Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett celebrated his 80th birthday by recording this best-selling duets collection with various pop stars. While k.d. lang and Diana Krall are really the only two guests who are truly simpatico with Bennett's style, this is still an enjoyable set, superior to Sinatra's misguided duet albums from the 1990s. For one thing, all of the tunes were recorded live in the studio the way Tony always works. Not everyone is up to the task but rock fans may be surprised that Paul McCartney and Bono acquit themselves very nicely.

Nobody inhabits a song with more casual fire than Tony Bennett, and on this collection of
duets, the guest stars follow his heroic lead. With the possible exception of Barbra
Streisand and Celine Dion (on “Smile" and “If I Ruled the World," respectively), who don't
altogether retire their enormous diva manners, everyone tries to match Bennett's own mix
of major effect and minor ego. Among the many standouts: Stevie Wonder, going... More >