| Product Summary | | Label: Wea/warner Bros. | | UPC: 00093624682929 | | Release Date: 11/18/1997 | | Buy.com Sku: 60143649 | | Item#: M2LPCM | | Buy.com Sales Rank: 25140 | Format:  CD |
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| Song Listing |  |
(P) Malpaso
(c)1997 Malpaso Records/Warner Bros. Records Inc.
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| | Album Notes and Credits |
Notes & Personnel Info |  | Engineers include: James Farber, Bernie Kirsh, Paul Brown, Al Schmitt, Joe Ferla. | | Personnel: Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Clint Eastwood , Alison Eastwood, Joe Williams , k.d. lang, Kevin Mahogany, Kevin Spacey, Alison Krauss, Paula Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Cassandra Wilson (vocals); Marc Antoine, Russell Malone, Kevin Eubanks (guitar); Kwihee Shambanari, Jennifer Bellusci, Daniel Shindaryov, Karen Jones, Lily Ho-Chen, Jay Rosen, Patricia Johnson , Jacqueline Brand, Armen Garabedian, Darius Campo, Berj Garabedian, Endre Granat (violin); Dan Neufeld, Ron Lawrence , Stephanie Fricker, Carrie Holzman-Little, Louise Schulman, Sally Shumway, Ann Roggen, Nardo Poy, Pamela Goldsmith, Harry Shirinian (viola); Michael Mermagen, Dennis Karmazyn, Maxine Neuman, David Shamban, Miguel Martinez, Armen Ksadjikian, Richard Locker, Eugene J. Moye (cello); Timothy Malsoh (flute); Susan Rotholz (alto flute); Sheryl Henze (bass flute); Domenic Corteese (accordion); Dan Higgins (alto saxophone); Ernie Watts, Joshua Redman, Michael Brecker, Pete Christlieb (tenor saxophone); Warren Luening (trumpet); Bill Watrous (trombone); Alan Broadbent, Brad Mehldau (piano); Clarence Penn, Gregory Hutchinson, Larance Marable, Ralph Penland (drums). | | Audio Mixers: James Farber; Joe Ferla; Al Schmitt. | | Recording information: HIt Factory; Ocean Way Recording, Los Angeles, CA; Sear Sound, New York, NY; Sunset Sound Recording, Los Angeles, CA. | | Photographer: Sam Emerson. | | Arrangers: Diana Krall; Joshua Redman; Alan Broadbent; Lennie Niehaus; Marty Manning; Gil Goldstein; Brad Mehldau; Cassandra Wilson. | | As a means of telling one of the most infamous stories of Savannah, GA, jazz-student/director/actor Clint Eastwood has chosen the works of one of the most famous natives of this fabled southern city, Johnny Mercer. Not only has he and producer Matt Pierson picked some of the most beautiful and beloved selections of the Great American Songbook, but the pair have also enlisted some of the greatest musical talents to perform them. In addition to older masters such as Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, and Rosemary Clooney (who easily earns the honors of the films featured chestnut, "Fools Rush In"), the album features a collection of younger talents from the world of jazz -- such as Cassandra Wilson, Kevin Mahogony, Joshua Redman, and Diana Krall -- and a number of crooners and tunesmiths from other genres, such as k.d. lang, Alison Krauss, and Paula Cole. In addition, Eastwood himself steps up to the mike to run the appropriately chosen "Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive" through his smoky vocal clips. In an effort to prevent the award-winning director from having all the spotlight, leading man Kevin Spacey and Eastwood's daughter Alison (who also stars and sings in the film) also take turns in the studio. With the keyboard work of Brad Mehldau and a backing band which includes the likes of Charlie Haden, Christian McBride, Kevin Eubanks, and a host of others, this album would have to work to fail. The high points (which are high indeed) include lang's lush orchestral flow through "Skylark," Cole's sonorous head-voice rendition of "Autumn Leaves," Krauss' beguiling offering of "This Time the Dream's on Me" and, of course, Bennett's version of "I Wanna Be Around," which has every bit of swing and sting as it did when it was recorded in 1962. While Oscar-winner Spacey is a trained vocalist, and while the song is especially germane to his voodoo-lovin' character in Midnight, his spoken-song lounge-act swing through "That Old Black Magic" argues for his continued success in acting. Contrarily, the younger Eastwood's twangy torch of "Come Rain or Come Shine" demonstrates that the Eastwood musical apple has not fallen at all. Clint has made our day again, and we should all feel lucky, Punk! ~ Matthew Robinson | | The soundtrack to Clint Eastwood's MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL brings to life the film's sordid tale and colorful cast of characters, making use of the music of Johnny Mercer to do the job. The album's roster boasts a wide variety of singers renowned for their interpretations of standards. Paula Cole gives an ominous treatment to "Autumn Leaves, and k.d. lang blesses "Skylark" with her trademark breathy stylings. Cassandra Wilson simply astounds in a smoldering, timeless take on "Days Of Wine And Roses," while Alison Kraus lends her fragile, endearing voice to "This Time The Dream's On Me." For good measure, the album features several tracks by stars perhaps better known for non-singing endeavors: Clint Eastwood himself jauntily tackles "Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive" and the film's star Kevin Spacey displays some impressive crooning on "That Old Black Magic." |
Producer: Clint Eastwood; Ernie Altschuler; Matt Pierson |
| | Technical Info | | Release Date : 11/18/1997 | | Original Release Date : 1997 | | Catalog ID : 46829 | | Label : Malpaso Records | | Number of Discs : 1 | | Runtime : 58m : 4s | | Studio/Live : Studio | | Mono/Stereo : Stereo | | SPAR Code : n/a | | UPC : 00093624682929 |
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| | Professional Reviews | | Entertainment Weekly (1/9/97, pp.66-67)
- "...It's less a soundtrack than a late-set jam at a swanky supper club....the album's uniform mood and arrangements [are] rare for a pop soundtrack..." - Rating: B |
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