Customer Reviews

Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach

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The multi-faceted and prolific composer, Grammy Awardee and a hitmaker, Burt Bacharach, was one of the special guests at Chris Botti's concert I've watched last year at the Wilshire Theatre. It was an incredible musical experience watching him perform live as he showed-off his piano artistry on Chris Botti and Paula Cole's performance of one of his very famous compositions and my all-time favorite, "The Look of Love." I loved all the hit songs he collaborated with lyricist Hal David - "Walk On By," "Alfie," "You'll Never Get To Heaven," "I Say A Little Prayer," "A House Is Not A Home," "Anyone Who Had A Heart," "They Long To Be Close To You," "The April Fools," "That's What Friends Are For," "This Guy's In Love With You" and "There's Always Something There To Remind Me."

This is a compilation of twelve of his most remarkable compositions including the title track of a Broadway production, "Promises, Promises" as interpreted by some of the finest recording artists from Blue Note Records. Some are with vocals by Nancy Wilson ("Alfie" and "Wives and Lovers") and Lou Rawls ("Any Day Now") and the rest are purely instrumentals. This CD promises a great listening enjoyment from the opening track, "Promises, Promises" by the Jazz Cruzaders to the last track, Ernie Watts' "Knowing When To Leave." Grant Green does a great take on "I'll Never Fall In Love Again." Each track is a charming delight.

My highlights are "What The World Needs Now" and "Walk On By," performed by a great saxophonist, Stanley Turrentine. "The Look of Love" by The Three Sounds is also a great listen. Another beguiling track is "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" featuring Richard Holmes on organ. Earl Klugh, a fine guitarist, shines in his solo guitar with the gorgeous interpretation of "The April Fools." Nancy Wilson's take on "Alfie" is so beautiful and the orchestra was conducted and arranged by one of the best Sinatra arrangers, Billy May.

This is a wonderful tribute to the timeless music of Burt Bacharach and the meaningful lyrics of Hal David.

With my heartfelt recommendation.

The homage to Burt Bacharach in the "Blue Note Plays" series is an excellent collection that spans recordings made from 1964-1990. Bacharach is one of the most distinctive of our modern pop composers. One can easily identify his distinctive melodies. The opener by Jazz Crusaders is a sterling peppy rendition of "Promises Promises" with Wayne Henderson's trombone & Wilton Felder's tenor sax sharing stage. Stanley Turrentine's "Walk On By" has his sexy sax swagger on this classic melody. The newest recording is Lou Rawls' take on "Any Day Now" with Chris Parker's pumping rhythm section & Richard Tee's piano as Rawls croons, "My wild beautiful bird, you'll have flown & I'll be all alone." The most vintage track is 1964's Nancy Wilson reading of "Wives & Lovers," "Day after day there are girls at the office & men will always be men, don't send him off with your hair still in curlers, you may not see him again." The Three Sounds' take on "The Look of Love" is a bouncy instrumental with Gene Harris' wild piano punctuated by a fleet of trumpets, trombones & saxes. Ernie Watts' tenor sax is front & center on the closer "Knowing When to Leave." This is an excellent collection by Blue Note that maintains the label's usual high technical standards with some great jazz. Enjoy!

I had high expectations. I must have been high. What a random grab bag assortment of Blue Note artists who happen to be playing Bacharach tunes. Not that every song sucks or anything, but the album has no flow whatsoever. It just doesn't work. I sold it within days of it arriving in the mail.