Customer Reviews

Tony Bennett & Bill Evans Album (20 Bit Mastering)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

(On Fantasy) A gem from 1975, and a warm and surprisingly rich album. It's such a treat to hear Bill Evans' thoughtful accompaniment behind Bennett, as just the two of them (and no echo!) take on "Some Other Time", The Touch of Your Lips", "Some Other Time", "Young and Foolish", Waltz For Debby" and others. For those familiar with Evans' other versions of these staples from his song book, its fascinating to hear these with what he does behind Tony Bennett, who never sounded warmer and more expressive. The choices of tunes reflects a lyrical bonanza of rich standards, and the two artists come through in a timely and intimate fashion.Even DOWNBEAT gave it 5 stars when it was released. Fans of this album would probably also want to check out "Together Again"-- the second Evans session with Tony Bennett. Originally recorded for Bennett's long defunct Improv label, it's been re- released on Rhino Records with many bonus tracks and alternate takes. It's not as effective as THIS album, but it works well.

My father introduced me to Bill Evans' music when I was a youngster. Many years later, after his death, I was sorting through the "cob web bin" in the local public library and I found this album - on cassette. I'd heard of it but never had the chance to listen to it before. I checked it out and was floored. This was released when I was a senior in high school. By that time my father and I weren't communicating very well...

To make a long story short, listening to this album brought back so many memories of Dad that I just had to buy it for myself. The songs themselves are all wonderful, recorded with a "you are there" intimacy (listen for Tony clearing his throat mid-phrase on 'When in Rome'). Bill, as usual, could evoke beautiful sounds just by looking at a key board.

Think of the most romantic setting possible with your loved one. Adding this album can only improve it. 'Young and Foolish', 'The Touch of Your Lips' and 'Waltz for Debbie' are the best of the lot, in my opinion, but all of them are delicious.

I grew up listening to Tony Bennett (on a little radio--tuned to a.m. of course-- in my grandmother's kitchen) and the only thing that could make him any better is the pairing with brilliant pianist, Bill Evans. These songs, recorded in June of 1975, do exactly what they're supposed to do; exactly what they're designed to do. Evans's piano and Bennett's voice create the perfect marriage of harmony and sophisitication. "Waltz for Debby"--a well-known Evans tune--is masterfully handled; of course all the tracks are. This is perfect cocktail music, but it transcends all categorization. Sometimes when I listen to it I feel like I'm in a Scorsese flick. Other times I feel like I'm right in the studio when the songs were being lain down. Sometimes I feel like I'm back in my grandmother's kitchen.

If you look at Tony Bennett's career, you will find his recordings fall well short of his live performances. He has been compared often and favorably to Frank Sinatra, and his recordings pale especially against Sinatra's. For a given record/CD, Sinatra had a clear idea of the songs, the feel of the album and the musical texture. As noted in Will Friedwald's wonderful book, Sinatra was deeply concerned that his recordings would last.

In contrast, Tony Bennett's recordings were mediocre at best. Why? My thought is that Bennett chose not to challenge himself in the studio, either with material and certainly not with musicians.

But this CD and its sequel are from another galaxy. Just one musician gets the recorded Bennett out of his studio lethargy. Bill Evans, that exquisite pianist challenges Bennett from the first track of this CD and does not let up for a nanosecond. You can hear the effect.

It starts with the first word of the first track, Bennett's voice is deeper, huskier and different on "Young and Foolish". It continues all through the last chords of Days of Wine and Roses.

My only quibble is that the CD ends.

While the second collaboration of these two musical giants has gotten the better critical reception, in fact both Tony Bennett and Bill Evans albums are beyond reproach. Some of Mr. Bennet's most nuanced singing ever is here and the piano work of Mr. Evans is flawless. Listen to the selection from "Wonderful Town" to hear how a song can be recast and improved upon when approached afresh. It's not really possible to single out a single track or two as highlights. Every song is brilliant and this collaboration seems as fresh today as the day it was released.

If you are an adult from the 20th century and you have never listened to this album, be sure you have not lived, you have just passed through life. A piano and voice reached to the highest sensitiveness and professional artistry.

