song taken from the Broadway musical Kismet. Bennett charted regularly over the next two years, with a handful of songs breaking into the Top 10 "There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight" and "Cinnamon Sinner," both from 1954 before the pop charts were changed irrevocably in 1956 by the rise of rock & roll. More... By Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tony-bennett-mn0000006334/biography

Blue Velvet

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Tony Bennett - I Wanna Be Around

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:32
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1963
Art: Front

[2:14] 1. The Good Life
[3:18] 2. If I Love Again
[2:10] 3. I Wanna Be Around..
[1:44] 4. I've Got Your Number
[2:51] 5. Until I Met You
[1:59] 6. Once Upon A Summertime
[2:14] 7. If You Were Mine
[2:26] 8. I Will Live My Life For You
[1:57] 9. Someone To Love
[3:04] 10. It Was Me
[3:15] 11. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)
[2:14] 12. Autumn In Rome
[2:55] 13. The Way That I Feel
[2:13] 14. The Moment Of Truth
[1:59] 15. Got Her Off My Hands (But Can't Get Her Off My Mind)
[2:41] 16. 'long About Now
[3:21] 17. Young And Foolish (From 'Plain And Fancy')
[1:47] 18. Tricks

While there is no shortage of masterful Tony Bennett albums, the Bennett of the 1960s is one of the most finely honed voices of popular music. 'I Wanna Be Around' shades more toward the 'popular' (soft swing) style than jazz, but delivers two of the singer's signature numbers and much more. 'The Good Life' and the title track are inextricably part of the Bennett story - combining a bit of the soaring, almost operatic passages with the almost conversational. Throughout, you can sense these songs fit the singer like a custom tailored suit. I agree with one of the other reviewers -- if 'I Wanna Be Around' doesn't have you reaching for the 'repeat' button, you're really missing something special.

The songs are fully up to the performance, plenty of Johnny Mercer numbers, plus Coleman and Leigh's pleasing 'I've Got Your Number' which finds singer phrasing some clever lyrics in tempo with the arrangement that neither buries the singer nor buries him in excess accompaniment. Not as jazz-touched as 'I Wanna Be Around', but another example of a singer at his peak. The original album seems to have the better music, but the performances on the additional tracks from the 'This is All I Ask' album are a satisfying way to round out the otherwise short featured collection.
Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'Corcovado' -- a huge hit for Stan Getz and later interpreted by Sinatra on his album with Jobim -- seems less perfect. Beautiful song, sensational voice, but Bennett seems to grope his way through a few of the English lyrics. Fault the lyrics, translated from Portuguese -- they're not up to the music. Sinatra performs it wonderfully on his 1967 album, maybe because he was nearly 30 years into his career and Bennett was young on this 1962 version.

This may be too much detail for most people. The bottom line is that even Sinatra considered Tony Bennett the best popular singer of the century, and it is difficult NOT to reach that conclusion. All of his albums from this era -- including the concert at Carnegie Hall -- are a real treat. Highly recommended. ~Jon Warshawsky/Amazon

I Wanna Be Around

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Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett - Vocal Encounters

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:02
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. That Old Black Magic
(3:14)  2. Summer Song
(3:58)  3. My Melancholy Baby (with Jimmy Rushing)
(1:56)  4. It's a Raggy Waltz
(3:06)  5. The Real Ambassador
(2:37)  6. My One Bad Habit
(3:17)  7. Because All Men Are Brothers
(2:06)  8. There'll Be Some Changes Made
(2:48)  9. Weep No More
(4:38) 10. Cultural Exchange
(2:54) 11. Travelin' Blues - Live
(3:21) 12. Ain't Misbehavin' (with Jimmy Rushing)
(5:27) 13. They Say I Look Like God
(2:29) 14. In The Lurch
(2:21) 15. Autumn In Our Town
(2:31) 16. Since Love Had Its Way
(4:37) 17. Blues in the Dark (with Jimmy Rushing)
(2:15) 18. Take Five (with The Dave Brubeck Quartet) - Single Version

Dave and Iola Brubeck wrote most of the songs on this vocal compilation, including excerpts from their show The Real Ambassadors. Culled from several early 1960s releases, each selection features a singer or singers. Two previously unreleased tracks are included: a take of “It’s A Raggy Waltz” with Carmen McRae and an arrangement of “Autumn In Our Town” with whispery singer Ranny Sinclair. The refreshing “Raggy Waltz” works well as a vocal number, while “Autumn In Our Town” proves to be much less effective. The combination of Sinclair’s pure, young and innocent voice alongside harsher pickups of guitar and piano creates problems. Precious moments include Paul Desmond’s few appearances, Tony Bennett’s “That Old Black Magic” thrill, the firm confidence of both Rushing and McRae, Louis Armstrong’s storytellin’ and LHR’s dazzling scat display. Brubeck and Desmond both provide examples of their best solo work on “Ain’t Misbehavin’” with Rushing. Lambert, Hendricks and Ross work hand in hand with Armstrong on The Real Ambassadors selections to remind the world that jazz is indeed a universal language. Featuring its own cast of expressive singers, the Vocal Encounters compilation offers the reader an interesting program  on CD. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/vocal-encounters-dave-brubeck-columbia-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Dave Brubeck- piano; Paul Desmond- alto saxophone; Eugene Wright- bass; Joe Morello- drums; Danny Barcelona- drums; Trummy Young- trombone; Joe Darensbourg- clarinet; Louis Armstrong- trumpet, vocal; Tony Bennett, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Jimmy Rushing, Carmen McRae, Peter, Paul & Mary, Ranny Sinclair- vocals; other instrumentalists.

Vocal Encounters

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Tony Bennett - A Swingin' Christmas (With The Count Basie Big Band)

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 36:34

Size: 83.7 MB

Styles: Swing, Vocal, Holiday

Year: 1999/2008

Art: Front

[2:09] 1. I'll Be Home For Christmas

[3:14] 2. Silver Bells

[4:15] 3. All I Want For Christmas Is You

[2:52] 4. My Favorite Things

[3:57] 5. Christmas Time Is Here

[2:28] 6. Winter Wonderland

[4:33] 7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

[2:50] 8. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

[3:28] 9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

[3:18] 10. The Christmas Waltz

[3:24] 11. O Christmas Tree

Tony Bennett reigns as one of the finest-ever jazz-oriented pop singers. Count Basie's Big Band reigns as one of the hippest-ever orchestral jazz organizations. Put them together and how could you not have one of the coolest Christmas discs ever?. With Bennett's classy, heartfelt phrasing and the Count's brassy, classy, earnestly swinging large jazz band (with ace-of-the-88s Monty Alexander sitting in for the late Basie), this platter will have listeners swingin' through whatever holidays they might celebrate well into the New Year.

Grant Langford, Marshall McDonald (alto saxophone); Doug Lawrence, Doug Miller (tenor saxophone); Scotty Barnhart, James Zollar, Michael Williams, Kriss T. Johnson Jr. (trumpet); Clarence Banks, Alvin Walker, Dave Keim, Barry Cooper (trombone); Gray Sargent (guitar); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Doug Miller , Andy Snitzer (tenor saxophone); John Williams (baritone saxophone); William Barnhart (trumpet); Alvin Walker II (trombone); Paul Langosch (piano, bass instrument); Monty Alexander, Lee Musiker (piano); Harold Jones (drums).

A Swingin' Christmas (With The Count Basie Big Band)

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Tony Bennett - Playin' With My Friends: Bennett Sings The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:05

Size: 130.7 MB

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2001

Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Alright, Okay, You Win (With Diana Krall)

[3:35] 2. Everyday (I Have The Blues) (With Stevie Wonder)

[2:41] 3. Don't Cry Baby

[4:53] 4. Good Morning Heartache (With Sheryl Crow)

[3:14] 5. Let The Good Times Roll (With B.B. King)

[4:12] 6. Evenin' (With Ray Charles)

[3:52] 7. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues (With Bonnie Raitt)

[3:49] 8. Keep The Faith, Baby (With K.D. Lang)

[3:23] 9. Old Count Basie Is Gone (Old Piney Brown Is Gone)

[3:19] 10. Blue And Sentimental (With Kay Starr)

[4:29] 11. New York State Of Mind (With Billy Joel)

[3:15] 12. Undecided Blues

[3:32] 13. Blues In The Night

[4:32] 14. Stormy Weather (With Natalie Cole)

[4:45] 15. Playin' With My Friends (With Others)

