Dionne Warwick - Sings Cole Porter
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Dionne WarwickEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-06-12
Music Label: Arista
Soundtracks:
- Night And Day
- I Love Paris
- I Get A Kick Out Of You
- What Is This Thing Called Love/So In Love (Medley)
- You're The Top
- I've Got You Under My Skin
- Begin The Beguine
- It's All Right With Me
- Anything Goes
- All Of You
- I Concentrate On You
- Just One Of Those Things
- Night And Day (Jazz Version)
Free Music Notes for Sings Cole Porter
Free Music Review: Not Dionne's Best or Worst CD, But She's Simply the Wrong Singer for Cole Porter Songs
Hit: 3 Stars
This CD was recorded in 1990 at a time when everyone from Carly Simon to Linda Ronstadt to Natalie Cole were remaking "Standards" recordings. Natalie Cole obviously scored the biggest hit with her "Unforgettable" tribute CD to her late dad. Dionne Warwick had the misfortune of going with the crowd and being badly compared to the likes of Natalie Cole. She chose Cole Porter, one of the most clever and wittiest (if not THE wittiest) of American songwriters.
I think what's getting everybody's pissed at Dionne in these Amazon reviews and most people have ripped her CD to shreds is the fact her unique voice and style are NOT well matched to Cole Porter songs. It's that simple. Yes, Dionne has the sophistication and class to possibly pull off these songs, but Porter's songs require MUCH MORE than that. They require a singer who has an innate sense of his words and sung in a fashion that is full of irony and sometimes comical. Warwick is not that kind of singer.
Think Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Michael Feinstein, Bobby Short, and Toni Tennille (yes, that Toni from "Captain and Tennille" fame). All those singers are very suited to cover Cole Porter songs. What makes things even worse is the MUZAK arrangements from producer Arif Mardin. This is really quite shocking and disappointing that the great Arif Mardin could go with such an arrangement that's over-orchestrated and syrupy. The strings sound so gooey that they could melt into molasses.
I give Dionne a "B+" for trying, but everything from the cheesy arrangements and her own decaying voice simply didn't work for this ambitious project. Another sad revelation from listening to this CD is the great voice Dionne had from her heyday in the Sixties was at this point becoming coarse and limited in range (perhaps it's those cigarettes, Dionne!!) I think Dionne will always be associated with the Burt Bacharach-Hal David songs. Trying anything too risky and out of her vocal range will make her look very limited and silly. Nice try, but the CD deserves a "D+". The song selection deserves an "A" as these are probably the "creme de la creme" of Cole Porter's work. The "jazz version" of Night and Day is a nice touch in addition to the orchestrated version.
If I had to pick one song that Dionne survives on this outing, it would be "It's All Right With Me", but again her voice gets buried in the heavy orchestration. Sometimes she tries to shout over the strings, which makes her look worse. Again, a "B+" for effort, but the end result is still a "D+". Producer Arif Mardin also gets a "D+" for not coming up with more original and suitable arrangements for Dionne. If you look in the credits, everyone from Frank Sinatra to Lena Horne was praising this CD, and I have to wonder why....?? Were they doing Dionne a favor by saying nice things about this CD?
Sings Cole Porter Poster
Recorded in 1990, the same year various pop stars came out in recognition of Cole Porter and AIDS awareness with Red, Hot + Blue, Dionne Warwick's Porter album collects 13 favorites. It's hard to go wrong with this singer or this songwriter, but the production is pretty middle of the road, neither strikingly good nor shockingly bad. She's backed by a large orchestra, except in the reprise of "Night and Day," in which Stanley Jordan and the late Grover Washington Jr. add a smooth-jazz groove. No, Dionne's not exactly Ella here, but then she's not trying to be. --David HoriuchiPop Music CDs
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