Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Duets 2



It may not be the best of the duets but it is certainly the most distinctive because of Winehouse's voice. But my question is, what other singer still had the chops Bennett has at 85? I am in awe of him. Had to buy the CD to hear the whole thing.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

We saw him perform a couple of years ago. At one point, he stepped away from the mic and sang without amplification. His voice filled the 1894 Grand Opera House in Galveston to the back of the balconies. Great acoustics, but a great voice, too.

Anonymous said...

When we were kids one of the albums my parents played at dinner was Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall, a live album recorded in 1962. My father was a huge fan of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" among others (and probably still is).

A couple of years ago we saw Stevie Wonder at Madison Square Garden. After singing "For Once in My Life" he brought out his special guest, Tony Bennett, to do his version (and a duet). Needless to say he sounded great.

We got his first Duets CD when it came out five years ago, nut I have to say I think the new one is better. Maybe it's the songs but I think it's his co-singers.

In any case, the man is amazing.

Jeff M.

Todd Mason said...

I've been seeking the time and energy to review this one. Soonly, if at all. (I'll suggest that the Dana "Queen Latifah" Owens track might be a bit better, and the Norah Jones track suffers by choice of a weaker song...but they and Stefani "Lady Gaga" Germanotta all have rather better control of their voices than Winehouse does here...but it's a pleasant album, even with its weakest partners.)

Anonymous said...

Patti - Tony Bennett still can do it - no doubt. And such a tragedy that a great talent like Winehouse burned out so soon...

Anonymous said...

Todd, I was also impressed with the Latifah song.

Jeff M.

Deb said...

He's fantastic--and still going strong at 85. Also, if you haven't heard it, the album he recorded with K.D. Lang is very impressive (Bennett has said Lang has the purest voice he's ever heard). As for Queen Latifah, her Dana Owens album is quite good, full of standards and none of her rap & hip-hop stuff.

Dana King said...

I've been listening to Tony Bennett since I can remember; my parents are hugs fans and he'd be playing on the stereo regularly. He's the singer everyone thinks Frank Sinatra was. No pretense at being hip, he just sings and phrases like no one else.

I saw him live in Pittsburgh's Heinz Hall with Woody Herman's band when I was in college. He did the same thing Bill described above: put down the microphone and sang with just piano accompaniment. Highlight of the evening.

David Cranmer said...

I enjoyed that very much.

J F Norris said...

Margaret Whiting (who died in January of this year) and Barbara Cook had long careers and I think their voices aged and mellowed beautifully. Whiting sang well into her 70s. Cook is still singing every now and then. Her last concert was in 2004 and she was 77.

I can't think of any legit singing men with long careers who still have it. Most of them have retired. I won't even count the aging rockers - many of whom should've thrown in the towel decades ago.

Todd Mason said...

Well, Bennett still has it, if it is a bit diminished from where it was in the '60s. He just didn't abuse himself as Sinatra did, at least not as consistently nor for nearly as long.