4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting versions of some of Jerome Kern's classic songs, September 15, 2001
This review is from: Song Is You: Capitol Sings Jerome Kern (Audio CD)
Every time I listen to "The Song is You," the Capitol Sings album devoted to the work of Jerome Kern, I think of Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters," which used several of these songs. Certainly this album evokes lounge singers more than Broadway stars, but that is the whole point of this collection garnered from the Capitol vault. These performances go all the way back to 1943 and the Dinning Sisters singing "The Way You Look Tonight" and ends with an unreleased 1964 recording of Peggy Lee doing "Make Believe." My favorites would be Dinah Washington's "Why Was I Born?" and Judy Garland's "I'm Old Fashioned." The chief charm of the Capitol Sings collection is that you usually get a music twist on your favorite songs. Trudy Richards' "Can't Help Lovin' That Man" is the most up-tempo/big band version you will ever hear of that particular song. Plus there are always artists getting to show tunes they would never get to do on stage, such as Gordon Macrae doing "Old Man River" with an attempt at soul on the final track. You also discover recording artists from way before your time that you will take a liking to, which for me would be Jo Stafford, who must have multiple tracks on every disc in the series (check out sultry "Yesterdays" on this one). So while you have songs by Nat King Cole, Lena Horne and Nancy Wilson you also get Keely Smith, Helen Forrest and the Four Preps. This is not the best album in the Capitol Sings series, but if you are a fan of Jerome Kern you will certainly enjoy hearing some very different versions of your favorite songs.
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