Tony Bennett – MTV Unplugged (1994) [Reissue 1999] SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This CD won Grammy Awards in 1995 for Album of the Year and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. Recorded live with Tony Bennett’s long-standing accompanists Ralph Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums, the set includes more than 20 songs, many of them standards Bennett has sung for years, such as “Old Devil Moon”, “I Wanna Be Around”, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, “All of You”, and “Body and Soul”. Guest artists k.d. lang and Elvis Costello appear on, respectively, “Moonglow” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me”. It’s a joyful romp for Frank Sinatra’s favorite singer.

Of course, Tony Bennett never was “plugged in”, so the concept here is redundant, but what the hell. It’s been a while since a Tony Bennett live album, and he’s always terrific in concert. Certainly, he is here, singing 22 pop standards, including many of his hits and many other songs he’s made his own. Elvis Costello and k.d. lang drop by, but they’re feeding off Bennett’s energy and star power, not the other way around. The album may be part of a successful marketing plan, but forget that and revel in the singing of a masterful song interpreter still, after 40 years, at the top of his game.

Tracklist:

01. Old Devil Moon
02. Speak Low
03. It Had To Be You
04. I Love A Piano
05. It Amazes Me
06. The Girl I Love
07. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
08. You’re All The World To Me
09. Rags To Riches
10. When Joanna Loved Me
11. a)The Good Life / b) I Wanna Be Around
12. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
13. Steppin’ Out With My Baby
14. Moonglow
15. They Can’t Take That Away From Me
16. A Foggy Day
17. All Of You
18. Body And Soul
19. It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing
20. a) Autumn Leaves / b) Indian Summer