Customer Reviews

Once More With Feeling

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

 

 

Billy Eckstine is one of the most romantic and sensuous male singers ever. He delivers--14 tracks on this cd with his mellow baratone voice that has just the right amount vibrato. His vocal phrasing and grap of rhythm and lyrics is EAR CANDY OF THE HIGHEST CALIBRE. His quality of talent has not been seen before or since he was on the scene. On this cd, I particulary enjoyed A Cottage for Sale, Blues in the Night, I Hear a Rhapsody, As Time Goes By, I Apologize, Stormy Weather, With Every Breath I Take, I'm Beginning to See the Light, and a very sexy version of That Old Black Magic. Although I could have done without the song called Like Wow. But this cd is worth the money because Billy's strong, dreamy, sexy delivery is VERY SPECIAL and NOT TO BE MISSED.

Billy Eckstine was one of my favorite singers when I was in high school back in the fifties. The songs on this album brought back great memories. I don't think Billy Eckstine ever got the recognition he deserved.

I have heard of him and I bought this album sight unseen when I saw the arrangements were written by none other
than the irreplaceable Billy May. I always felt that an album succeeds or fails not only on the talent of the vocalist but the orchestrator's contribution is equally important. On this album May succeeds with bracing arrangements as always.
But I will say that although Eckstine has a fine voice, his type of singing seems mannered to me. I'm not saying he's a bad singer because he's not. Its just that his particular way of singing doesn't really move me that much.
That may be why he doesn't seem as timeless to me as Nat Cole or Johnny Mathis. This is still a fine album but I find myself paying more attention to May's charts than I do Eckstine's singing. He does represent an era of singers
that is sadly long gone so I do recommend this album and I also want the tracks that he sang with Nelson Riddle
as well.

We listened to the CDs and felt a little cheated, we miss the truer sound you get from vinyl! My guy said he doubted it was really Billy singing...and I bought the CDs for his birthday. Good luck, it was still good to hear the songs anyway.

Basically, I think he is (although she sang much more jazz throughout her career)...
Dramatic, sensuous voice, rich vibrato, great sense of swing, modern touch, occasional tendency to surrender to sappy arrangements.... Sarah and Billy Eckstine share these features (and it's no wonder their collaborations enjoyed significant popularity)...

As far as this CD goes, I think that Billy Eckstine is at the very peak of his power and, although I would personally prefer a bit jazzier album, he gives some very strong performances in moderately tasteful arrangements (yes, Billy May could have done better, in my humble opinion)...

Basically, the wider array of Eckstine's pop-fans will be very satisfied with this album, with arrangements split between those with strings and those with more swing-oriented sound, jazz fans might be a bit disappointed....

As for bonus tracks, I think that "Anything You Wanna Do" really doesn't improve the CD - Billy is really not cut to sing rock (or whatever the h... this is...)... The same goes for "Like Wow" originally published on the same Roulette's single record...