Tony Bennett's latter-day albums tend to have themes, and this one has two, as indicated by its double-barreled title: It is both a duets album and a blues album. The duet partners include ten singers who range from his recent touring partners Diana Krall and k.d. lang to fellow veterans Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Kay Starr, and younger, but still mature pop stars Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, and Billy Joel. All sound happy to be sharing a mic with Bennett. Not surprisingly, the singer's conception of the blues does not extend to the Mississippi Delta or the South Side of Chicago; rather, he is interested in the blues as filtered through the sound of the Swing Era, particularly from around Kansas City, and as interpreted by Tin Pan Alley and show tunes. For the former, his true mentor is Count Basie, whose overt influence is heard on six of the 15 tracks. Bennett makes no attempt to hide this, leading off the album with two songs, "Alright, Okay, You Win" (a duet with Krall) and "Everyday (I Have the Blues)" (a duet with Wonder), closely associated with Basie singer Joe Williams. The Broadway and Hollywood blues style is introduced in three selections written by Harold Arlen. On about half the tracks, the Ralph Sharon Quartet is augmented by Harry Allen's saxophone and Mike Melvoin's Hammond organ, but this remains a small, intimate affair that emphasizes the singers. There are missteps -- Sheryl Crow's Billie Holiday impersonation on "Good Morning, Heartache" is unfortunate, and Natalie Cole, as usual, sounds out of her depth on "Stormy Weather." But the trade-offs Bennett enjoys with King and Charles are priceless, and the Joel duet is surprisingly effective. On the whole, this is yet another entry in Bennett's lengthening series of autumnal recorded triumphs. ~William Ruhlmann

Playin' with My Friends"

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Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Love For Sale (Deluxe)

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:56
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:53) 1. It's De-Lovely
(3:42) 2. Night And Day
(3:40) 3. Love For Sale
(4:48) 4. Do I Love You
(3:06) 5. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:56) 6. I Concentrate On You
(3:34) 7. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(4:31) 8. So In Love
(3:36) 9. Let's Do It
(4:16) 10. Dream Dancing
(3:00) 11. Just One Of Those Things
(2:49) 12. You're The Top

"Tony called me right after Cheek to Cheek came out and had gone No. 1,” Lady Gaga tells Apple Music, explaining the decision to follow up their successful duet album of Great American Songbook covers with an LP devoted solely to the music of Cole Porter. “He said, ‘I want to make this record with you, and it will be all Cole Porter songs,’ and I just thought it was a brilliant idea.” Gaga and Bennett breathe new life into some of Porter’s most timeless classics “You’re the Top,” “Night and Day,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” and of course the heartbreaking title track.

Gaga takes a solo turn on “Do I Love You,” and as she tells it, Bennett provided her with the confidence to approach the recording booth alone: “Tony gave me the inspiration and permission to hold court in the studio again,” she says. “He reminded me that I am the artist.” But the real magic happens when the two come together. “I know he’s 95 years old, but I see a young boy every time I sing with him,” Gaga dotes. “It makes the experience so freeing to have two souls singing together.” https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-for-sale/1579361847

Love For Sale (Deluxe)

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Bob Brookmeyer - Bob Brookmeyer & Friends

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/
s Time: 55:12
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:40) 1. Jive Hoot
(5:17) 2. Misty
(5:18) 3. The Wrinkle
(4:57) 4. Bracket
(5:00) 5. Skylark
(4:04) 6. Sometime Ago
(5:04) 7. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(7:02) 8. Who Cares
(5:18) 9. Day Dream
(3:37) 10. Time For Two
(4:50) 11. Pretty Girl

This somewhat obscure session was reissued on LP by Columbia in 1980. Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and tenor-great Stan Getz (who had played together regularly a decade prior) had a reunion for this date, performing five standards and three Brookmeyer originals. The young rhythm section (pianist Herbie Hancock, vibraphonist Gary Burton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Elvin Jones) uplifts what would have been a fairly conventional (although high quality) bop date. https://www.allmusic.com/album/bob-brookmeyer-and-friends-mw0000030917

Personnel: Valve trombone - Bob Brookmeyer; Tenor saxophone - Stan Getz; Vibraphone - Gary Burton; Piano - Herbie Hancock; Bass - Ron Carter , Drums - Elvin Jones; Vocals - Tony Bennett (track 9).

