Harry Connick Jr. - When Harry Met Sally: Music From The Motion Picture

Plucked from the piano bars of New Orleans, Harry Connick Jr. was an unlikely choice to pen the soundtrack for a major Hollywood release. But everyone concerned hit the jackpot. As with the best of Connick's music, When Harry Met Sally resonates with a whimsical yet sophisticated and urbane energy. That smooth, breathy tenor, combined with some inventive arrangements, brought color and setting to the film, playing a plum supporting role for Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Beyond the film, this collection of reworked standards stands on its own quite well. A lustrous vocal line bookends the hopping instrumental swing in the middle of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," playing that song's central melancholy up with a Nelson Riddle-esque big-band sweep. Connick's take on "Love Is Here to Stay" puts a gentle cha-cha behind the familiar verses, slowly working in a lazily wandering tenor sax. By the time the record fades out in a hushed, tender rendition of "Where or When," Connick has managed to thoroughly charm us, whether we'd seen the movie or not. --Matthew Cooke Amazon.com essential recording

Excellent music even if it's not exactly the actual soundtrack

Rob Reiner's movie entitled When Harry Met Sally deserves the fine soundtrack it had; and this CD of songs based on the movie soundtrack will delight you, too. Sure, these renditions are not what you'll hear when you watch the movie; but this CD gives us plenty to be happy about anyway.

Harry Connick, Jr. was just hitting the big time when he was tapped for this film; and this CD proves he had great talent from the start. Even though he was a mere 21 at the time these songs were recorded, Harry displays a mature and polished sensitivity to the nuances in the lyrics of these songs. Harry croons wonderfully on this CD.

The CD opens with "It Had To be You" with Harry Connick, Jr. playing piano and singing the vocals. The big band arrangement by Marc Shaiman shines brightly as this grand music flows so silky smooth through your speakers. "Our Love Is Stay" gets the Latin slow dance treatment with Frank Wess on tenor saxophone and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. Harry and the musicians are in total synchronicity for this number--I love it!

Other special tracks on this CD include the high octane arrangement for the instrumental rendition of "Stompin' At The Savoy;" the bluesy "But Not For Me" with its excellent orchestral arrangement and the angst expressed by words and music in the number entitled "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." Moreover, "Autumn In New York" boasts a great arrangement for piano--and as always on this CD, Harry plays it to perfection!

"Let's call The Whole Thing Off" begins with Benjamin Jonah Wolfe on a brief bass solo; and Harry joins in singing marvelously. Once again we get a beautiful arrangement by Marc Shaiman--awesome!

The CD ends with an instrumental rendition of "It Had To be You" which gets a faster cabaret-type beat than it received on the first track of this CD as well as the romantic, pensive number entitled "Where Or When" performed by Harry Connick, Jr. The piano solo for "Where Or When" moves me and I'm sure that you'll love it, too.

Congratulations to Harry Connick, Jr. on his coup with this album; and the arrangements by Marc Shaiman impress me greatly.

The liner notes feature the song credits and there is a brief essay by Rob Reiner, director and producer of When Harry Met Sally. You get some great color still photos from the film, too.

Harry Connick, Jr. and these exceptional musicians weave a magic spell to create a remarkably professional album. This CD gives you a festival of music you won't forget anytime soon. I highly recommend this CD for fans of classic pop vocals; and fans of Harry Connick, Jr. will love every moment of this CD.
March 6, 2007

When Harry Met Sally: Music from the Motion Picture

I loved the music in this movie, but the soundtrack just doesn't seem like the same music of versions of the music. I only listened to it once. January 9, 2007

Great film!

One of my all time favorite comedies. When two college grads, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan drive together to NY to start their new jobs, they can't stand each other. Crystal acts like a jerk, while Meg is persnickity and can't wait until he's out of her car and her life. Every now and then they run into each other. Meg has a boyfriend, and Billy is married. Neither relationships work out. So they finally stop arguing, and in time become good friends. But when romance enters the scene, neither knows how to handle it. Not woth missing. And the music background is wonderful. October 30, 2006

How good this is depends on what you're looking for

If you're looking at this because you want the actual songs played in the movie WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, this ain't it. These are songs that were heard in the movie in renditions by New Orleans jazzer Harry Connick, Jr. (who was quite literally a 'young lion' at the time of this recording..just 21) rather than the cuts from Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra that were in the flick. [Connick DID sing "Don't get around much anymore" in the movie along with a medley of "It had to be you/Let's call the whole thing off/But not for me" (over the ending credits) but those are different versions than the ones heard here.] Connick's band DID provide much of the score with instrumental renderings of "Autumn in New York","Isn't it romantic?", "I could write a book", "The tables have turned". "Stomping at the Savoy", "But not for me", "Say it isn't so" and "Don't be that way".

So if you are looking for an actual soundtrack to WHMS, sorry to tell you it doesn't exist. You'll need to buy several CDs and burn your own. If however you're open to hearing more of that voice from the movie, read on.

Connick could be one of the last of the crooners, utilizing creamy smooth vocals, however he keeps the delivery diverse thanks to his jazz chops. He's not afraid to do new things with arrangements of hoary old standards (like his take on "Winter Wonderland" that turns the familiar carol into Naw'lins boogie-woogie or making big band showcase "Stompin' at the Savoy" into a trio number).

Those who are looking for "big band" might find this recording disappointing: only "It Had to Be You", "But Not for Me", and "I Could Write a Book" actually fit THAT mold. Most of this reminds me more of a smoky nightclub: tasty small combo playing with an emphasis on subtlety more than brassy braggadocio. The focus is quite squarely on Connick's vocals and piano. For this reason, this is probably a love it or hate it proposition: If you don't like Connick's voice you'll loathe it, if you like it you'll adore the disc.

HIGHLIGHTS:
A bossa nova backbeat from the sticks of "Tain" Watts makes for a distinctive version of "Love is Here to Stay". Frank Wess contributes a breathy tenor sax to the proceedings, commenting on the phrases Connick sings before adding a relaxed solo. A trio of Connick, bassist Benjamin Jonah Wolfe, and drummer Watts conjures up plenty of sound on a swinging version of Benny Goodman stand-by "Stompin' at the Savoy". Harry's work on the ivories is shown to best advantage here. For "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" he plays it two ways: Is the character simply too LAZY to "get around"? The lackadaisical tone up until the bridge would suggest that, but then the band charges in up until the close to reveal the passion and fire lying underneath...he really CAN'T bear it without her after all. Connick adlibs "I need you baby" as he faces the prospect of yet another lonely night. The finger-snapping hipster opening of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is delightful. By the end of the tune, Connick is a jovial store-front preacher testifying to his band as they shout out "Call it off!" in reply.

LOWS:
There's way too much melodrama in "But not for Me"..it sounds a bit too much like a Walt Disney song. The arrangement of "Autumn in New York" is simply too busy...too much is happening with the rhythm that distracts from the melody.

BOTTOM LINE:
It's not the soundtrack. It IS nice modern jazz interpretations of time-tested classics and it hangs together well. If you have a love for vocal jazz, you should give this a listen.

3 1/2 stars November 3, 2005

Must say, this best jazz vocal cd ever heard

Cannot complain about cd, it is one of favorites, in entire collection. Love jazz, so when heard soundtrack at friends house, asked if Sinatra, said no Harry Connick Jr. Then went to store bount immidiately. Never have stopped playing since, one of favorites. Connick have smokey voice, and great Thelonios Monk meeets swing style of piano playing. Connick has big band with unique arrangements, very swing but as same time very jazz. Ah so!!! Great cd!!! June 21, 2005

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