Harry Connick, Jr.: Come by Me

After some time in the land of New Orleans Funk, Harry Connick, Jr. has returned to the orchestral standards which first got him noticed and which have since garnered him multi-platinum, Grammy-winning fame. On Come By Me, Connick combines familiar originals with thoroughly represented selections from the Great American Songbook. These tunes include a punchy take on Henry Mancini’s "Charade," a yearning plea to take Irving Berlin’s advice and "Change Partners," an elevatored "Time After Time" which takes Jule Styne’s composition to new heights, a Bayou wail through Arthur Hamilton’s "Cry Me A River" and a sparely stringed rendition of "Danny Boy" which recalls the feel and tone of Connick’s first filmed performance in Memphis Belle. Though a few of Connick’s compositions are more in tune with his own story-driven and occasionally lyric-heavy style than those of the concise mood masters of old, his charts and arrangements are greatly authentic to the point of being difficult to distinguish from the classic copies. Combining his own voice and keys with his Riddle-d big band and a well Bas(i)ed orchestra, Connick captures a bit of the live feel of his energetically enchanting concerts while recapturing the magical tradition he seems destined to carry on.