Bob Brookmeyer & Friends

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Tony Bennett - Viva Duets

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:52
Size: 111.9 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:36] 1. The Best Is Yet To Come (with Chayanne)
[4:02] 2. The Way You Look Tonight (with Thalia)
[2:01] 3. Steppin' Out With My Baby (with Christina Aguilera)
[3:06] 4. For Once In My Life (with Marc Anthony)
[2:42] 5. Are You Havin' Any Fun (with Dani Martin)
[4:34] 6. Blue Velvet (with Maria Gadu)
[3:20] 7. The Good Life (with Franco de Vita)
[3:00] 8. I Wanna Be Around (with Ricardo Arjona)
[3:51] 9. Who Can I Turn To (with Gloria Estefan)
[2:38] 10. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (with Michael Bose)
[4:00] 11. The Very Thought Of You (with Ana Carolina)
[2:16] 12. Just In Time (with Juan Luis Guerra)
[3:15] 13. Cold, Cold Heart (with Vicenteco)
[2:37] 14. Rags To Riches (with Romeo Santos)
[3:47] 15. Return To Me (Regresa A Mí) (with Vicente Fernandez)

VIVA DUETS is the third duets-themed project from 17-time Grammy winner Tony Bennett, following the platinum selling and critically praised DUETS and DUETS II CDs. Featuring many top names in the Latin recording industry, VIVA DUETS finds Bennett performing his greatest hits with a celebrated roster of artists including Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera, Ricardo Arjona, Chayanne, Franco De Vita, Gloria Estefan, Vicente Fernández, Juan Luis Guerra, Dani Martín, Romeo Santos, Thalía and Vicentico. A truly international endeavor, VIVA DUETS, features performances in English and Spanish, with artists representing nine countries and three continents.

Tony Bennett is known for recording duets live and VIVA DUETS was no exception, with sessions recorded in Ft. Lauderdale, New York, and in the case of famed Mexican performer Vicente Fernández, on his 400 acre ranch in Guadalajara. All of the tracks are from Bennett’s extensive hit catalog, with the exception of the duet with Vicente Fernández, which features an English/Spanish version of the song, "Return To Me," originally recorded by Dean Martin. VIVA DUETS presents Bennett's classic songs with an international flavor that will generate widespread appeal for this unique multi-lingual presentation. Working with this unprecedented list of Latin artist, many of whom he met for the first time in the recording studio, Bennett commented, “Each of these artists were so warm and welcoming that there was an instant rapport. Latin music has always been about melody and harmony and a lot of soul, so there was a very close artistic connection with each duet guest. I am absolutely thrilled about the record.”

Viva Duets mc
Viva Duets zippy

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Tony Bennett - Something

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:00
Size: 109.9 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1970/1995
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Something
[4:42] 2. The Long And Winding Road
[3:40] 3. Everybody's Talkin'
[3:40] 4. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
[3:00] 5. Coco
[3:53] 6. Think How It's Gonna Be
[4:37] 7. Wave
[4:31] 8. Make It Easy On Yourself
[4:25] 9. Come Saturday Morning
[3:44] 10. When I Look In Your Eyes
[4:01] 11. Yellow Days
[4:22] 12. What A Wonderful World

There's no question that this is one of Tony Bennett's all-time great albums, hence its inclusion in his hand-picked Tony Bennett Masters series. Masterful it is, thanks especially to Peter Matz's great arrangements. Matz was actually Noel Coward's pianist when the great entertainer came to Las Vegas in the '50s. He went on to become a fine arranger, working famously with Barbra Streisand on hits like "The Way We Were". It's well-known that Bennett didn't like most of the mainstream popular music of the late 1960s. It's therefore surprising to find some material from that era on this album. Yet, Matz's excellent arrangements, featuring sumptuous writing for string and brass, allow Bennett to personalize these songs and to sink his teeth in them. The performances of the two Beatles songs, "Something" and "The Long And Winding Road" are outstanding. The Jobim song "Wave" is excellent. It's played at a wonderfully romantic, lilting pace. Many consider Sinatra's much faster-paced version from a year earlier to be the definitive version of this song. It's a good vocal performance from the Chairman, but this Bennett-Matz version is superior. Matz turns the hit "Everybody's Talkin'" into a swingin' big band number and Tony clearly has a ball singing it. His high note at the end of "On A Clear Day" is truly astounding. He was, at 44, in extremely good voice for this session. "Come Saturday Morning" is an excellent Broadway number, played nice and slow. Matz allows Bennett to display his fine breath control with some very long notes. "Make It Easy On Yourself" is a great Bacharach/David number from the film "Alfie". Bennett sings it with incomparable feeling and commitment and Matz's arrangement squeezes as much pathos out of it as possible. It's difficult to imagine a better performance of this song. Finally, Tony turns "What A Wonderful World" into a loving tribute to Louis Armstrong (who died the following year). It's a wonderful recording and almost as good as Louis' original. I could go on further, but, at this point, you really should buy the album. It may not be the best place to start with Tony Bennett, but if you have a few of his albums already and like them, then this album is an essential purchase. ~Amazon

