TONY BENNETT — Duets II (review)

TONY BENNETT — Duets II album cover Album · 2011 · Vocal Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Matti P
Tony Bennett (August 3, 1926 – July 21, 2023) made an impressively long career of high quality. He is, in my opinion, the only major male vocalist in the entertainment category to rival Frank Sinatra in importance. Sad to say he hasn't been reviewed here before. My choice is his decond "Duets" album. In his later years he was keen on performing together with well-known contemporary artists. In addition to the albums with a wide selection of duet partners on a song by song basis, he made whole duet-oriented albums with k. d. lang, Lady Gaga and Diana Krall. Undoubtedly Amy Winehouse, featured on this set, would have been on his Wanted list, but she died in 2011.

This is the second Tony Bennett duet album I've listened to completely, the first one being Love Is Here to Stay (2018) with Diana Krall, which I quickly ran through some time earlier and didn't like at all. I do appreciate Krall highly, too, but their mutual album had such a worn-out set of George Gershwin standards (e.g. 'Nice Work if You Can Get It', 'I Got Rhythm', 'They Can't Take That Away from Me' and so on) performed in an old-fashioned, light-hearted way.

Therefor I was all the more happily surprised to realize I had a pretty good time with Duets II. Undoubtedly the biggest kudos goes to the producer maestro Phil Ramone -- who passed away in 2013. The production of each well chosen song is perfectly tailored for the singers with various backgrounds and styles, and also the cast itself is delicious in its variety: from other elder legends such as Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson to the fairly young popular artists such as Lady Gaga, Michael Bublé, Cheryl Crow or Norah Jones.

Tony Bennett himself was indeed an ideal duet partner, always capable of creating a warm and happy atmosphere with whoever he was singing with. 'One for My Baby' feat. John Mayer suitably resembles a spontaneous bar stool dialogue. One of my faves is 'Blue Velvet' featuring the fantastic deep sensualism of k.d. lang. 'Stranger in Paradise' features Andrea Bocelli whose passionate, operatic approach suits the song.

This 63-minute set is definitely representing the cream of Various Artists oriented duet albums, and an excellent work from a legendary artist in the age of 85. R.I.P., Tony Bennett.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Cabaret Eclectic Fusion
MARIUS NESET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Living Ghosts Post-Fusion Contemporary
MICHAEL WOLLNY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Live at Donte's, Vol. 1 Vocal Jazz
MIKE CAMPBELL
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunday Afternoon Fusion
FURIO DI CASTRI
Buy this album from MMA partners
São Paulo Creative 4 : Supernova Avant-Garde Jazz
IVO PERELMAN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Sunday afternoon
FURIO DI CASTRI
snobb· 7 hours ago
Harmônicos
FABIANO DO NASCIMENTO
js· 22 hours ago
Con Alma
GENE BERTONCINI
js· 1 day ago
Our Walk (Live)
BEN MARKLEY
js· 1 day ago
Solar (feat. Vicente Archer & Otis Brown III)
JERRY LÉONIDE
js· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed