Tony Bennett - Duets: An American Classic CD

Duets: An American Classic songs Charles is joined by Elton John on a soulful exploration of the latter's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," and sidles up next to Willie Nelson for a haunting version of the Frank Sinatra hit "It Was a Very Good Year," made all the more poignant in retrospect by its posthumous nature. Of course, it's not all bittersweet melancholy; Charles teams with Van Morrison for a jubilant soul/gospel reading of Van's MOONDANCE tune "Crazy Love," and the duet with James Taylor on the upbeat "Sweet Potato Pie" is probably the sassiest, perkiest thing in which Taylor's ever been involved. GENIUS LOVES COMPANY is a swan song that fittingly finds the titular genius surrounded by friends from varied musical worlds, all of whom he's touched with his rare gift. Though Ray Charles, one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, was never in need of vocal assistance, he was no stranger to duets either (one of his finest records is a duet album with Betty Carter). For as much of a musical giant as he was, Brother Ray knew how to share the spotlight, as evidenced by GENIUS LOVES COMPANY, his final project before his 2004 passing. In keeping with the eclectic nature of Charles's artistry, he partners with a wide assortment of performers here. N.Jones/J.Taylor/D.Krall/B.B. King/J.Mathis/G.Knight/W.Nelso Personnel: Ray Charles (vocals, piano); B.B. King, Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Bonnie Raitt (vocals, slide guitar); Norah Jones (vocals, piano); Michael McDonald (vocals, keyboards); Diana Krall, Elton John, James Taylor , Johnny Mathis, Van Morrison, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight (vocals); Danny Jacob, George Marinelli, Jeff Mironov, Michael Landau, Michael Thompson , George Doering, Charles Fearing, Irv Kramer (guitar); Randy Waldman (piano, keyboards); Alan Pasqua (piano); Billy Preston (Hammond b-3 organ); Michael Bearden (keyboards); David Hayes, Abraham Laboriel, Sr., Trey Henry, Tom Fowler (bass guitar); James Gadson, Jim Keltner, Ray Brinker, Shawn Pelton (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion).

Duets: An American Classic album for sale Michael Buble ranks among the best of the contemporary crooners working in a classic pop-vocal style, and his 2007 album, CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE, further refines his suave, smooth style. With its finger-snapping big band arrangements, the album has its share of homage to Frank and Dino, both obvious cornerstones of Buble's music. But this isn't merely a retro exercise; the tunes, the production, and the overall feel are decidedly contemporary. Stylistically adventurous versions of songs by Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, and Willie Nelson keep things lively, while "Everything," a Buble original, is one of the album's highlights. Still, cuts like the lead-off track ("The Best Is Yet to Come") and the old chestnut "I've Got the World on a String" will give listeners looking for some elegant, back-in-the-day pizzazz exactly that. Recording information: Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Chartmaker Studios; Conway Recording Studios; Record Plant Recording Studios; Signet Sound; The Village, Los Angeles, CA; The Warehouse Studio; Westlake Recording Studios. Photographers: Eric Ogden; Matt Taylor; William Claxton. Unknown Contributor Role: Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Arrangers: David Foster; Bob Rock; John Clayton; Johnny Mandel; Michael Bublé; Bill Holman; Alan Chang. Personnel: Antoinette Scruggs, Siedah Garrett, Carmen Carter (vocals); Graham Dechter, Dean Parks, Heitor Teixeira Pereira, Larry Koonse, Michael Landau, Keith Scott (guitar); Dave Sinclair (acoustic guitar); Joel Peskin (saxophone, background vocals); Frederick Fiddmont, Lee Callet, Rickey Woodard, Thomas R. Peterson (saxophone); Salvator Cracchiolo, Gilbert Castellanos, James Ford (trumpet); Daniel Kelley , John A. Reynolds, Steven Becknell, Joseph Meyers (French horn); Guy Nepus, George Bohannon, Maurice Spears (trombone); Jim Self (tuba); David Foster (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Gerald Clayton (piano, keyboards); Tamir Hendelman (piano, synthesizer); Greg Phillinganes, Michael Melvoin, Alan Chang (piano); Jeff Hamilton , Joe La Barbera, Josh Freese, Ralph Humphrey, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Marcelo Costa, Emil Radocchia, Paulinho Da Costa, Rafael Padilla, Donald Williams (percussion); Jochem van der Saag (programming); Daniel Fornero, Salvadore Lozano, Emily Blunt, Rev. Dave Boruff, Phillip Teele, Gary Foster, Alan Kaplan, Rick Baptist, Wayne Bergeron, Bill Liston, Charles Loper, Bruce Otto, Bryan Lipps (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Humberto Gatica.