Something

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Tony Bennett - Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:17
Size: 154.0 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1987/2013
Art: Front

[3:06] 1. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[2:00] 2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:25] 3. Stella By Starlight
[3:59] 4. On Green Dolphin Street
[2:46] 5. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[3:18] 6. I'm Thru With Love
[3:32] 7. Solitude
[3:11] 8. Lullaby Of Broadway
[2:30] 9. Dancing In The Dark
[1:58] 10. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[4:57] 11. When Lights Are Low
[2:03] 12. Just One Of Those Things
[2:06] 13. Crazy Rhythm
[2:11] 14. Street Of Dreams
[2:33] 15. Love Scene
[4:31] 16. While The Music Plays On
[2:18] 17. Close Your Eyes
[4:30] 18. Out Of This World
[2:26] 19. Just Friends
[2:11] 20. Have You Met Miss Jones
[4:56] 21. Danny Boy
[3:39] 22. Sweet Lorraine

What a wonderful idea. This is a compilation album ranging across Tony Bennett's early career, from 1954 to 1967, highlighting some of his more adventurous sessions with jazz musicians, including Count Basie, Herbie Hancock, Herbie Mann, Art Blakey, Stan Getz, and others, and featuring jazz standards like "Green Dolphin Street," along with a healthy dose of Duke Ellington compositions. Bennett not only holds his own, he sounds delighted on every track. The ironic thing, of course, is that Columbia frowned on these kinds of side excursions from his pop career in the '50s. Now, all is forgiven, and this proves an unusually imaginative repackaging that illuminates an important part of Bennett's talent and further contributes to his '80s renaissance. (The album contains a previously unreleased 1964 performance of "Danny Boy" featuring Stan Getz. Originally released as a two-LP set, Jazz was compressed to a 67-minute CD by excising two tracks.) ~William Ruhlmann

Jazz

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Count Basie, Tony Bennett - Basie Swings, Bennett Sings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:51
Size: 70.6 MB
Styles: Big band, Vocal jazz
Year: 1959/2009
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Life Is A Song (Let's Sing It Together)
[1:32] 2. With Plenty Of Money And You
[2:07] 3. Jeepers Creepers
[2:48] 4. Are You Havin' Any Fun
[2:22] 5. Anything Goes
[1:34] 6. Strike Up The Band (Strike Up The Band)
[2:05] 7. Chicago
[3:02] 8. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[3:30] 9. Poor Little Rich Girl
[3:34] 10. Growing Pains
[1:45] 11. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plans
[3:35] 12. After Supper

The Roulette half of the two Bennett/Basie sessions is a band singer's paradise, with the Basie band caught at a robust and swinging peak and Bennett never sounding happier or looser in front of a microphone. The Count himself, alas, appears on piano only on two numbers ("Life Is a Song" and "Jeepers Creepers"), while Bennett's perennial pianist Ralph Sharon takes over on the remaining ten tracks and does all the charts. Yet Sharon writes idiomatically for the Count's style, whether on frantic rave-ups like "With Plenty of Money and You" and "Strike Up the Band" or relaxed swingers like "Chicago." Though not a jazz singer per se, the flavor of jazz is everywhere in Bennett's voice, which in those days soared like a trumpet. The 1990 CD included an atmospheric unissued Neal Hefti ballad "After Supper," but even this bonus track does little to extend the skimpy playing time (about 31 minutes) of what is still a great, desirable snapshot from American showbiz of the late 1950s. ~Richard S. Ginnell

