 Billy Eckstine Great album! I never listen to it! The crystal clear baritone of Billy Eckstine was a thing of utter majesty. Listening to records like this one, when his voice was in its prime, it is easy to see why "Mr. B" was one of the hugest stars of his day. Few artists from the bygone golden era of the pop standard (40s-50s) manage to almost make the listener swoon in the CD era, but this man's voice was so perfect it almost makes you weep, even now. More musical and genuinely emotional than Sinatra or Tony Bennett, and more straightforward than his jazzier contemporaries like Torme, Eckstine is unjustifiably neglected today when discussions of the greatest performers of the 20th century roll around. Eckstine was a titan. My problem with Eckstine is that, as grand as his recordings are, they are almost too rich, like one of those "ultra-chocolate" desserts you'll find at restaurants where phone booths and bicycles hang on the walls. He's an ideal artist for mix discs, but song after song can get a bit dizzying. Billy's Best, somewhat misleadingly titled, is not a best-of, but rather a straight reissue of Eckstine's first album for Mercury records, and for all intents and purposes, his first "album" as such. The material is exceedingly well-chosen; the orchestrations are sophisticated without getting sappy like Sinatra's; the voice and phrasing are beyond reproach. On certain high notes, he's heart-stopping. In lesser moments, you're looking for a vibrato-control button on your CD player. "Okay already! So you have a great voice!" But then the next moment sucks you back in to unfettered admiration and enjoyment. The disc is best represented by Billy's definitive "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," as perfect a performance as you could ever want from a vocalist. Other gems: "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" (though I still say the Coasters did that one best), "You Don't Know What Love Is," and "Where Have You Been?" Some of the others start blending together, leaving an overall lasting impression of quality but not a ton of memorable moments. A take on "Babalu" is well executed but seems a bit intrusive, and the six bonus tracks veer into schmaltz. Overall, this is a nice collection and a fine testament to Eckstine's grandeur, but probably not the best CD you can get by Mr. B. I've heard rumblings of a biopic about Eckstine, purportedly starring Will Smith, which if done well, could introduce Eckstine to this generation as a performer every bit as pop-culture "cool" as the Rat Pack, but even more so as he was a superstar bandleader and multi-istrumentalist to boot. I've got nothing but good things to say about Billy Eckstine, although I can't say this is the best CD ever made. Definitely worth a listen, but it's likely that it will receive just that – a listen. But by all means, though – explore his recordings, there's bound to be a couple great CDs out there.
Review by Nina Wonderful |