Customer Reviews

Dino: The Essential Dean Martin

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

The unique interpretations of a master song stylist, Dean Martin shines in this collection of recordings which were released from 1949 (''Powder Your Face With Sunshine'') to ''Gentle on My Mind'' in 1968. His smooth, gorgeous voice never loses a twist of humor, and you'll find yourself smiling and sometimes singing along with these uplifting tunes, which are the ultimate in ''easy listening''.

The later songs, from the mid '60s on, tend to have a hint of country flavor, and the early ones in the '50s have an Italian feel to them, and some of them of course, like ''Volare'', were originally Italian songs.

It's these early gems that are my favorites, like ''Love Me, Love Me'' from '53, ''Sway'' from '54, a marvelous melody that was also a hit for Bobby Rydell in '61, and Dean's fabulous rendition of ''Mambo Italiano'' from '55, which a few months earlier had been a top hit for Rosemary Clooney, and then there's ''Volare'', which I identify even more with Dean Martin than its singer/songwriter Domenico Modugno.

The booklet insert is excellent, with liner notes by Stevie Van Zandt and two of Dean's children, Deanna and Gail, and most of all, I appreciate its detailed list of each song, with release date, highest chart position, and more, and some nice b&w photos of the very cool Mr. Martin.

The sound overall is quite good, and total running time is 77'59.

This was already a fine sampling of Dean's single hits dating from 1949-1969 from the Capitol and Reprise catalogs. It originally came out in 2004, and I did not purchase it then because I had these songs on other compilations. But Capitol has now reissued it with a bonus disc titled "Live from Lake Tahoe, California-July 27, 1962". There is no explanation as to the location of the show, but it appears to be the opening night of Dean's engagement at the newly renovated Cal-Neva Lodge, an establishment owned by Frank Sinatra, Martin, Hank Sanicola and reputedly several other interesting silent partners. (One wonders if Marilyn Monroe was in attendance at this show? She sought refuge at the Cal-Neva shortly before her death eight days later on August 5th.)

I opted to pick up this "Special Platinum Edition" for the bonus. There's a quick intro from Frank, and it's the usual 'direct from the bar' line. For those who have heard Dean's legendary lounge act before, the jokes are familiar. Musically, there are a few new nuggets: Dean's breezy but swinging take on Sinatra's "My Kind Of Girl" by Leslie Bricusse, a slow and bluesy version of "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With A Dixie Melody)", and another sweet slow swinger jokingly dedicated to Eddie Fisher, "Break It To Me Gently". But that's about it. Where's the rest of the show? The disc fades out to silence. I suspect there is more but we will have to be satisfied with this for now. It's a shame because the concert is sonically quite good- the orchestra is miked close, even occasionally covering Dino a tad when he's mumbling more than singing.

The included booklet has three enjoyable but short essays from Stevie Van Zandt, Deana Martin and Gail Martin Downey, plus some studio pictures of Dean at work and complete track information for the first disc. Again, no info is given for the bonus disc except for brief track info on the back of the jewel case and the silver shrink wrap which protects it.

So it's up to you if you want to plunk down the extra money to buy this reissue. If you are a collector, then you probably will. There are plenty of other discs with live shows of Dean solo or with the Rat Pack, and this bonus disc is not the definitive version of Dino in concert in the 60's. The first disc's hits are obviously great for a introduction to Martin's crooning, plus both discs sound great, so it does deserve four stars- and had it included a complete Cal-Neva show, it would've probably earned a five star rating.

More than half of one of the greatest comedy teams of all time, more than a Rat Packer, and more than the host of a highly rated variety show, the man who made a tuxedo look as comfortable as a t-shirt: Dean Martin was the substance of cool. The Essential Dean Martin (Capitol) stands out among other greatest hits collections, in that it combines the Capitol and Reprise hit singles into one stunning package of memorable excellence. The liner notes and accompanying booklet studied alone are a treasure, with words from Stevie Van Zandt and Dean's children Deanna and Gail, the release dates for each song and its peak chart position, and the obligatory black & white photos of the master song stylist himself.

It's safe to say that it's all here, from the recognizable standard to some of the most sought after ballads. From the beautiful and hard to find waltz "Under the Bridges of Paris" to the quintessential rumba "Sway," listening to Dean's velvety, smooth vocals is only pure joy. At a time when rock n' roll ruled the charts, Dean was slipping through gems like "That's Amore," and attaching his name forever to Italian themed hits like "Volare" and "Inamorata." Dean was charming and swinging with "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" and "You're nobody `Til Somebody Loves You." He knocked the Beatles off of #1 with "Everybody Loves Somebody," and swept the girls away with love songs like "Return to Me" and "I'll Always Love You." Western styled selections from the 60's are here as well, like "Houston," and "Gentle on My Mind." Truly, from "Powder Your Face With Sunshine" to "Just In Time," this is a wonderful starting place for a new fan of Dean, or a great summation of his career for a loyal follower. There's a comforting spirit of truth and optimism in the relaxed styling of a man who was the world's coolest crooner. This is the Dean Martin collection to own, for its diversity, its history, and its warm and tipsy dedication to the handsome tan man in the tuxedo.

