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Even though he’s approaching his eightieth year, Tony Bennett is still the undisputed king of the saloon singers. His hold on the public imagination, and sales charts, has now lasted for over half a century. Bennett’s approach to singing is invariably lively, but it’s the unique character of his voice that accounts most for his fame: rough, almost harsh on its outside edges, mellow and tender at its core. As the ‘50s wore on, Bennett’s interest in developing his jazzier side grew, which is where this CD comes in. Recorded in 1958, it pairs the singer with the legendary Count Basie Orchestra, then well into its second phase of greatness following a few dry post-war seasons. Tony Bennett’s greatest successes were still to come…but the voice that made them great can be heard at its peak right here. — Mac Randall