Amazon.com These sixteen performances are a perfect pairing of vocalist and pianist. Both Michael Feinstein and George Shearing work well in such a spare setting and they've wisely chosen to focus exclusively on ballads. These two consummate musicians, a generation apart, are united by the timelessness of the traditions they both draw from. For this project they turned to the songs of an under celebrated American composer, Harry Warren. While many of his songs are well known standards, his name is less recognized than such contemporaries of his as George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. This elegant set brings to mind a classic collaboration from three decades earlier by Bill Evans and Tony Bennett. Recorded with warm clarity, the CD moves with subtle momentum, as the passion in the performances ebbs and flows across the luxurious songs. --David Greenberger
2010-08-11 Michael Feinstein, Hopeless Romantics Lovely love songs....done in very nice arrangements of music and dreamy romantic vocals...timeless lyrics....with George Shearing....one of the greats......tunes up my soul....and lets me dream awhile.... money well spent
2010-06-22 Less Than the Sum of its Parts With this trio (and I am counting the composer, Harry Warren, as the third in that number) one could expect a wonderful program. And, to give proper credit, it comes very close to wonderful. Something is missing, a spark that would set the whole thing on fire instead of smoldering like incense. There is something about the chemistry here that falls flat.
For George Shearing's part, some of my favorite records are ones he made just after World War Two, and his technique has never faltered. He performs with subtlety and professionalism, and I find no fault with his part of the program.
Michael Feinstein is not the weak link either. Other reviewers have found fault with Feinstein's performance, but on balance he does perform very capably here. In my own opinion, Michael has proven again and again that he can channel Russ Columbo to alarmingly good effect, which he does in this collection.
It feels as though, somewhere in the creative process of making this program, the enthusiasm "left the building" and what we have are capable performances that do not truly blend into a cohesive whole. Like the cover art, which is made up of two separate pictures "photoshopped" together, this recording is an artificial paste-over of two capable artists who are not really communicating with one another.
I am reminded of the Verve album made in the 60s of Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson. Because they are both "jazz" artists the pairing should have worked. But, because their styles and tastes were so different, it was (like this record) less than the sum of its parts: neither artist supported the other. It sounded as though each simply performed their bit unsympathetically and got their paycheck. Technically proficient, but less than satisfying.
2006-11-15 Not up to their usual standards - it drags....... As a huge long time fan of both Shearing and Feinstein and collecting both, I was disappointed in this pairing. Mostly it's Feinstein too soft, too slow and no changes in vocal coloring - everything sounds the same - lacking any energy. If you want a CD totally mellow and perhaps sleep inducing, this is the one for you. I expect more from Feinstein. Shearing is perfect, as always! Frankly, Feinstein has lost out in my collection to Michael Ball who really can sing anything perfectly!
2006-08-01 It limps badly Shearing, a pianist of great sophistication, pokes along on this recording to accomodate Feinstein's overall lame - and occasionally expiring - delivery of the lyrics. If this were Shearing and a quartet, without Feinstein, the results would have been Shearing's usual delicious product, I'm sure. Why is a great talent like Shearing yoked to a mediocre lightweight?
2006-07-21 Two Reviews; Pick One This is an album of 15 songs written by the late, great Harry Warren (recall the play/review "42nd Street"), sung by the great Michael Feinstein and accompanied by the great George Shearing. Every song is sung as a ballad, and nothing is played or sung louder than mezzo piano.
What to say about it? I see a strong case for a four-star review, and I see a strong case for a five-star review.
Four stars: While there is much to admire in the musicality of these two great musicians, they sound here as though they are competing for the prize of who can pull back the most. Except for slight flourishes on "I Know Why (And So Do You)" and "Shadow Waltz", the normally ebullient Shearing (recall his "New York New York" and "Lullaby of Birdland" with Torme, for example) is barely recognizable. Songs that normally have drama to them, such as "At Last" and "I Only Have Eyes for You", have been stripped of that here. As a result, these pieces almost sound like pieces from a museum. The curators, Feinstein and Shearing, have preserved pieces to be admired; but I personally like living things.
Five stars: Do any of you have any idea how difficult it is to sing a piece softly, without losing tonality, without losing focus, and making your lowest note sound as clear as your uppermost? Can any of you appreciate a singer who can train his voice such as to make his falsetto sound like his chest voice in timbre? Feinstein does that here--15 times. Every note is burnished with beauty. And I do mean every note. When I think of great 5-star albums, such as John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, Sinatra's "Sings for Only the Lonely" or last year's "One to Every Heart" by Mark Murphy, I ask: "Why not 5 stars?" Indeed, why ever not? The distinctions between the 4, in terms of beautiful end product (albeit different styles) are insignificant.
