Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Prelude No. 2 For Piano
2. I Got Rhythm - Ethel Waters
3. Oh Lady, Be Good - Buck & Bubbles
4. Summertime - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
5. Nice Work If You Can Get It - Maxine Sullivan & Her Orchestra
6. They Can't Take That Away From Me - Fred Astaire
7. Swanee - Al Jolson
8. Liza - Benny Goodman
9. Someone To Watch Over Me - Frank Sinatra
10. 'S Wonderful - Dinah Shore & Buddy Clark
11. Do It Again - Jane Russell
12. Soon - Dorothy Kirsten
13. Fascinating Rhythm/Someone To Watch Over Me - Morton Gould
14. The Man I Love - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
15. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off - Fred Astaire
16. Love Is Here To Stay - Gene Kelly
17. How Long Has This Been Going On? - Felicia Sanders
18. Blues - Harry James & His Orchestra
19. But Not For Me - Doris Day
20. A Foggy Day - Rosemary Clooney
21. I'll Build A Stairway to Paradise - Georges Guetary
22. Third Movement (Allegro Agitato) - Oscar Levant & Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Of New York

Disc 2:

1. Of Thee I Sing Overture - Buffalo Philharmonic
2. They All Laughed - Tony Bennett
3. Of Thee I Sing - The Hi-Lo's
4. Promenade (Walking The Dog) - Los Angeles Philharmonic
5. I've Got A Crush On You - Ella Fitzgerald
6. Somebody Loves Me - Alberta Hunter
7. Love Walked In/Embraceable You - Maureen McGovern
8. Mine - Dick Hyman
9. Isn't It A Pity - Mel Torm�
10. Introduction and Jazzbo Brown - Andre Kostelanetz & His Orchestra
11. It Ain't Necessarily So - Aretha Franklin
12. Bess, You Is My Woman Now - Robert Mcferrin & Adele Addison
13. I Loves You, Porgy - Miles Davis
14. My Man's Gone Now - Sarah Vaughan
15. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York - Cab Calloway
16. Who Cares? - Tony Bennett
17. Rhapsody in Blue
18. Strike Up The Band - Andr� Kostelanetz & His Orchestra
19. Home Blues - Michael Feinstein

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4600 in Music
• Released on: 2003-01-14
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

Amazon.com
Given his seemingly effortless ability at melding such disparate forms as jazz and gospel with his own rare melodic gifts, it's not hard to view George Gershwin as America's first classical crossover artist. But as this glorious, 41-track double-disc introduction to Gershwin's epochal repertoire quickly demonstrates, that assessment woefully shortchanges the sheer grandeur of "Rhapsody in Blue" or the sultry earthiness of "Summertime." Singer and pop musicologist Michael Feinstein produced the set (as well as contributing a new recording of "Home Blues"), and under his guidance it understandably leans toward Gershwin's remarkable body of songcraft, though it also includes more concert-oriented pieces such as the "Rhapsody" and "Prelude No. 2," both in original performances by the composer. But Feinstein's loving sense of American pop song history insures that the performances here are both inspired and enlightening. Indeed, his choices represent not only a who's who of 20th-century pop and saloon singers--spanning a rich pantheon that includes Jolson, Kelly, Astaire, Holliday, Sinatra, Bennett, Waters, Torme, Clooney, Day, Vaughan, and Fitzgerald--but deftly underscore Gershwin's transcendent synthesis of style, era, and distinctly American subject matter. Also includes a written tribute by modern songwriter Diane Warren and an essay by Pulitzer Prize winner Tim Page. -–Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

's wonderful, 's marvelous
If you have any interest in American music of the early 20th century in general, or George Gershwin in particular, you will not be able to look at the playlist to this remarkable 2-dvd set without salivating. This is a who's who of talent beginning with Gershwin himself (Prelude No. 2 for Piano and Rhapsody in Blue) and continuing on with Fred Astaire, Rosemary Clooney, Gene Kelly, Al Jolson, Doris Day, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Harry James, Mel Torme, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett. The sound quality is surprisingly good and the selection is magnificent, the songs presenting a wonderful and vivid protrait of the American music scene in the early part of the 20th century. (Even though Gershwin died in 1937, singers and bandleaders have been performing his songs ever since.)

