Tony Bennett - Duets I - An American Classic

Artist: Tony Bennet
Title Of Album: Duets I - An American Classic
Year Of Release: 2006
Label: RPM RECORDS/COLUMBIA
Genre: Vocal Jazz

Format: MP3@320 kbps

Sound Quality: FULL

Type: CD

Total Time: 1:06:10
Total Size: 131 mb

The album was released in conjunction with Bennett's 80th birthday the previous month. The songs selected were mostly ones that Bennett had played a major role in introducing into the Great American Songbook.
Unlike some other celebrity duets efforts where performances were recorded separately and then combined by producers, such as Frank Sinatra's 1993 Duets, Bennett was physically present with each of his partners during recording. The vocals were performed live as the band was playing.
It debuted at #3 on The Billboard 200 selling around 202,000 copies in its first week. The album spent five consecutive weeks in the Top 10 – a great achievement considering that was released during the competitive Christmas season – and was certified Gold in less than four weeks of release. It also reached #1 in Canada.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tracklist:

01 - Lullaby Of Broadway - (deat. Dixie Chicks)
02 - Smile - (feat. Barbra Streisand)
03 - Put On A Happy Face - (feat. James Taylor)
04 - The Very Thought Of You - (feat. Paul McCartney)
05 - The Shadow Of Your Smile - (feat. Juanes)
06 - Rags To Riches - (feat. Elton John)
07 - The Good Life - (feat. Billy Joel)
08 - Cold, Cold Heart - (feat. Tim McGraw)
09 - If I Ruled The World - (feat. Celine Dion)
10 - The Best Is Yet To Come - (feat. Diana Krall)
11 - For Once In My Life - (feat. Stevie Wonder)
12 - Are You HavinΓΓé¼Γäó Any Fun - (feat. Elvis Costello)
13 - Because Of You - (feat. K.D. Lang)
14 - Just In Time - (feat. Michael BubleΓΓé¼Γäó)
15 - The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - (feat. Sting)
16 - I Wanna Be Around - (feat. Bono)
17 - Sing, You Sinners - (feat. John Legend)
18 - Left My My Heart In San Francisco- (feat. Bennett)
19 - How Do You Keep The Music Playing - (feat. George Michael)


At this point, who else but Tony Bennett would have the clout to round up stars on the scale of Elton John, Paul McCartney, Bono, Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand for some duets? (Note also that unlike some similar projects, all the parties involved on this CD were alive when it was recorded!) The material consists of relatively obvious classics in standard big-band arrangements, and Bennett himself is in top form at age 80, so much so that he doesn't need anybody else to handle "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." But the fun comes from checking out how his collaborators fare. The Dixie Chicks provide wonderful Andrews Sisters–type harmonies on the percolating version of "Lullaby of Broadway" that opens the festivities. The best songs tend to be the ones where Bennett's slightly craggy voice is juxtaposed to smooth female ones, like Diana Krall on "The Best Is Yet to Come," familiar accomplice k.d. lang on the sultry "Because of You" and Streisand—-perhaps Bennett's only equal in stature at this point—on "Smile." Among the less expected guests, soulman John Legend is a revelation on the hard-swinging "Sing, You Sinners," while George Michael confirms he’s quite the crooner on "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" Elvis Costello, Celine Dion or Juanes don't sound as comfortable, and sometimes it feels as if they overdo it to compensate, but overall this collection is among the best of its kind, with most guests rising to the occasion.
--Elisabeth Vincentelli@Amazon.com