Bill Evans, Tony Bennett - The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album

Special and Unique Album

this is the first Tony Bennet CD I own, and I belive is worth having among my collection. I'm a big fan of Bill Evans and that is what attracted me from this CD. He plays exquisitely. Add the talent of legend Bennet and you have truly a masterpiece. August 30, 2008

The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album

Excellent CD. We were watching a special on Tony Bennett, and my husband really enjoyed the calaboration between the two. January 23, 2008

A great recording

In the same way as I never expected the Johnny Hartmann/John Coltrane album to work, neither did I expect this too. Of course I was wrong in both cases.

Tony Bennett has often been thought of as a sub-Sinatra singer, who was a middle road singer without Sinatra gifts. Well on this album and I'm sure on many others he shows the true nature of his talents. A gifted song interpretor who here with Bill Evans at the Piano produces a marvellous performance. Evans of course makes his own unique contribution to the recording. The most important modern Jazz Pianist of the 50's and 60's, here gets a chance to show is skills as an accompanist, as well as playing some lovely solos. This also gives you the chance to hear a lovely version of Bill Evans most famous composition 'Waltz for Debby'.

The recording is a duet, so there is no bass and drums, which only highlights the great talents of these two artists. The fact that they work together so well is a tribute to them, and more importantly it gives die-hard Jazz fans a chance to appreciate a vastly under-rated singer and easy-listening fans a chance to understand why Bill Evans is rated so highly.
October 27, 2007

Tony Bennett Unplugged 20 years early...

I was working in a Santa Monica restaurant in 1995 where Ross Tompkins played piano a couple of nights a week. He turned me on to this magical album. Every time I listen to it, it touches a different part of my heart. The aching simplicity of "Some Other Time" and the melodic complexities of "Young and Foolish" never let me down. March 22, 2007

One of the two best albums of jazz vocals ever recorded

When Tony Bennett recorded with Bill Evans, his career was at its nadir. He had lost his contract with Columbia and couldn't find work. Evans was of course still considered a Jazz genius, but 1973 wasn't a good time even for jazz geniuses. Why they ended up in the studio together is a mystery, but the outcome is pure magic.

Bennett was taking a huge chance. There was no orchestra to hide behind, and no pop arrangement to lean on - just the extremely musical but complex Evans playing as he sang. He could have been exposed as just another pop singer, and the chemistry with Evans, who rarely ever accompanied anyone, could have been horrible. But he pulls it off with aplomb!

There is so much richness in the whole album. For example, in "Young and Foolish", Evans forshadows melodic lines that Bennett will be singing as he plays beneath Bennett. The lushness of Bennett's voice is the perfect foil to Evans' harmonic intensity.

The irony is that Bennett, who had never been known as a jazz singer before, becomes known as one, probably on the basis of this album alone; yet, he didn't get back into the studio again for years. And of course for Evans, this album is yet further example of his genius. This is a classic. March 1, 2007

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