JAZZ-POP
Sorry, this isn't an instructional disc. At age 78, Bennett still sounds as confused about love as a high schooler, singing (on Johnny Mandel's "Little Did I Dream"), "All that I could do was stammer and stumble/ Didn't have a clue I'd soon take a tumble." Many of these songs, mostly old standbys from the likes of Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer and Stephen Sondheim, are about love lost, making Bennett's slightly throaty delivery perfect for their heady mix of despair and irony: He sounds as though he has earned his regrets. Never mind that his high notes sound a little raspy, that his voice isn't always crisp. This old pro works wonders with nuance and phrasing. And just to keep things fresh, he makes his debut as a lyricist with the dreamy "All for You." Bennett aims for feeling and style; with this intimate selection of love songs he consistently hits his mark.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Close Enough for Love"
