Playin With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues
Tony Bennett's commercial renaissance of the 1980s and '90s was aided by a string of albums that communicated his essential values while providing conceptual rings (Sinatra,Astaire,women singers) for record buyers to grasp.Playin' with My Friendslinks duets with an assortment of marquee artists to a set of blues and blues-influenced standards. While Bennett is noJoe TurnerorBobby Bland, his upbeat style melds well with that of most of his guests. He achieves the proper level of brio on "Let the Good Times Roll" withB.B. Kingand sits in spiritedly withStevie Wonder("Everyday [I Have the Blues]") andRay Charles(a moaning "Evenin'" that's the standout cut). In fact, it's the visitors, not the host, who occasionally misfire:Sheryl Crowsounds unsure of her putative pain on "Good Morning, Heartache," whileNatalie Coleis simply too glib to make for a convincing "Stormy Weather." Still, Bennett, his small band, and the best of these cameos makePlayin'more than just another series of superstar walk-ons.--Rickey Wright