I'm a jazz pianist/accompanist. OK, then, so I'm obviously a Bill Evans devotee (and any working jazz pianist who denies Evans' influence is -- are you listening here, Brad Mehldau? -- in some serious denial, to say the least!). Having admitted to my bias going in, let me say this:

Throughout his maddeningly all-too-short career, Evans was at his absolute best when working in collaboration, whether it be in a trio, sextet (as with Miles Davis or, on one recording session, with Chet Baker), or -- in this case -- a duo setting . . . with Tony Bennett, who early in his training had been taught to treat his voice -- and pattern it -- as a specific instrument (he chose tenor sax, by the way).

Evans never thought of himself as a singer's accompanist. He was wrong. There's a 1963 album he recorded, for example, with German vocalist Monica Wetteland, which proves how totally off he was in his self-assessment. But then, there's also THIS particular album with Bennett . . .

Perhaps, though, he responded to Tony Bennett as a fellow musician; maybe that's what makes this particular collaboration shine to the ultimate degree.

There are times in this album when, to this day, I wonder if they didn't sneak in a third musician. Witness, for example, Evan's lead-in to "Some Other Time" (a fairly obscure Comden-Greene number): with his inimitable touch, he echoes bassist Paul Chambers' intro to 'Flamenco Sketches' ("Kind of Blue," the Miles Davis Sextet) as he leads Bennett into the 'meat' of the song. What follows -- from both singer and 'accompanist' -- is sheer magic, the art of collaboration personified.

Each song on the CD mirrors this virtually letter-perfect collaboration. (Note to fellow instrumentalists: If you have a tough time improvising to Evans' "Waltz For Debby," play to the Bob Lees lyrics -- here superbly rendered by Bennett -- rather than to Evans' improvs.)

This CD may or may not be neither Bill Evans at his considerable best, nor Tony Bennett at his; it is, however, a collaboration not to be missed by devotees of either artist . . . or by even semi-serious jazz fans as a whole.

It is a landmark.

There are no studio tricks at play here -- producer Helen Keane wisely let these two great artists do all the work. Together they take some of the finest songs of their era, blending them with their own immense talents, embellishing and caressing them as only they can do, and give the listener an incomparable gift.

Bill Evans was one of the finest jazz pianists ever -- his fluid, melodic style graced everything he played. His solo piano recordings are some of the most beautiful keyboard work on record. Tony Bennett's voice is legendary, although most people are familiar only with his pop hits. His prowess as a vocal stylist is revealed here in its totality, interacting with emotion and playfulness with Evans' piano lines -- his ability to make his voice soar one moment and almost whisper the next is astonishing.

The songs here are as choice as the talents interpreting them. 'Young and foolish', 'The touch of your lips', 'My foolish heart', 'But beautiful' -- I could name all eight of them as favorites. The duo did one other album together, an excellent recording as well, but for me, this one stands slightly above -- and it could be just the song selection that does it for me.

This is an essential cd for any collector who enjoys jazz and/or fine song interpretation -- do yourself a favor and give it a listen. This music is truely timeless.

My piano teacher and I sat down today and re-listened to the 2 Evans-Bennett recordings. I can't add anything descriptive about the songs on this recording that haven't been admirably stated by other reviewers, I can only describe how blown away we both were at Evans' playing. He begins almost every tune with a beautiful intro, then weaves together beautiful notes and chords, some of which have no business being played. If you listen carefully, you can detect many "sour" chords which generate fantastic tension, which Evans then resolves effortlessly. His left and right hands are playing almost independently, yet seamlessly. The quality of his playing on this, and the later 1977 date, is matchless.
I don't believe there is another pianist on the planet that can play at this level. It is a level of intricacy and understanding of music that left both of us shaking our heads in awe.
Tony Bennett is in fine form on this date, his voice clear and expressive. There seems to be an implicit understanding between pianist and vocalist about the music, and the timing between them is perfect. This date, and the follow-up 2 years later, are definitely worth purchasing. This is timeless music that will always remain fresh, no matter how many times it is heard.

This is one of the best CD's I own: jazz, pop, classical or otherwise. I love Tony's interpretation, but with Bills Evans' lush harmony, and interesting rhythmns the whole is definitely greater than the individual parts.

I quickly grow tired of many of my CDs after a few listenings, but with this one, everytime I listen I hear something I didn't hear before.

That quality truly makes this the classical music of the future!