Track Listing

1. Just One Of Those Things
2. My Kind Of Girl
3. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
4. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
5. More Today Than Yesterday
6. Blame It On My Youth
7. Because Of You
8. Good Life
9. I'm A Fool To Want You
10. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
11. Our Day Will Come
12. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
13. My Old Flame
14. Dream A Little Dream Of Me

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34731 in Music
• Released on: 2001-07-10
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.com
Vic Fontaine is back! The holographic crooner from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has delivered Because of You as a 2001 follow-up to his terrific 1999 set of jazz standards, This One's from the Heart. Fontaine, of course, is played by James Darren, a former '50s teen idol and actor (remember the young sharpshooter who sang a Greek song in 1961's The Guns of Navarone?). Darren is clearly indebted to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett (and singing "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" surely won't dispel that), but that's OK when a talented singer is armed with a great pack of songs, a top orchestra, and solid arrangements (half of them by conductor Patrick Williams). There are some surprises--"Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" in a ballad setting (Monica Mancini adds a little vocal harmony), an up-tempo "Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"--and some conventional but still welcome treats, including "More Today Than Yesterday," "Blame It on My Youth," and "I Can't Give You Anything but Love." Vic sings, Vic swings. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

A Winner All the Way!!!!
While browsing at a Tower Records store, I saw James' new CD and had to buy it immediately. Although he's concentrated on acting and directing for a long time, it's great to hear him singing again. His previous CD "This One's from the Heart" was great (I'm sad that I sold my copy but will buy another one), but I cannot find a better word for this one.

I tip my hat to Patrick Williams for not only conducting so brilliantly, but also for contributing half of the charts -his treatment of "Just One of Those Things" (a chart he originally wrote for Sinatra) is just great! Also, Ray Ellis (one of my favorite arrangers ever) did such beautiful writing on "Because of You," "Blame it on My Youth," and "Our Day Will Come." The other charts were wonderful, too!!!

As with his last outing, James had the support of the best studio musicians in Hollywood, world-class engineer Al Schmitt, and (this time around) world-class producer and drummer Gregg Field.

Fans of James Darren (and of great pop singing)...GRAB THIS ONE!!

"arrangements compliment Darren's style...suits him to a T"
Shades of Sinatra, Bennett, Martin, Darin and Connick Jr. surface with this latest release from Concord Records and Mr. James Darren ~ "Because Of You"...remember his singing from the early days...good to hear his voice and how much it still sounds the same...GREAT!

Let's touch on the stand outs ~ "MY KIND OF GIRL", composed by Leslie Bricusse is still a classic, Bricusse who worked with Henry Mancini(my favorite composer of all-time), remember Bricusse's brilliant score for the Albert Finney "SCROOGE", is watched every year during the Holiday Season at my house...another highlight is "CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU", romance is the name of the game, with beautiful and touching harmony from Monica Mancini.

Every selection bears lush and lasting arrangments from Paul Williams, David Campbell, Ray Ellis and Bob Krogstadt, is the essential big band and easy listening genre...so if you're into this bag of of tricks, you WILL DIG IT...nuff said!!

Total Time: 50:52 on 14 Tracks ~ Concord Records CCD-4969-2 ~ (2001)

Another winner from a unique singer!
In some ways, this CD is a re-invention of a re-invention. In the 1950s and 60s James Darren was a noted teen-idol movie star and Grammy-nominated recording artist. A junior member of the Sinatra Rat Pack, during the 1970s he headlined in Las Vegas teamed with comedian Buddy Hackett. With his singing days supposedly left well behind him at the age of 62, his decision in 1998 to take on the role of Vic Fontaine, a cool and swinging Rat Pack-style crooner, on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", reawakened the singer inside of him.

The great achievement in this CD is Darren's ability to make each standard feel fresh again, thanks to his peerless velvet rasp and easy phrasing, the exceptional arrangements and eminent jazz musicians comprising the big band. But "Because of You" takes a step away from his previous CD "This One's From the Heart", delivering a slower, more mellow take on some swing standards, and lush string-backed ballads. Where "Heart" was Frank Sinatra, "Because of You" is more Tony Bennett.

As such, the Bennett-signature trio of "Because of You", "The Good Life" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (the latter done here in semi-bossa-nova style) have the most influence here. It must be said that when James hits the final few notes in "Boulevard", he sounds incredibly like Bennett himself; while in "The Good Life" his delivery of the word `alone' is pure unadulterated Darren, a totally unique sound.

Overall, I must admit I prefer the more upbeat and happening style of "Heart", but Darren's undeniable talent and palpable charm makes "Because of You" simply irresistible, and a must-buy for DS9 fans and lovers of big band and romantic jazz. So as Vic Fontaine once said in toast "To whatever makes you happy!", I raise my glass to JD and respond that this CD sure did!