Basie Swings, Bennett Sings

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Tony Bennett - Hot & Cool: Bennett Sings Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:48
Size: 139.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[4:32] 2. Mood Indigo
[4:49] 3. She's Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[4:35] 4. Caravan
[3:58] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[3:56] 6. Azure
[3:38] 7. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:30] 8. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:16] 9. Take The A' Train/Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[4:43] 10. Sophisticated Lady
[6:53] 11. In A Mellow Tone
[3:56] 12. Day Dream
[4:55] 13. Prelude To A Kiss
[4:00] 14. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Tony Bennett's practically inevitable commemoration of the Duke Ellington centenary is an appropriately blue-chip affair, with a big band and orchestra augmenting the Ralph Sharon Quartet on arrangements by Jorge Calandrelli, who has slowed the tempos to give the singer time to give intimate interpretations to the lyrics of songs like "Mood Indigo" and "Sophisticated Lady." Especially impressive are the less familiar tunes, such as "Azure" and "Day Dream." The slowest tunes also leave room for expressive solos by trombonist Al Grey and trumpeter Wynton Maralis ("Mood Indigo") and violinist Joel Smirnoff ("Sophisticated Lady"). Marsalis even gets his own tune, "Chelsea Bridge," to himself, which means, oddly, that on an album called Bennett Sings Ellington, there is a track on which Bennett does not sing and that was not written by Ellington! ("Chelsea Bridge" was composed by Ellington's partner Billy Strayhorn.) When you hear it, though, it's hard to complain. Less effective is the decision to stick short excerpts of "Take the 'A' Train" (never heard in its entirety) in between many of the tracks. But the main pleasure here is found in Bennett's vocals. In his early seventies, he probably couldn't have belted these songs if they'd been played in more demonstrative ways, but he gets a lot of out them in his breathy, conversational style. ~William Ruhlmann

Hot & Cool Bennett Sings Ellington      

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Various - 16 Most Requested Songs: The 1950s Vols. 1 & 2

Album: 16 Most Requested Songs: The 1950s Vol. 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:19
Size: 99.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Vocal pop
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Guy Mitchell - My Heart Cries For You
[2:58] 2. Tony Bennett - Because Of You
[3:08] 3. Frankie Laine - Jezebel
[2:15] 4. Johnnie Ray - The Little White Cloud That Cried
[2:50] 5. Percy Faith & His Orchestra - Delicado
[2:19] 6. The Four Lads - Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
[3:39] 7. Doris Day - Secret Love (78rpm Version)
[2:22] 8. Joan Weber - Let Me Go Lover
[2:30] 9. Rosemary Clooney - Mambo Italiano
[1:39] 10. Fess Parker - The Ballad Of Davy Crockett
[3:01] 11. Mitch Miller & The Gang - The Yellow Rose Of Texas
[3:17] 12. The Four Lads - Moments To Remember
[2:36] 13. Johnnie Ray - Just Walking In The Rain
[2:25] 14. Guy Mitchell - Singing The Blues
[2:25] 15. Ray Conniff - 's Wonderful
[3:00] 16. Johnny Mathis - Chances Are

16 Most Requested Songs of the 1950s, Vol. 1 contains a selection of traditional pop, vocal pop and easy-listening hits from the Columbia Records vaults, including performances from Tony Bennett ("Because of You"), Percy Faith ("Delicado"), Guy Mitchell ("Singing the Blues," "My Heart Cries for You"), Mitch Miller ("Yellow Rose of Texas"), Ray Conniff ("'S Wonderful"), Frankie Laine ("Jezebel"), the Four Lads ("Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," "Moments to Remember"), Johnnie Ray ("Just Walking in the Rain"), Fess Parker ("The Ballad of Davy Crockett") and Johnny Mathis ("Chances Are"). It's not a definitive overview of pop hits of the era, but it's still a nice sampler of some highlights from one of the most popular and successful labels of the decade. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

16 Most Requested Songs: The 1950s Vol. 1

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Album: 16 Most Requested Songs: The 1950s Vol 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:15
Size: 101.3 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Vocal pop
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Sammy Kaye And His Orchestra - Harbor Lights
[2:48] 2. Guy Mitchell - My Truly, Truly Fair
[3:02] 3. Johnnie Ray - Cry
[2:07] 4. Frankie Laine - I Believe
[3:15] 5. Percy Faith & His Orchestra - Song From Moulin Rouge
[3:03] 6. Tony Bennett - Stranger In Paradise
[2:23] 7. Rosemary Clooney - This Ole House
[2:14] 8. The Four Lads - Skokiaan (South African Song)
[3:06] 9. Doris Day - I'll Never Stop Loving You (78rpm Version)
[3:18] 10. Louis Armstrong - Mack The Knife
[2:50] 11. The Four Lads - Standing On The Corner
[2:03] 12. Doris Day - Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) (Single Version)
[2:23] 13. Terry Gilkyson - Marianne (Single Version)
[3:03] 14. Johnny Mathis - It's Not For Me To Say
[2:28] 15. Marty Robbins - A White Sportcar (And A Pink Carnation)
[2:45] 16. Vic Damone - An Affair To Remember