Duets: An American Classic CD music Around the time of his 71st birthday, rock-&-roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis unveiled LAST MAN STANDING, a celebratory outing that features a stunning cast of guest musicians, ranging from B.B. King and Little Richard to Merle Haggard and Neil Young. Among the many highlights of this album are Lewis's lively collaboration with guitarist Jimmy Page on Led Zeppelin's "Rock N' Roll," a rendition that wonderfully plays up the tune's 1950s leanings, and the Killer's honky-tonk spin on Hank Williams's "Lost Highway," which points to his often-overlooked country recordings and features Delaney Bramlett's searing six-string work. Like the latter-day recordings of his old Sun labelmate Johnny Cash, this Lewis collection points to a remarkable legacy, while also displaying his still-formidable talents, resulting in a musical testament to aging impressively well. Personnel: Jerry Lee Lewis (vocals, piano); Keith Richards, B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy (vocals, guitar); Delaney Bramlett, Don Henley, George Jones, John Fogerty, Kid Rock, Little Richard, Merle Haggard, Mick Jagger, Neil Young, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Toby Keith, Bruce Springsteen (vocals); Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimmy Rip, Kenny Lovelace, Robbie Robertson (guitar); Ron Wood (pedal steel guitar); Ivan Neville (organ); Butch Hutchinson (bass guitar); Jim Keltner (drums).

Duets: An American Classic buy CD music Few modern singers understand the phrasing of singing the way Tony Bennett does. This second installment of his Duets pairs him with Aretha Franklin, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, and the late Amy Winehouse, among many others. Audio Mixer: Dae Bennett. Recording information: Abbey Road Studios, London, England; Andrea Bocelli's Home Studio; Avatar Studios, New York, NY; Bennett Studios, Englewood, NJ; Ben's Studio, Nashville, TN; Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Manhattan Center Studios, New York, NY; Mariah Carey's Home Studio. Photographers: Josh Cheuse; Kelsey Bennett.

Duets: An American Classic songs For a young and commercially successful artist, Norah Jones has admirably avoided playing it too safe. After scoring an unlikely sales sensation and multiple Grammy award winner with 2002's torchy COME AWAY WITH ME, Jones shifted gears slightly to accent that album's country and folk elements on the 1970s-styled follow-up, FEELS LIKE HOME. Following that, Jones deliberately played with expectations, first becoming a low-key sideman in a quirky alt-country band called the Little Willies, then playing the lead role in a new movie by Hong Kong arthouse director Wong Kar-Wai. Jones's third album, NOT TOO LATE, is perhaps not as extreme as any of those other moves away from her initial comfort zone, but it's a departure nonetheless. Recorded by Jones and longtime collaborator Lee Alexander in their home studio and featuring only self-penned material, NOT TOO LATE is far less polished than Jones's previous records, with many songs featuring little more than the singer's familiar croon, a Floyd Cramer-influenced piano, and Alexander's subtle bass. Not quite jazz, country, or pop, NOT TOO LATE fuses all of Jones's influences into an immediately identifiable whole. It's easily her most mature and personal album to date. Recording information: Brooklyn Recording, NY; The Coop, New York, NY. Photographer: Todd Chalfant. Personnel: Norah Jones (vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, pump organ, Wurlitzer organ, Mellotron); Norah Jones (Wurlitzer piano); Daru Oda (vocals, whistling, whistle); Adam Levy (vocals, electric guitar); M. Ward, Richard Julian (vocals); Tony Scherr, Robbie McIntosh (electric guitar); Lee Alexander (lap steel guitar, bass instrument); Rob Sudduth, Bill McHenry (tenor saxophone); Chuck MacKinnon (trumpet); J. Walter Hawkes (trombone); Jose Davila (tuba); Larry Goldings (organ, Hammond b-3 organ); Paul Bryan (keyboards); Jesse Harris (acoustic guitar); Kevin Breit (mandolin); Julia Kent, Jeffrey Zeigler (cello); Andrew Borger (marimba, drums, cymbals, pans); Tony Mason (drums). Audio Mixers: Tom Schick; Lee Alexander .

Duets: An American Classic album for sale Recording information: Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA. Photographers: Sam Taylor-Wood; Bruce Weber. Unknown Contributor Role: Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Arrangers: Diana Krall; John Clayton. Personnel: Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Anthony Wilson (guitar, acoustic guitar); Jeff Clayton (flute, alto flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Keith Fiddmont (clarinet, alto saxophone); Rickey Woodard, Charles Owens II (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Lee Callet (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Clay Jenkins, Gilbert Castellanos, Sal Cracchiolo, Terell Stafford (trumpet, flugelhorn); Paul Klintworth, Marilyn L. Johnson , David Duke , James Thatcher, Yvonne S. Moriarty, Stephanie O'Keefe, Rick Todd, Brad Warnaar (French horn); George Bohanon, Maurice Spears, Ira Nepus (trombone); Tommy Johnson, George Thatcher (tuba); Gerald Clayton, Tamir Hendelman (piano); Robert Hurst (bass instrument); John Clayton (bass guitar); Jeff Hamilton (drums); Robert Zimmitti (percussion); Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Audio Mixer: Al Schmitt.