Customer Reviews

Ultimate Tony

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With 14 songs from the 50's & 60's and 6 from the 80's and 90's, This CD is heavily weighted in favor of Tony Bennet's earlier commercial hits. According to the liner notes, Tony himself carefully handpicked these songs, so if you don't like the selection you'll have to talk to the singer about it.

However you look at it, this is undeniably the essential Tony Bennett hits over some 40 years. Many of them were produced by Mitch Miller. And many come from the classic compsers such as Julie Styne, Cole Porter, Jonny Mercer, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin and such.

This is basically 50's and 60's nostalgia with a nod at Tony's more recent work, and so is obviously for those who prefer the older and most familiar music. And for those listeners, it's definite four star material.

Tony Bennett is a great singer. Like Hank Aaron could hit a baseball. Like New York has a few people around, or Dallas is warm in July.

This may be the best single disc compilation of Tony's work available. It has just about every popular song he has ever recorded. Leaving aside the ubiquitous "San Francisco (a classic of all time, it goes without saying), this disc has so much more to offer. "I Want to be Around (to pick up the pieces)", "Tender is the Night", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and on and on and on. Each song here is better than the next. His voice is a treasure. "Steppin' out with my Baby" is as cool as the other side of the pillow.

Thanks to MTV "unplugged", a whole new generation of fans got to hear this marvelous singer. As importantly, millions who had heard him before and somehow forgotten how fine his work were able to re-discovered his brilliance.

Do yourself a favor.

There is no fat on this one! No fillers! This is the creme de le creme of a long career full of tasteful music. Each and every song chosen is 100% pure TONY...100% pure TASTE! No fat on this review either! BUY IT! It's THE BEST!!!

Tony Bennett is the ultimate saloon singer. Perfect, jazz inspires phrasings that can take a familiar song in interesting new directions. I was looking for that stripped down bar room sound: stand up bass, piano and soft brushes on a snare drum and Tony's unique virtuosity, sometimes whispery, othertimes sharp and loud. This is not that recording. This "greatest hits" album features the lush and elaborate productions of the 50's and 60's, a style that is like a sugar coating on top of Tony's greatness.

Tony Bennett is a singer's singer. This CD is the best compilation disc of greatest hits he's ever put together. It covers his entire career from early hits like Rags To Riches thru "San Francisco", I Wanna Be Around, Just In Time and the heartbreaking When Joanna Left Me, one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. There are excellent liner notes, dates etc. and the sound is clean and exquisite. There are 20 cuts, and every one is a jewel. Tony Bennett is the Rolls Royce of singers. If you're lacking room and can only make room for one Bennett CD, this is the logical choice. Buy It! It will be one of the best CD purchases in your life.

The Ultimate Tony Bennett is essentially a single CD retrospective of what Tony Bennett himself considered to be his best work. (Bennett himself picked the songs for the album.) The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is nicely done. The selection of songs may lean toward to 1950s and the 1960s but Tony Bennett truly was so great that just about anything he ever sang is priceless.

The album starts off with Tony singing the single version of "I Left My Heart In San Francisco." This is one of Tony's signature songs and it's not hard to understand why. Tony's ability to convey the emotions in every subtle nuance of the lyrics to this ballad strikes me as incredibly wonderful. Tony sings with excellent diction; and the piano arrangement lacks nothing--it's THAT good.

"Rags To Riches" features Tony's vocals squarely in the spotlight; and the lush musical arrangement enhances the natural beauty of this number. Tony sings this so well I am sure you will enjoy this song if you haven't heard it before. Moreover, "Stranger In Paradise" places Tony in the spotlight; he sings "Stranger In Paradise" to perfection and the backup vocalists support Tony very well. "I Wanna Be Around" is a romantic, emotional love song that couldn't sound any better if anyone even tried to perform this one. Tony sings this with great sensitivity at the same time that his voice is strong and full of warmth. Great!

"The Good Life" is utterly charming when Tony sings it; and listen also for Tony's fine rendition of "Smile." Tony delivers "Smile" with panache and I always enjoy this ballad. "Night And Day" is a romantic ballad and Tony swings slowly to perform this with an elegant style all his own. The piano and percussion on "Night And Day" are arranged with great sophistication, too.

"Blue Velvet" gives us Tony singing an interpretation of this classic love song with an almost operatic style; and the CD ends strong with "The Best Is Yet To Come." "The Best Is Yet To Come" features a fine musical arrangement and Tony sings this with such optimism that you experience the same optimism just listening to this!

Overall, any single CD retrospective of Tony Bennett's career could never truly hope to even scratch the surface of what this man could do on stage; but this one CD does come close to truly being his best. It's revealing that Bennett himself picked these numbers out for this CD. I highly recommend this for Tony Bennett fans; and people who like classic pop vocals won't be disappointed either.

Tony Bennett is like an excellent bottle of scotch just waiting to be opened. All of the great crooners (Nat, Bing, Frank, Dino, and Perry) are all gone now. Tony is all that is left from the Your Hit Parade era. This is the definative album where Tony has selected the songs that he cherishes. My children (ages 12 and 16) just love this guy. Nearly every song is memorable although I would have added a few more, such as "Firefly", "Once Upon a Time", "Rules of the Road", as well as some cuts from his now-famous MTV concert, just to name a few. Keep up the GREAT WORK Tony!!!!!! We LOVE you!!!!!!

In my opinion, Tony Bennett made a lot of "definite" versions of standards. A truly high accomplishment.
Fortunately some of them are on this album. The sublimely phrased 'The Shadow Of Your Smile' for instance! Or the opening track of course, which is considered his signature song.
Make sure to check out his splendidly intense version of 'Mood indigo' (with Wynton Marsalis' wicked solo)!

To me Bennett can be the perfect ballad performer, though he absolutely knows his way of swinging too! Indeed he puts his signature on each song.
In general I prefer his "more jazzy" work, but that doesn't mean that the more poppy music isn't high quality as well! "Stranger In Paradise" is one of those classic romantic popular songs, yet I never heard a better version than Bennett's.
On this compilation you'll find more the popular crooner Bennett than the great jazz singer Bennett, and a taste of his "deeper" work.

If you like this, make sure to check out his other work! Including the last 15 years, cos the man just doesnt get older! Thank the Lord for letting Bennett be active for so long!

I am just getting into this singer, but I feel that his approach to singing a song is so unique. When he sings, "The Best Is Yet To Come", he puts his signature on it. One of his best songs on there is "The Shadow of Your Smile". I mean he take his time with it, and Jimmy Rowles on the piano along with the orchestra gives it what it needs to stand out.One of the best versions I ever heard. "Put On A Happy Face", "When Joanna loves me","Rags to Riches", "Just In Time", and "The Good Life" are some more favorites. A fine CD by a fine gentleman.

Perfect gift for my Dad who has tried to sing like Tony Bennet all his life, when he was younger he nearly got close. He will be 70 on Sunday and If I could afford to have Tony Bennet come over and sing I would. But this I hope will make him happy. Perfect combination of all his songs