Customer Reviews

Here's to the Ladies

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm as familiar to Willis Conover's voice as I am to Dad's. Conover's legendary Jazz Hour on VOA was a source of unfailing inspiration to people from all over the world and carried significance to East-Europeans living under oppressive Socialist dictatorship. Jazz Hour was one of the subtler weapons used by the US administration to promulgate its Capitalist vision and the famed American Dream.

I had been listening to JH probably from the day I was born! I vivid recall Dad putting on the radio at around 7:30 pm on Saturdays. We waited excitedly for the valves to get heated as the tuner gradually hummed into life. The tuner knob would have to be adjusted to the precise location to pluck the right signals from the airwaves. This was no easy task as the wavelength (I forget its exact frequency since we located by the relative position of the pointer, not the absolute frequency) was heavily congested and we had a trying time reaching the precise position. All too often we found unwanted signals intruding into our listening pleasure. We would have to constantly keep adjusting the knob. I didn't realize it then, but I now feel there was magic in this little forced ritual we had to break into every now and then!

Anyway, Dad's work would sometimes deprive him of the opportunity to listen to JH. I guess it was circa 1996 when on one such JH, Dad had to work in the evening shift. There were many more JH's he missed, but I guess this one was the costliest.

About a year prior (1995), Tony Bennett had released an album titled `Here's to the Ladies,' a compilation of 18 vocal standards dedicated to 17 legendary female vocalists. This album went on to win the Grammy, although I don't know under what category. Willis Conover dedicated the said JH to reviewing and playing selections form this album. I had never heard of Tony Bennett before, and I wasn't really much of a fan of vocal Jazz. Jazz, to me, was only supposed to be entirely instrumental; no room for the voice here, I reasoned. That's the idea Dad commonly held and I just found it convenient to imitate his!

Bennett proved me so wrong! Never had I heard vocal Jazz so mesmerizing, so paralyzing, so overwhelming, so Spartan and yet so out-of-the-world. I was held absolutely enchanted for the full hour as Conover's baritone introduced the selections. I guess it was the most unforgettable musical experience I've ever had. I deeply regretted Dad missing out on music so beautiful. I remember waiting eagerly for him to arrive late that night. The wait seemed so long and excruciating! When Dad finally returned, I told him all about what had just transpired and also promising him to buy the CD some day. Dad shared my enthusiasm. We discussed Bennett so many times after that. Dad, unlike me, was well acquainted with Bennett and I got to learn a lot more about my new Jazz guru!

Conover had said that the album was released under the Columbia records, a Sony brand. I knew the chances that I would chance upon my dream CD were very slim primary because Columbia records were rarely available in India. Adding to my woes was the fact that Indians hardly had a taste for Jazz. Marketers knew this well enough and would perhaps never bother to import the CD here. I clung on to my hope and never gave up my search.

The search lasted 10 years! I had moved heaven and earth but couldn't find my album. Even Indian shopping sites failed me, though you could find enough of the likes of Michael Jackson & Britney Spears. It was then that I decided to give up on the chase and import the CD directly via Amazon along with a few more albums. The order was placed, but soon cancelled on account of a snag.

I visited Landmark @ The Forum yesterday, accompanied with Subashish. My customary stopover at Landmark is where the Jazz and Classical CD's are kept, a place avoided by everyone else! I was browsing through the collection when I came across the section dedicated to Tony Bennett. At once my mind raced back to the incident that had happened 10 years ago. I didn't really expect to come across the album I was looking for, since I had already browsed through the section on innumerable occasions previously and hadn't met any success.

Imagine how ecstatic I was when I finally got to see what must have been a divine sight for: the album `Here's to the Ladies' neatly placed between other albums!!! There was no question what I had to do next: buy it! I could hardly wait, but wait I did since not browsing through the classical albums was unimaginable. Guess what, I now came across 2 more albums that I was looking for for years! Ended up buying all the 3 albums. Which one was the most precious? Now that's a silly question to ask!

Willis Conover passed away in '97.
Dad breathed his last in '04.
Tony Bennett is luckily still with us.

My only regret is that though I've finally kept my word, Dad has once again missed listening to the album. And no matter how long I wait for him this time, he's not coming back.
Dad, I'm so sorry for being late.

(I've been listening to the 'Here's to the Ladies' as I write this testimonial. The music doesn't fail me, though the magic does. Not a fault of the album though.)

While none of Tony's covers of these wonderful songs improve on the original versions, they are all extremely well performed and this album may be the vehicle by which some of these ladies, especially the less famous among them, may win new fans. Of course, all of them were famous at one time but many have long since been forgotten.

The ladies paid tribute to are Barbra Streisand (People), Peggy Lee (I'm in love again), Judy Garland (Somewhere over the rainbow), Blossom Dearie (My love went to London), Sarah Vaughan (Poor butterfly), Doris Day (Sentimental journey), Carmen McRae (Cloudy morning), Rosemary Clooney (Tenderly), Mabel Mercer (Down in the depths), Margaret Whiting (Moonlight in Vermont), Helen O'Connell (Tangerine), Billie Holiday (God bless the child), Dinah Washington (Daybreak), Ella Fitzgerald (You showed me the way), Lena Horne (Honeysuckle rose), Liza Minnelli (Maybe this time), Ethel Merman (I got rhythm) and Margaret Whiting again (My ideal).

It seems a little odd that Tony chose two Margaret Whiting songs, when you consider that Jo Stafford, Dinah Shore, June Christy, Jeri Southern, Helen Forrest, Julie London, Martha Tilton and many other wonderful ladies are not represented, but I suspect that he could not make up his mind between Moonlight in Vermont and My ideal, so he included both.

This is an outstanding collection that should please Tony's fans - or any fans of this type of music.

This one must be among the very greatest single CD's out there, and the ... price is a super bargain. It's surprising there's only four other reviews here. Firstly, Tony has picked 18 songs associated with 17 lady singers, including two by Margarat Whiting. These versions are often distinctly different too from other versions I know. Starting with Streisand's PEOPLE ,Tony and the band do a nice moderate swing version, a super rendition. OVER THE RAINBOW also swings a bit and includes the very rare introduction, lyrics essential to any classic song fan.MY LOVE WENT TO LONDON, a great piece I had never heard before, and a fine version of POOR BUTTERFLY from Sarah Vaughan,even if this version is topped by one with SINATRA AND DUKE ELLINGTON. This CD has the highest recommendation possible.BTW,in the notes Tony writes about each of his 17 ladies, and his comments are obviously of real interest too

The magic of this album is easy to explain: Tonny Benett knows this songs inside out and he obviously love them.In the hands of a lesser artist, this material would ended up just as bunch of tired songs that we all know too well.But Tonny Bennet sounds as he means honestly every word he is singing and that magic can't fail to find a way to a listener's heart.I enjoyed this album so much that I started to think that maybe he is even better than Sinatra, what a blasphemy...

I love Tony, because of his voice and his performence is excellent, specially this album. When I had my first album titled: Bleu Velvet I was amazed and his songs are touching. My favourite songs are Stranger In Paradise, Rags To Riches, I Wanna Be Around and Tender Is The Night. I saw the movie Goodfellas when I was 15 years old and I never heard about Tony Bennett. In the movie I heard the song Rags to Riches and I jumped of my chair and I was touched. Almost every friday night when I come from a hard day work I listen to Tony's music and It really relaxes me. My mother had a bunch of Tony Bennett records when she was 20 years old and she was and still is favourit by the song Stranger In Paradise. I recommend every one who loves jazz to listen to Tony Benneth because he is one of the best singers.

This one is called "Here's to the Ladies" and the name fits but it could just as well have been called "Smoky old Barrooms" for the music evokes images of being in just such a setting and listening to the musician. All of the songs do indeed make some reference to women and therein lies much of the appeal. These songs tug at the heartstrings.

The style is pure Tony. These are not the big arrangements with large bands but are instead more intimate pieces with minimal but sufficient accompaniment. At times I thought the bass was too high but that was easily changed with the settings on my system. Except for the possible preponderance of bass, the quality of the recordings is excellent.

Tony Bennett always performs wonderfully; and this CD proves he has one of the best set of pipes in the business! This sweet tribute to legendary female singers offers up seventeen superb tracks all of which get the royal treatment from Tony. The quality of the sound is excellent; I like that artwork and Tony's notes, too.

All of the songs are wonderful but of course I have my favorites as you will, too. The album starts off with Tony Bennett singing his heart out on "People," a song closely associated with the great Barbra Streisand. The music fits perfectly with Tony's excellent rendition of this ballad; the arrangement is very graceful indeed. "Over the Rainbow," Judy Garland's signature song, has Tony singing the rarely heard opening lyrics and when he swings brightly this number shines--and I would like to think that Judy would have loved this treatment of her song!

In addition, "My Love Went to London" has Tony singing this with great sensitivity; and listen for other brilliant interpretations of songs including "Poor Butterfly;" "Sentimental Journey;" "Tenderly" that Rosemary Clooney sang so well; "Moonlight in Vermont" with that fine piano arrangement as Tony sings this to perfection and beyond; "Tangerine" which is associated with the legendary Helen O'Connell; "God Bless the Child" which Billie Holiday always used to sing; "You Showed Me the Way" which is associated with Ella Fitzgerald; an elegant "Honeysuckle Rose" that Lena Horne so often sang; "Maybe This Time" that Liza Minnelli sings to this day and "I Got Rhythm" which Ethel Merman performed as an integral part of her fine repertoire.

Tony Bennett fans will be enchanted with this album; it's a must-have for his fans and a touching tribute to some of the best female vocalists ever.

Divided between large orchestra and small trio,this is album where Tony Bennet tackles standards connected with some of most famous songbirds - some of jazz,others from "traditonal pop" genre - and althought he is elderly gentleman now and voice not as elastic or fresh as decades ago,it still sounds just fine. He sings songs associated with Ella Fitzgerald,Billie Holiday,Sarah Vaughan,Peggy Lee,Lena Horne,Dinah Washington and whole generation of now classic era of songwritting - so in a way its not just tribute to the ladies but tribute to golden age of american pop music before rock swept this all away. Some songs are obvious choice - Judy Garland or "People" by Barbra Streisand - but there is occasional surprise like "My love went to London",beautiful little-known gem written by Peggy Lee that makes whole album more interesting than just another re-hash of famous standards.And how about "Tenderly" by Rosemary Clooney or "Moonlight in Vermont" by Margaret Whiting or "You showed me the way" that was actually written by great Ella Fitzgerald! I could go on forever like this,its really good classy album and I'm glad that Bennett lived to see tide turning back to his favour. This album was such succes that it gave him idea to continue with full-blown Billie Holiday tribute album next time around.

There are many fine tracks on this precious Album but none better than "Poor Butterfly". That one performance is worth the cost of the CD

I will say this plain and simple: It's excellent. What else can Tony Bennett be but excellent.