My verdict: Given that I have had nothing but this c.d. in my player for the past 7 days, I have to give it 5. I just don't have that happen with 4-star c.d.'s. Besides, this is a perfect album to sing along with in the car, while driving to choir practice. Try to match up with Mr. Feinstein for 15 minutes, and by the time you get to rehearsal, you're good to go. RC
Featured Products RSS
Lovely love songs....done in very nice arrangements of music and dreamy romantic vocals...timeless lyrics....with George Shearing....one of the greats......tunes up my soul....and lets me dream awhile.... money well spent
2010-06-22 Less Than the Sum of its Parts
With this trio (and I am counting the composer, Harry Warren, as the third in that number) one could expect a wonderful program. And, to give proper credit, it comes very close to wonderful. Something is missing, a spark that would set the whole thing on fire instead of smoldering like incense. There is something about the chemistry here that falls flat.
For George Shearing's part, some of my favorite records are ones he made just after World War Two, and his technique has never faltered. He performs with subtlety and professionalism, and I find no fault with his part of the program.
Michael Feinstein is not the weak link either. Other reviewers have found fault with Feinstein's performance, but on balance he does perform very capably here. In my own opinion, Michael has proven again and again that he can channel Russ Columbo to alarmingly good effect, which he does in this collection.
It feels as though, somewhere in the creative process of making this program, the enthusiasm "left the building" and what we have are capable performances that do not truly blend into a cohesive whole. Like the cover art, which is made up of two separate pictures "photoshopped" together, this recording is an artificial paste-over of two capable artists who are not really communicating with one another.
I am reminded of the Verve album made in the 60s of Louis Armstrong and Oscar Peterson. Because they are both "jazz" artists the pairing should have worked. But, because their styles and tastes were so different, it was (like this record) less than the sum of its parts: neither artist supported the other. It sounded as though each simply performed their bit unsympathetically and got their paycheck. Technically proficient, but less than satisfying.
2006-11-15 Not up to their usual standards - it drags.......
As a huge long time fan of both Shearing and Feinstein and collecting both, I was disappointed in this pairing. Mostly it's Feinstein too soft, too slow and no changes in vocal coloring - everything sounds the same - lacking any energy. If you want a CD totally mellow and perhaps sleep inducing, this is the one for you. I expect more from Feinstein. Shearing is perfect, as always! Frankly, Feinstein has lost out in my collection to Michael Ball who really can sing anything perfectly!
2006-08-01 It limps badly
Shearing, a pianist of great sophistication, pokes along on this recording to accomodate Feinstein's overall lame - and occasionally expiring - delivery of the lyrics. If this were Shearing and a quartet, without Feinstein, the results would have been Shearing's usual delicious product, I'm sure. Why is a great talent like Shearing yoked to a mediocre lightweight?
2006-07-21 Two Reviews; Pick One
This is an album of 15 songs written by the late, great Harry Warren (recall the play/review "42nd Street"), sung by the great Michael Feinstein and accompanied by the great George Shearing. Every song is sung as a ballad, and nothing is played or sung louder than mezzo piano.
What to say about it? I see a strong case for a four-star review, and I see a strong case for a five-star review.
Four stars: While there is much to admire in the musicality of these two great musicians, they sound here as though they are competing for the prize of who can pull back the most. Except for slight flourishes on "I Know Why (And So Do You)" and "Shadow Waltz", the normally ebullient Shearing (recall his "New York New York" and "Lullaby of Birdland" with Torme, for example) is barely recognizable. Songs that normally have drama to them, such as "At Last" and "I Only Have Eyes for You", have been stripped of that here. As a result, these pieces almost sound like pieces from a museum. The curators, Feinstein and Shearing, have preserved pieces to be admired; but I personally like living things.
Five stars: Do any of you have any idea how difficult it is to sing a piece softly, without losing tonality, without losing focus, and making your lowest note sound as clear as your uppermost? Can any of you appreciate a singer who can train his voice such as to make his falsetto sound like his chest voice in timbre? Feinstein does that here--15 times. Every note is burnished with beauty. And I do mean every note. When I think of great 5-star albums, such as John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, Sinatra's "Sings for Only the Lonely" or last year's "One to Every Heart" by Mark Murphy, I ask: "Why not 5 stars?" Indeed, why ever not? The distinctions between the 4, in terms of beautiful end product (albeit different styles) are insignificant.
My verdict: Given that I have had nothing but this c.d. in my player for the past 7 days, I have to give it 5. I just don't have that happen with 4-star c.d.'s. Besides, this is a perfect album to sing along with in the car, while driving to choir practice. Try to match up with Mr. Feinstein for 15 minutes, and by the time you get to rehearsal, you're good to go. RC