16 Most Requested Songs of the 1950s, Vol. 2 contains a selection of traditional pop, vocal pop and easy-listening hits from the Columbia Records vaults, including performances from Sammy Kaye ("Harbor Lights"), Guy Mitchell ("My Truly, Truly Fair"), Frankie Laine ("I Believe"), Tony Bennett ("Stranger in Paradise"), Vic Damone ("An Affair to Remember"), Doris Day ("I'll Never Stop Loving You," "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)"), Rosemary Clooney ("This Ole House") and Marty Robbins ("A White Sport Coat (And a Pink Carnation)"). It's not a definitive overview of pop hits of the era, but it's still a nice sampler of some highlights from one of the most popular and successful labels of the decade. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

16 Most Requested Songs: The 1950s Vol 2

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Tony Bennett - Perfectly Frank

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 73:47

Size: 168.9 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 1992/2006

Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Time After Time

[2:01] 2. I Fall In Love Too Easily

[4:11] 3. East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)

[3:14] 4. Nancy

[2:56] 5. I Thought About You

[3:35] 6. Night And Day

[2:52] 7. I've Got The World On A String

[3:14] 8. I'm Glad There Is You

[2:55] 9. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

[3:08] 10. I Wished On The Moon

[3:46] 11. You Go To My Head

[2:25] 12. The Lady Is A Tramp

[2:58] 13. I See Your Face Before Me

[2:07] 14. Day In, Day Out

[2:59] 15. Indian Summer

[3:24] 16. Call Me Irresponsible

[3:31] 17. Here's That Rainy Day

[2:25] 18. Last Night When We Were Young

[2:14] 19. I Wish I Were In Love Again

[2:11] 20. A Foggy Day

[4:53] 21. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[3:24] 22. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

[2:42] 23. Angel Eyes

[2:55] 24. I'll Be Seeing You

Perfectly Frank is just that -- a group of covers that came to define Frank Sinatra as a vocal legend. Here, Tony Bennett pays homage to "the Voice" in a way only he can. This massive, 24-track compilation runs through the list of standards that made Sinatra legendary. "Night and Day," "East of the Sun (West of the Moon)," and "The Lady Is a Tramp" are just a few of the tracks that Bennett has managed to bring to life just as beautifully as Sinatra did so many years ago. Backed by his standard group, the Ralph Sharon Trio, he manages to make this collection more and more his own. Instead of simply covering the songs, or trying to emulate Sinatra, Bennett adds his personal touch to each song. This is a tribute to the music, as well as to Sinatra. ~Christopher Fielder

Perfectly Frank

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Count Basie & Friends - 100th Birthday Bash (2-Disc Set)

Count Basie, piano, with seven orchestras, three smaller groups (complete personnel in booklet) and special guests Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, Nat "King" Cole, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, "Wild Bill" Davis, Billy Eckstine, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Neal Hefti, Illinois Jacquet, Quincy Jones, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Irene Reid, Sarah Vaughan, Ben Webster, Joe Williams.

To honor the hundredth anniversary of the birth of the incomparable Count Basie (August 21, 1904), Roulette Records has gone to the vaults and unearthed recordings made by the Basie Orchestra and smaller groups spanning the years 1957-62 when the Count was working for Roulette. All of the material on the two-disc set was previously issued, either on albums or as singles, and there are guest artists on a number of tracks (hence the title Basie & Friends ).

Neal Hefti was Basie's right-hand man at the time, and he's well-represented with four of his classic tunes, "Whirly Bird," "Li'l Darlin'," "Cute" and "Splanky" (but not "The Kid from Red Bank"). The band's regular singer, Joe Williams, is heard from on half a dozen numbers (including one of his signatures, "Ev'ry Day I Have the Blues"), and there are other vocals by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross ("Jumpin'at the Woodside," with Williams on "Goin' to Chicago"), Nat King Cole ("I Want a Little Girl," "The Late Late Show"), Sarah Vaughan ("Until I Met You," dueting with Williams on "Teach Me Tonight" and "If I Were a Bell"), Billy Eckstine ("Lonesome Lover Blues," "Jelly Jelly"), Irene Reid ("Untouchable") and Tony Bennett ("I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," "Jeepers Creepers"). Trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison is the guest soloist on "One O'Clock Jump," while tenor saxophonists Ben Webster (Basie's "Blue and Sentimental"), Illinois Jacquet ("She's Funny That Way") and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis ("Farouk," "Save Your Love for Me") are heard in small-group settings. Quincy Jones wrote the seductive blues "For Lena and Lennie," among the highlights on disc one.