Dean Martin had two separate hit-making periods - in the fifties with Capitol and in the sixties with Reprise. The early sixties were not successful in the charts, although Dean continued to record albums and was also kept busy in other ways. You would normally have to buy one album to get his Capitol music and another to get his Reprise music. This collection spans both periods.

This collection contains most of the songs that are associated with Dean, including Memories are made of this, That's amore, Volare, You're nobody till somebody loves you, In the chapel in the moonlight, Standing on the corner, Send me the pillow that you dream on, Houston and Everybody loves somebody.

Dean's first solo hit, Powder your face with sunshine, is also included. It was no match for Evelyn Knight's version, which was number one in America for many weeks, but it was a start. Evelyn was at the peak of her career while Dean was just beginning. You belong to me (Jo Stafford) and Mambo Italiano (Rosemary Clooney) were other songs that other singers had bigger hits with than Dean.

Dean is often compared to Frank Sinatra, but their music was quite different. I enjoy both of them in different ways. While Frank's music was rooted in the big band sound of the late thirties, Dean's was altogether more relaxed - Dean was the classic crooner. In the sixties, his music took on a country flavor. It was never country enough for him to establish credibility amongst diehard country music fans, but for those who enjoy both pop and country music, Dean's sixties music is particularly appealing. Dean does not twang, so a lot of people who don't like country music can still enjoy his music.

If you only ever buy one Dean Martin album, this is the one to buy.

This is definitely one of the best collection of Dean Martin hits out there. 'Dino' surpasses the previous leader: 'Greatest Hits: King of Cool'. The only major omission I noticed was 'Evening In Roma', but I didn't even notice until after I got home and looked at the liner notes. This album is jam-packed full of everything a Dean Martin fan needs. It's a great starter album for anyone who hasn't heard Dean before, and it's a must-have for present Dean fans! Buy this now!

This CD lives up to its title, being a generous (close to 80 minutes) collection of Dean's more famous solo recordings. It's a nice mix of timeless classics (Just in Time, Ain't That a Kick in the Head,...) and the deliciously kitschy. It omits the delightful 'Baby, It's Cold Outside', which showcases more of Dean's signature wit, but otherwise you needn't hide this set from the Dean Martin Fan Club members you hang out with. Whatever the playlist, the voice is amazing, as always. The remastering and recordings are clean, so that you don't feel like you're listening to old recordings.

The packaging is worth a mention - very elegant, although it looks like someone either airbrushed out Dean's cigarette on the back photo or else he was really letting them burn short. Because this will be the only Dean album for many buyers, there could have been more of a writeup about his career. The comments from his daughters Deanna and Gail are nice, but for a generation that regards the '50s as ancient history it would have helped to have more context.

But those are minor quibbles. Slip this CD into the player in your 1960's convertible and cruise.

I bought this collection simply because I realized I was without the rhumba classic "Sway (Quien Sera)" which is so familiar to me I naturally assumed I owned a version of it. This incredible collection from Dino's Capitol years (1949-1968) has allowed me to discover a very worthy singer whom I have known of and about all my life but whom I had never listened to seriously as more than a novelty and retro act surfacing here and there in some recent romantic film's soundtrack. His artistry and cool were superb and in evidence from his very early recordings. He was a true innovator and original and this collection captures his charm before he started self-parodying himself in the late sixties under the influence of producer Jimmy Bowen whose vulgar hurricane-force "wall of sound" orchestrations seem created to drown out the hair dryers of beauty salons everywhere. By contrast, the mono originals (pre-1958) in this collection sound as fresh as if they had been recorded yesterday. They have all been digitally remastered and fill out my 5.1 system in an optimal manner. Whether this comes from the remixing of multiple-angle sources or the subtle re-channelling of the mono sound, I don't know but the results are truly extraordinary. I was a little taken aback when I recognized Dean's version of "Under the Bridges of Paris" as the 50's French standard "Sous les ponts de Paris" because the orchestration made it sound as down-home American as some Dimitri Tiomkin western ballad, but I was taken in by its charm anyway. I also like the way Dino sings most of the Italian lyrics of "Volare" without condescending to Americanize the Italian original by which it can stand proudly to this day. This collection may be only an introduction to Dean's impressive body of work but it's a prized addition to any discothèque and an invitation to explore his early recording work which is by far his best.

The king of relaxed singing Dean Martin has always been under-appreciated as a vocalist. It probably didn't help that his recording tenures at Capitol and Reprise coincided almost exactly with that of buddy Frank Sinatra (Sinatra starting/joining Reprise a year before Martin made the switch in 1962). This is the first domestic set to combine the cream of Dean's Capitol recordings in the '50s with his best Reprise recordings from the '60s. There is an import Very Best Of from 2000 that combines hits from both labels, but it only included 21 tracks (as compared to this set's 30 tracks that total over 78 minutes) and it cost over $30.

