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 Great! May 22, 2009
Excellent vocals by Bennett and friends, especially Bennett. Such a mellow and expressive voice. The range of expression within a line or sometimes even within a single word is fantastic. Every syllable so clearly enunciated, but so easy and laid back at the same time. You never have any doubt about what he is saying, even though he stretches the words out or abbreviates them for effect. How refreshing! Even though these songs are all about having the blues, they will never bring you down. The sweetness, clarity and smoothness of the vocals as well as the instrumentation invite you to let your mind take a little vacation to a cool place far away from pettiness and everyday stress. I wouldn't call it easy listening though, because the intricacy of the music prompts you to pay attention, albeit in a relaxed way. My first Bennett album and I'm totally impressed. The duets with other, very expressively voiced singers perhaps lends a greater dynamism to these performances than I have previously noticed in the Bennett songs I am familiar with. I also think the more bluesy nature of these selections, compared to his material I have heard on the radio, made me more appreciative of this album.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Tony and his friends--stars that twinkle and shine !!! May 31, 2008
Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues is a great CD. This album has wonderful duets between Tony Bennett and many of his best contemporaries. This is a fine album for Tony Bennett fans; and the quality of the sound couldn't be better. The artwork is very nicely done and the duets feature a broad diversity of artists with whom Tony performs.
"Alright, Okay, You Win" has Tony Bennett singing with the great Diana Krall; together they make this number shine more brightly than ever before! Diana is in excellent form and her vocals complement Tony's performance very well; and the jazzy arrangement works wonders for this classic tune. Great! "Everyday (I Have The Blues)" features Tony Bennett singing with Stevie Wonder; they both sound great and together they make some mighty fine music for us to enjoy! This tune also gets an excellent jazzy musical arrangement that is also very pretty and I really like "Everyday (I Have The Blues)." Listen also for "Good Morning, Heartache" with Sheryl Crow. Sheryl's vocals are excellent although I must admit I still think this number belongs to the immortal Billie Holiday. Nevertheless, Tony and Sheryl do a superlative job as they perform "Good Morning, Heartache" with lots of feeling, heart and soul.
"Evenin'" has the great Ray Charles performing with Tony Bennett; they massage the lyrics to this classic ballad and this bluesy number never sounded better! Tony and Ray Charles do this to perfection--and beyond! I particularly like the piano arrangement--it's not too overbearing and it's elegant as well. "Keep The Faith, Baby" has Tony performing with k.d. lang; together they easily ace this tune and the percussion enhances the natural beauty of this ballad. I can certainly understand why Tony Bennett said that k.d. lang is the best female singer we've seen since Judy Garland--her voice is beautiful to hear.
"Blue And Sentimental" has Kay Starr recording this with Tony; and together they make this special. Kay's voice may sound a little rough around the edges; she has aged but still you can hear the natural talent in her voice. She could still sing way better than I ever could!
Billy Joel collaborates with Tony Bennett on Billy's big hit entitled "New York State Of Mind;" "New York State Of Mind" always moves me when I hear it and that's wonderful. The piano bolsters their performance, too. Tony Bennett also sings "Stormy Weather" with Natalie Cole; and when they work together their rendition of "Stormy Weather" would make Lena Horne very proud! The album ends with Tony and his peers performing a lovely tune called "Playin' With My Friends." What a strong ending for this CD!
Tony Bennett fans will love this; and people who like classic pop vocals will love this one as well. You simply can't get better than Tony Bennett and his peers; and I know you'll like this album if you appreciate this genre of music.
Tony at his best Mar 04, 2008
Heard it on the radio, and purchased! Tony Bennett at his very best, ranks with his American Classic CD. Would highly recommend for any Bennett fan
Good addition to my collection Oct 17, 2007
Nice, nice collection of duets with a variety of first-rate singers. Tony Bennett never fails to please.
Good Solid tunes Feb 06, 2007
I really enjoyed this disc, lots of very smooth, heartfelt tunes delivered in earnest with a wide assortment of folks, ranging from .... everywhere. If you are looking for serious hard core jazz, look somewhere else, if you are looking for something that sounds great and you can relax to without dissecting it. Get this disc.
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