TONY BENNETT & k.d.lang
A Wonderful World (Columbia)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Last heard on Johnny Cash's brilliant Solitary Man record, "Lucky Old Sun" sure is getting around. This time with venerable jazz crooner Tony Bennett and chameleon ingenue k.d. (no capitols please) lang dueting ever so soothingly. Bennett strikes while the iron is hot, following the crossover success of his rather placid duets record, letting producer for all genres T Bone Burnett set the scene, and inviting Canada's former cowpunk queen to share the mike. Taking a stroll through Louis Armstrong's set list gives much needed direction and cohesion to the platter, unlike the scattered duets album. Whilst most of his compadres are busy pushing up the daisies, the ageless Bennett continues to defy time, and somehow remains surprisingly contemporary.

© 2002 - John Sekerka