Dean's Capitol hits feature tributes to his Italian heritage (That's Amore, Mambo Italiano, Volare, Innamorata), romantic shufflers (the Ricky Ricardo sounding Sway, Memories Are Made Of This) and amorous ballads (I'd Cry Like A Baby, You Belong To Me, If). This set also includes the non-hit, uptempo nightclub extravaganzas Just In Time (from Bells Are Ringing), Ain't That A Kick In The Head (from Ocean's 11), and You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You (his Reprise re-record from 1964, not the Capitol single version from 1960).

At Reprise, Dean reinvented himself, going from smooth romantic idol to ultra hip cat with the rockin' triplet rhythms of Everybody Loves Somebody, Send Me The Pillow You Dream On, and The Door Is Still Open To My Heart, and later, as a country crooner (my favorite Dean period) with Houston, Little Ole Wine Drinker Me, and Gentle On My Mind (the latter a huge hit in England).

The compilers have astutely sequenced this collection so that you never get too many recordings from the same Dean phase (Italian Dean, shufflin' Dean, country Dean, etc.) in a row. As the title states, everything included here is essential, and it is hard to imagine a stronger single Dean disc being compiled. Enjoy!

Dino: The Essential Dean Martin has thirty wonderful songs by Dean Martin on a single CD. Although I can't call any thirty songs a complete collection of Dean Martin's "essential" hits, this single CD does do a fairly good job at this. The sound quality couldn't be better and the artwork is very good--perhaps with the sole exception of that hard to read song list on the reverse of the artwork.

"Ain't That A Kick In The Head" gives us Dean at his very best--from his days at Capitol, if I recall correctly. Dean croons this marvelously and he never sings a superfluous note! Dean's voice is quite strong and his excellent diction bolsters his performance very well. "That's Amore" was always a huge Dean Martin hit that he made all his own with his excellent timing; Dean sang this with all his heart and his passionate rendition makes this THE definitive rendition of this love song. "Just In Time" gets a slightly happier arrangement than I'm used to--but then again, after all, this IS a happy song! The brass works very well and Dean sings this better than anyone could!

"Volare" is another major Dean Martin hit; the music that accompanies Dean fits perfectly and the harp is used to great advantage. "Mambo Italiano" is a number I associate with Rosemary Clooney but Dean Martin makes it his own as he plays with the tempo and a key change or two--it's stunning! "Mambo Italiano" always was one of my very favorite classic pop hits.

"Standing On The Corner" is a song many men can relate to--Dean's standing on a street corner watching pretty young ladies walk by; and there's also "You Belong To Me." "You Belong To Me" is a passionate love song that tugs at my heartstrings with its natural passion and heartfelt affection for his lover. "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" certainly gets a fine treatment from Dean as he sways, swings and croons his way through this classic love tune; "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" is easily a major highlight of this album.

"Send Me The Pillow You Dream On" has Dean singing so well with a lush arrangement and a chorus that harmonizes very well. The arrangement may be a little bit much but make no mistake about it--this is STILL Dean Martin's song. "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" is one of the most beautiful love songs I've heard--ever. I particularly enjoy this tune when Dean Martin sings it--he aces this number easily and it's a gemstone in his capable hands.

"Somewhere There's A Someone" shines when Dean Martin delivers this masterfully; and the album closes so nicely with Dean Martin performing "Gentle On My Mind." "Gentle On My Mind" is an excellent cover and Dean delivers this like the incredibly talented singer he always was.

Sure, there may be other songs that should be considered part of the "essential" Dean Martin collection; and so I cannot give this CD a full five star review. I guess I would give this four and 1/2 stars. It is quite a strong album; and Dean Martin fans will enjoy it. People who appreciate classic pop vocals should be running to buy this album!

As a fifty-something Baby Boomer, my most vivid memories of Dean Martin are not from his classic comedies with Jerry Lewis (I'm not THAT old!), but rather from his series of "Dean Martin Celebrity Roast" episodes that ran on NBC from 1974 to 1979. Unfortunately his chain-smoking lush persona on these shows hid the fact that he was one of the finest crooners of his era, and this generous 30-track collection more than adequately makes the case for Martin's genius. And what makes this the CD to own is that not only do you get his Capitol hits, but ten tracks from his tenure at Reprise from the mid- to late-sixties.

During the rock `n' roll era, Dino's brand of cool enabled him to place seventeen songs in the Top 40 and fourteen of them are here, including his first No. 1-1955's "Memories are Made of This." Even in the wake of Beatlemania, Dino was still able to hit the pop charts, including his No. 1 million-seller, "Everybody Loves Somebody" (which bumped "A Hard Day's Night" from the top spot).

There are a few albums tracks sprinkled throughout the hits, like "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" and the 1960 album version of "You're Nobody `Til Somebody Loves You." [He would rerecord the song for Reprise in 1964 where it reached No. 25 in early 1965.] In addition, there are several songs ("Mambo Italiano," "Let Me Go Lover," and "Kiss") that were huge hits in the UK.

The 16-page booklet is very entertaining with essays by Steve Van Zandt along with two of Dino's children. [Interesting trivia: The distinctive percussion sound used at the beginning of "Houston" was created by striking a Coke bottle!] Overall, this is a satisfying and enjoyable album. [Running time - 77:59] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED