Customer Reviews

Love Is Here To Stay

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

 

 

Although Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart are consummate performers, I must agree with the review of Sharlan Douglas. Both mother and son compliment their artistry so skillfully but the tempo of each selection is ultimately and regretfully the same throughtout the entire album. Neither the superbly intimate phrasing of Sandy Stewart nor the tenderly responsive accompaniment of Bill Charlap sustained the interest of this listener. However, when my choice is limited to a few numbers, the combined talents of both vocalist and pianist are intoxicating as one's stimulating indulgence of a fine and delicate wine.

I like Sandy Stewart's voice and phrasing -- she tells a good song story. Son Bill Charlap's accompaniment is delicate and spare. But every song has the same, slow tempo, the same vocal level and the same accompaniment. There's nothing uptempo, no crescendos, no drama.

excellent CD.. Sandy takes me back to those smoky night club singers..

what a treat.. she sings with such heart and pain and fun.. she is so sincere.. and son Bill Charlap.... a master at the piano..

what a dynamic duo! so glad i heard the interview on NPR.. I knew I had to own this CD.. I am wearing it out..

This is an excellent group of ballads, each one performed with great sensitivity to the lyrics of the songs. My favorites are "After you," "The boy next door," and "I'll never go there anymore." Though the voice is occasionally ragged (for example, on the word "qualify" in the second track), Sandy Stewart offers a lovely tonal quality and an incomparable understanding of these mature songs. Yes, she offers no up-tempo tracks, but she presents her strengths - and why not? Bill Charlap is a balladeer, too, and perfectly supports his mother in her restraint, tact, and lyrical phrasing. An example is the phrase "How can I ignore / The boy next door?" - which I've listened to a hundred times without quite comprehending its magic. There are dozens of similar gems in this collection. If you like up-tempo singing (as Ella and Anita do so well), pass up this CD; but if you like exquisite singing, with clarity, jazz tinges, and an autumnal beauty, this CD is really extraordinary. Highly recommended. - MS 11.7.2010

Bill Charlap is a world class jazz pianist. His mother is a world class cabaret singer. Put them together and you have a world class combo and neither have lost a step. A very good album, indeed.

If it wasn't for the sound quality damaged by the copy control ("CC"), this would have been a truly wonderful recording of Bill Charlap accompanying his own mother, who gets really into singing love songs in front of her own beloved son.

Bill's recordings on Blue Note ("BN") label have been disappointing as compared to his much superior works with Venus Records in Japan, and this CD was going to be an exception. Well, almost. It's strange why his performances fluctuate between the two labels, even though he always record in his home town NYC.

The CC technology masks the transparency and spoils the listening pleasure, especially when listened on a higher-end audio system. I wish BN not only abandons the CC but also issue their latest recordings in CD/SACD hybrid format, provided that BN would never repeat what they did for Nora Jones' Come Away With Me SACD.