Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tony Bennett / Bill Evans: The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album

Tony Bennett / Bill Evans: The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album

By C. Michael Bailey
May 25, 2003
Sign in to view read count

Tony Bennett / Bill Evans: The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album

I suspect it would be rank hyperbole to state that Tony Bennett and Bill Evans were soul mates. No, that would probably be inaccurate. Actually, the two artists had very little in common aside from the fact that they were both jazz musicians. Bennett—a virile, muscular jazz singer with a conservative yet extroverted style—shared few obvious things with Evans, who was painfully shy, introverted, and impressionistic. But that is the beauty of jazz. These two exceptional musicians came together at the top of their game to record one of the most memorable vocal-piano duets committed to vinyl. Their 1975 recording has now gone digital.

Fantasy has dusted off The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album and cleaned it up considerably. One listen makes one think how little time has diminished the art of Tony Bennett, best illustrated in the quartet of songs which close the album. "My Foolish Heart" is plaintive and thoughtful. "Waltz for Debbie," an Evans composition with lyrics by Gene Lees, presents an opportunity for Bennett and Evans to become of like mind, settling into one another like scotch and soda. "But Beautiful" reminds the listener immediately why this song has long been an instrumentalist’s vehicle. Finally, "Days of Wine and Roses" could not have been captured more perfectly by anyone else. This is a superb reissue that demands to be heard.

Track Listing

Young And Foolish; The Touch Of Your Lips; Some Other Time; When In Rome; My Foolish Heart; Waltz For Debbie; But Beautiful; Days Of Wine And Roses.

Personnel

Bill Evans

piano

Tony Bennett

Album information

Title: The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Fantasy Jazz

< Previous
Rule Of Three

Next >
Journey

Comments

About Bill Evans

Instrument: Piano

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.