The accompanying booklet contains fine essays by music critic Tim Page and composer Diane Warren, as well as liner notes for each of the 41 selections, and a few pictures.

Superb.

"I Love A Gershwin Tune, How About You?"
According to the liner notes: "George Gershwin produced melodies the way an apple tree bears fruit -- naturally, prolifically, inevitably."

True enough, if he lived a lot longer, he would undeniably be the most prolific composer of all-time and would have created a lot more lovely and remarkable melodies. I considered him the most brilliant composer America ever produced. In my heart, his music will linger on forever! It has that unbelievable charm and there's something about the melodies as well as the lyrics. Thanks to the brilliant mind of George and the creative talent of Ira in writing the lyrics, we can appreciate and enjoy the finest music we'll ever know in our lifetime. This is the kind of music my late parents loved listening to and I was greatly influenced by them. I have loved the music of the Gershwin Brothers as far back as I could remember! Imagine a grade-schooler loving this kind of music then? Just because I've been hearing them played over and over in our turntable and eventually learned to appreciate and enjoy them!

This 2-CD Set features superb performances of Goodman, Sinatra, Bennett, Fitzgerald, Clooney, Astaire, Day, Torme, Feinstein, among many others. On Disc One, the tracks I enjoyed the most are Fred Astaire's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" which was originally recorded in the '30s from the movie "Shall We Dance?" a haunting rendition of "Someone To Watch Over Me" by Frank Sinatra, arranged by Axel Stordahl and was recorded in the '40s, a duet by Dinah Shore and Buddy Clark's "'S Wonderful," Gene Kelly's mellow rendition of "Our Love Is Here To Stay," the last song ever composed before Mr. Gershwin was hospitalized; and "How Long Has This Been Going On" by Felicia Sanders. Two legendary songbirds of all-time, Rosemary Clooney and Doris Day covering two of the best tracks, "A Foggy Day" and "But Not For Me," respectively.

The very highlight on Disc Two is the ultimate piece of classic in the modern era, "Rhapsody In Blue" a masterpiece performed by the great composer himself, Mr. George Gershwin.

Other noteworthy tracks are Ella Fitzgerald's "I've Got A Crush On You" and Maureen McGovern's heartfelt performance in a medley of "Love Walked In/Embraceable You" with its enchanting piano back up. Tony Bennett's singing "Who Cares?" is so fabulous with its forceful piano intro! "...He's not concerned with stocks and bonds he'd been burned with.... Who cares?.... Love's the only thing that matters..." Accompanying him in this wonderful performance is the Ralph Sharon Trio. This is one of the best tracks on the second CD.

This is definitely a must-have not only for all Gershwin enthusiasts but also for "would-be" Gershwin fans! It's certainly a keeper.

Timeless and inspiring
How's this for a first? The first album in the "Essential" series consisting of various artists. Of the 41 tracks on this double-album only two of them were performed by Gershwin himself and one of them , the almost-fourteen minute "Rhapsody In Blue" was partially recorded some forty years after his death. The performers on this compilation read like a who's who of artists inspired by Gershwin's brilliant compositions. Singers like Billie Holiday have two tracks here as well as Tony Bennett, Fred Astaire and Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra. Georges Guetary has a song "I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise" which he performed in the 1951 film "An American In Paris". Oscar Levant also performed "Third Movement" in that same film though it had been recorded years earlier. Finally, Michael Feinstein who co-produced this album has a beautifully performed rendition of "Home Blues" which closes the second disc. There's an insightful essay by Tim Page and one by songwriter Diane Warren about the legacy he left behind. Although he passed away on 7/11/37 of a brain tumor at age 38 he left behind a huge body of work that continues to inspire today's musicians. This album can truly attest to that.