Review
Tony Bennett sings the ultimate American Songbook Vol. 1
10
6.8
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UK release date 19.04.2010
"If you study the masters – Picasso, Jack Benny, Fred Astaire – right up to the day they died, they were performing. If you are creative, you get busier as you get older."
"For my money, Tony Bennett is the best singer in the business. He excites me when I watch him. He moves me. He's the singer who gets across what the composer has in mind, and probably a little more. There you have it from his peer "probably the best male jazz singer ever" from old blue eyes himself Frank Sinatra.
You don't get higher than that! This is a 21 track album and is a personal collection of many of Bennett's all-time favourites from some of America's greatest songwriters, composers, Broadway musicals and film soundtracks and it's taken him over a decade to select and compile.
Yes there all here and the daddy of jazz and broadway tunes delivers the goods with his usual aplomb and panache. Tony never stops evolving, the older he gets the more creative he becomes still giving new twists to masters such as Gershwin, Rodgers and Hart, Berlin, Porter and other heavyweights.
It's hard to believe Tony's in his 84th year- his voice still sounds strong, and as fresh as a daisy. 'Begin The Beguine' with it's plush orchestration (which luxuriates throughout this swinging platter) shows the tonsils haven't gone, and you can't help smiling when you hear these tunes. Maybe everybody should have a Tony Bennett collection, I'd make it compulsory, kinda warms the cockles of your heart. Crooningly jazztastic daddio!
Words Emrys Baird
