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James Darren: Because Of You

By Jim Santella
August 1, 2001
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Big band and orchestra arrangements by Patrick Williams, Bob Krogstadt, David Campbell and Ray Ellis make James Darren's latest album swing gracefully through all fourteen popular songs. These are the songs we've grown up with. Cookin' like Count Basie, the band comes alive with the kind of bouncing rhythms that get your whole body into it. A veteran singer and a music lover, Darren has chosen songs that have a strong effect on the listener. He swings them with ease.

Darren's voice is as strong and as flexible as it was forty years ago. Because the feel for each of his selections comes from deep within, the singer is particularly effective on slow ballads, such as "I'm a Fool to Want You," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" and "My Old Flame." Each one simmers. Impressionism takes hold of each tale. Jim Fox's acoustic guitar guides majestic Latin rhythms on "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," while Pete Christlieb's weeping tenor saxophone carries a torch for "My Old Flame." Darren is a natural. As long as he enjoys sharing, we can look forward to more sessions such as this one.

Personnel

James Darren

Album information

Title: Because Of You | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Warner Bros. Records

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