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

Customer Rating:
Summary: Not up to their usual standards - it drags.......
Comment: 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!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: It limps badly
Comment: 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?

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Two Reviews; Pick One
Comment: 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

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Customer Rating:
Summary: super mellow extravaganza
Comment: I had tears in my eyes when I first heard this album. I get emotional over music I really like, and this album got to me.So many great standards so well delivered by the duo. They deliberately chose slower ballads for this album so don't look for uptempo,snappy songs in this one.Not that Harry Warren could not write faster stuff like Jeepers Creepers,Shuffling Off to Buffalo etc. This album is to sing along with softly or hum.I kept thinking of Bogart in the rain in Casablanca and other lovers in W.WII.I know the main tune in that movie was not by Harry Warren;it simply reminded me of great love tunes from that era by Julie Styne[Time After Time] and the grossly underrated Harry Warren.Grab someone you love, some good wine and savor one of the great popular composers and a great duo.They should do more Harry Warren albums,Michael and George.I thank them profusely.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Harry Warren Uplifted
Comment: While I am not a great duo fan, and recommend MF get back to those lushly orchestrated back-ups, these tunes are uplifted as good as I have ever heard them.
My only gripe is that sometimes, MF gets a little too slow for my tastes. He can be like a Shirley Horn of a different gender, so I found this album drags too much. It's like listening to a doctoral dissertation of Buxtehude.
Finally, I am an old Shearing Quintet lover, and boy would that have made this a gem. Shearing has not won me over as a paino player like say Brubeck or Evans, but with the quintet setting he is an icon nonetheless.

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