Commentaires client les plus utiles
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5.0étoiles sur 5
They can't take that away from me..., Juil 8 2004
All of the other good reviews speak of the outstanding quality and musicianship of this album: Fred's amazingly subtle and expressive voice, the finest words and music by America's greatest composers, and the exceptionally hip and hot Oscar Peterson Ensemble. But there is more to it than that, there's the way this music makes you feel. For those of us who missed the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals and the Golden Age of Jazz, it is a total treat. Musicals--especially those starring Fred Astaire--and jazz, are the two most important and uniquely American contributions to the arts. This album reminds us of that fact once again. Listening to these songs conjures up a time when America was so very different. A time when we didn't need to be titilated, grossed out, or offended to be entertained. The attitudes, manners, and mores that defined early and mid-twentieth century America can be heard in the music and the lyrics found in this collection. I prefer romance to raunch, glamour to grunge, and class to corruption. Listening to Astaire sing these songs makes me feel happy, and proud of America's past. I am grateful it's been preserved on film and on this disc.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
At the top of his game - incredible, Déc 25 2003
If you want to see Fred Astaire dance, watch the movies. If you want to hear him sing -- this album (or the much pricier "The Astaire Story" 2-disc set from which these songs were selected) gives Fred the chance to match his many years of experience on stage and screen with just about the greatest jazz backup band in existence at the time. Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Barney Kessel on guitar, etc. This is an all-star jazz band who give their utmost to back up a singing star they respect, and Astaire, with his inimitable stylism, is obviously "in heaven" because he sings better than I've ever heard him sing. There is a palpable sense of mutual love and joy and respect between the musicians who made this album.To hear it is to love it. Not to knock the big band and orchestra arrangements over which Astaire sang many of these songs in his musical films, but this modest-sized jazz ensemble is obviously more suited to Astaire's singing, in my opinion. It is warm, intimate, and thoroughly enjoyable. Of course, if you like bombast, look elsewhere. If you love subtlety and the highest levels of technical improvisational musicianship, this is it.
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5.0étoiles sur 5
Fred Astaire and Six Great Musicians Having Fun, Mai 18 2003
This is my all-time favorite album, bought 10 years ago with the thought that it might contain the movie versions of the songs.
Instead, I'd say these are the "musical versions," with the Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Kern melodies clearly intact, but expressed with such genuine feeling through Astaire's perfect timing and the musicians' obvious comraderie that it's hard to believe there were earlier versions (my apologies to Ginger Rogers). Flip Philips' mellow sax solo on S'Wonderful, guitarist Barney Kessel's wonderfully sweet introduction to They Can't Take that Away from Me, Charlie Shavers' point/counterpoint trumpet "talking" on Nice Work if You Can Get It, Ray Brown's understated bass work on all (That's why he was so good!), Alvin Stoller's drums and of course the great Oscar Peterson on piano as he brings the unexpected swing to Just the Way You look Tonight moves the "steppin" out of the ordinary and into the sublime. A thousand times heard -- easily standing the test of time.
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Commentaires client les plus récents
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~ Emilie Claire Barlow
~ Fred Astaire
~ Harry Jr. Connick
~ Jennifer Warnes
