Thursday, May 11, 2006



The Art Of Romance
Tony Bennett on RPM Records/Columbia Records
CK 92820

This is the most recent Tony Bennett album, released in 2004 and recorded at Bennett Studios in Englewood, New Jersey and was produced by Phil Ramone. Although Ralph Sharon is no longer at the piano, Lee Musiker on piano is the new Bennett go-to-guy as his music director with Paul Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums and Gray Sargent on guitar, continuing with the small group setting behind the Bennett vocals. The set has special appearances by Candido Camero on congas in Being Alive, Phil Woods on saxophone in Close Enough For Love, Little Did I Dream, Time To Smile, The Best Man and Being Alive.

The orchestra was conducted by Johnny Mandel except for tracks Nos. 6 & 9 which were conducted by Jesse Levy. Mandel was the arranger for tracks #1,3,5,7 and 11. Jorge Calandrelli arranged track #6 and 9 while tracks #2,4,8 and 10 were arranged by Lee Musiker.

TRACKS:

  • 1. Close Enough For Love (Johnny Mandel-Paul H. Williams)
  • 2. All In Fun (Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II)
  • 3. Where Do You Start (Johnny Mandel-Alan Bergman-Marilyn Bergman)
  • 4. Little Did I Dream (Johnny Mandel-David Frishberg)
  • 5. I Remember You (Victor Schertzinger-Johnny Mercer)
  • 6. Time To Smile (Geoffrey Clarkson-Johnny Mercer)
  • 7. All For You (Django Reinhardt-Tony Bennett)
  • 8. The Best Man (Fred Wise-Roy Alfred)
  • 9. Don't Like Goodbyes (Harold Arlen-Truman Capote)
  • 10. Being Alive (Stephen Sondheim)