Breaking it down, there are fifteen vocal tracks, thirteen instrumental. That may not suit everyone, but at least the singers are first-rate. The overall sound is satisfactory too, although it does vary slightly from track to track, while the playing times (51:01, 47:26) are on the lee side of generous. A fairly adequate mélange for those who may have missed these episodes the first time around. ~Jack Bowers

Album: 100th Birthday Bash (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:54
Size: 116.6 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:51] 1. Whirly-Bird
[4:12] 2. Goin' To Chicago Blues
[3:14] 3. Cute
[2:50] 4. I Want A Little Girl (Feat. Nat King Cole)
[2:51] 5. Teach Me Tonight
[2:52] 6. The Late, Late Show
[3:10] 7. Lonesome Lover Blues (Feat. Billy Eckstine)
[3:35] 8. Blue And Sentimental
[3:54] 9. Trav'lin' Light
[5:25] 10. Farouk (Feat. Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis)
[3:50] 11. For Lena And Lennie
[3:17] 12. Untouchable
[4:44] 13. Every Day I Have The Blues
[3:03] 14. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (Feat. Tony Bennett)

100th Birthday Bash (Disc 1)

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Album: 100th Birthday Bash (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:18
Size: 108.3 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. Jumpin' At The Woodside
[4:50] 2. Li'l Darlin'
[2:44] 3. If I Were A Bell
[3:36] 4. Splanky
[2:57] 5. Ain't No Use
[2:52] 6. Until I Met You (Feat. Sarah Vaughan)
[3:16] 7. (I Got A Woman, Crazy For Me) She's Funny That Way
[2:34] 8. The Late, Late Show (Feat. Nat King Cole)
[2:09] 9. Jeepers Creepers
[3:04] 10. Jelly, Jelly (Feat. Billy Eckstine)
[4:24] 11. Katy-Do
[3:59] 12. Save Your Love For Me (Feat. Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis)
[3:37] 13. April In Paris
[3:47] 14. One O'clock Jump

100th Birthday Bash (Disc 2)

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Tony Bennett & k.d. lang - A Wonderful World

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:22
Size: 99.3 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:15] 1. Exactly Like You
[3:22] 2. La Vie En Rose
[4:42] 3. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[2:56] 4. You Can Depend On Me
[3:19] 5. What A Wonderful World
[3:03] 6. That's My Home
[3:23] 7. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
[3:47] 8. I Wonder
[3:53] 9. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
[3:11] 10. You Can't Lose A Broken Heart
[4:36] 11. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
[3:50] 12. If We Never Meet Again

Tony Bennett has sung with k.d. lang previously, notably on his MTV Unplugged album, and the two have meshed well together, largely because of lang's willingness to sublimate herself to Bennett's approach. The same thing can be said of the two on this full-length duet album (which also contains solos -- Bennett is heard alone on "That's My Dream," lang on "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" and "That Lucky Old Sun [Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day]"). It isn't just that lang joins in on material more suitable to Bennett's style than to hers. This is an album on which the musicians are the members of Bennett's backup group (plus strings), recorded in Bennett's studio. But one never gets the sense that lang is restricted by the approach. She is sufficiently versatile, or chameleon-like, to sound like she's enjoying herself, just as she did earlier in her career when she was working with producer Owen Bradley in Nashville and singing traditional country. At 76, Bennett sings with an easy, casual style, never seeming to work very hard for his effects, and lang, in her vocal prime, deliberately complements him, though she never seems quite as comfortable. Although there is no indication other than an uncredited painting (by Bennett, of course) inside the CD booklet, this is a tribute album to Louis Armstrong, who recorded these songs over the course of his long career. That doesn't mean that there's a trumpet to be heard anywhere on the disc or that either of the singers tries to re-create any aspect of Armstrong's vocal style. It simply provides an organizing principle that the listener can notice or not. (Well, it's hard not to notice during the title song, with Bennett's references to "Satchmo" and "Pops.") Like Armstrong, Bennett and lang are trying to make the music sound effortless and unstudied, and to a large extent they succeed. ~William Ruhlmann

A Wonderful World

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