"The Cole Porter Mix"
Patricia Barber
Blue Note, 2008
(Review by Jeff
Berkwits)
Covering a Cole
Porter tune is a rite of passage for most serious singers, with
everyone from Ella Fitzgerald and Bette Midler
to Frank Sinatra and Rod Stewart having over
the years interpreted his Great American Songbook standards. This celebrated
Chicago-based chanteuse now joins their ranks, with her 13-song CD (which
also includes three Porter-inspired originals) serving as a respectable
though by no means remarkable showcase for her silky voice and estimable
keyboard skills.
Barber’s
sultry reading of “I Get a Kick Out Of You” is an utter delight, with her
nuanced vocals complemented by an alluring, smooth-jazz tenor sax. “You’re
The Top” is another standout cut, as is her affecting performance of “Miss
Otis Regrets.” Nonetheless, the self-penned works aren’t particularly impressive,
and the remaining interpretations, while competent, are pedestrian. It’s
a fun diversion for devoted Porter fans, but dilettantes
should definitely seek out more traditional renditions.
Buy this album from
Patricia Barber
Website>>>
A long-time aficionado of retro music and movies, Jeff Berkwits
has covered vintage sounds for numerous publications and websites including
Bachelor
Pad Magazine, Filmfax, Outré, and
Amazing Stories.
He can be reached at jeffberkwits@sbcglobal.net.
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