Tony Bennett
The Complete Improv Recordings
(Concord)
Tony Bennett was (and still is) a jazz singer most aficionados consider to be too much a showman, too Broadway to be considered a “real” jazz interpreter. But there is no questioning his influence and popularity over the years. His associations with some of the biggest jazz musicians—Bill Evans, Rudy Braff, Torrie Zito—attests to the respect he gained amongst his peers. So no matter what you think of his style, this box-set—it groups the four ’70s recordings and several unreleased alternate takes—is perhaps as good as Bennett gets. On the 1976-77 Bill Evans and the 1973 Braff Quartet recordings in particular, he covers the American standards repertoire with the usual exuberance and heavy melodic phrasing that has typified his style.
—Dave Hayden
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.