Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Michael Feinstein: Michael and George

112

Michael Feinstein: Michael and George

By

Sign in to view read count
Michael Feinstein: Michael and George
Predominately composed with the warm and familiar intimacy of his famed cabaret sets, Michael Feinstein’s latest release panders a bit to the popular and loses some credibility in the process. A noted expert on the life, times and music of Mr. Gershwin who has performed this material many times before, Feinstein fittingly joins the throngs paying tribute to the centenarian songwriter with this set of fifteen selections, including one on which George himself provides the instrumentation (by way of one of his famous piano rolls). Though he may be known as the contemporary keeper of the Gershwin standard, Michael allows George’s legacy to flag somewhat. Instead of treating these timeless songs with the standard simplicity they deserve, Feinstein opts for touches of the bastardized "smooth Jazz" format, including percussion tracks and other synthesized lines which actually deteriorate the album’s synthesis. Though most of the album is lovingly concocted and tasteful, the few divergences leave an aftertaste which may not be pleasing to the savvy Gershwin or Feinstein fan.

Personnel

Album information

Title: Michael and George | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Concord Music Group

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.