Only You - Connick, Harry, Jr. (CD 2004)

I have to admit it. I've always been a fan of Harry Connick, Jr. Well, not always. Since I was born in 1946 and he didn't arrive until 1967, I guess I can't count those years. And, he didn't record his first album until 1978 (with the title being his age, 11!). But from that album on, I have always been impressed with his talent.

There are those in the purist jazz world who claim that Harry sounds to much like Frank Sinatra. Well, if you have to sound too much like anybody, Ol' Blue Eyes ain't a bad one to sound like. Harry has his own vocal style, however, and he is not a clone of Sinatra. Other jazz "purists" criticized Harry's piano playing as derivative of Thelonius Monk. Again, that's not a bad role model, but, once again, Harry has developed a style of his own. On many of his albums, he composed most of the songs. So, Connick is a triple threat in the music biz and he also acts.

Connick mentions in the liner notes that an old friend of his (the president of Columbia records, Donnie Sennu or Senner-can't read Harry's cursive writing) asks Harry if he would record a collection of songs from Donnie's "generation--the 50's and 60's. Actually, I've wanted Harry to record such music for years but I'm not the president of Columbia so I'm not sure he would have listened to me.

Anyway, Harry wasn't too keen on the idea until, as he puts it, he "discovered the wealth of material written or popularized during those decades." Once he made that discovery, he quickly picked a number of songs and began working on the arrangements you hear on this CD.

Harry is joined by a number of great musicians on the album: Paulinho De Costa, percussion; Alex Acuna, percussion; Jerry Weldon, Tenor Sax; George Doering, guitar; and Harry's trio mates, Neal Caine, bass; and Arthur Latin, II, drums. Harry sings on all the cuts as well as playing the piano. On several of the songs, all or sections of a big band are featured. Here's my take on this great new album:

1. MORE--Newell/Oliviero 4:11

I've never really considered this as a jazz song. However, Harry's arrangement and performance which features gorgeous French horns, strings and Acuna and De Costa, and Harry's singing give the song the ballad feeling of many of Sinatra's songs of the 50's-60's era. O.K., I mentioned Frank. Well, Harry does make this sound like Frank Sinatra but it's beautiful and superior to any version of this song I've heard before.

2. I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU--Warren/Dubin 3:39

If we were a race of Cyclops, this song would be "I Only Have Eye for You" which is not nearly as catchy. Sorry, I'm really not drinking but I did smell tar for three hours today, so who knows what my brain inbalence is. Back to the music, this classic gets a classical treatment with sensual strings and an even more sensual vocal by Harry. Connick shows a range here that almost reaches the bass voice but his crooning in front of the strings is better than I have ever heard him. A true love song sung with love. At the 2:30 mark, Connick plays several bars of piano before finishing a key or two up the scale. Beautiful.

3. SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME--Shuman/Pomus 4:48

Ah, big band with a taste of Basie's sax section sound, the then the "boy" singer Harry comes cruisin' in with remarkable coolness and perfect rhythm. Once again, the performances are great and the arrangement is right on. Connick has such a tremendous understanding of music, he should be the "Sinatra" of this generation. At one point, all the music stops and Harry comes growling in by himself. Jerry Weldon has a fine tenor sax solo. I love this big band/vocal sound.

4. MY BLUE HEAVEN--Whiting/Donaldson 3:15

Latin percussion provides the intro, joined by some Jobim-like guitar by Doering and some soulful strings, and then Connick sings this classic in a super slow tempo that swings. Weldon's tenor sax has a big tone and is a perfect contrast to Harry's voice. The Latin style is a kick.

5. YOU DON'T KNOW ME--Walker/Arnold 4:02

I've heard Ray Charles sing this one and Harry gives him a run for his money here. Sung with his trio and strings only, Connick provides the funky, soulful sound that the song needs. Harry's version of the song is more blues than country/blues. The mourning tone of the song of lost love is bitter-sweet.

6. ALL THESE THINGS--A. Toussaint 4:40

"The touch of your lips nest to mine
Gets me excited makes me feel fine
The touch of your hand your
Sweet hello"

These lyrics start Toussaint's beautiful love song that really reminds me of some of the 50's torch songs. I can just here Bobby Darin sing this in front of a simple rock drum set. Although this may be my least favorite song on the CD, it is representative of the era.

7. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE--Miller/Murden 3:57

Cleverly arranged with a repeated string intro, Harry's comes gliding in with voice and keyboard in a counterpoint to the string phrasing. Classical point, jazz counterpoint. And then the trumpet and sax sections of the big band float into the arrangement, once again in contrast to the strings. Brilliant work. There may be someone who can sing better than Harry Connick but I'm not sure who that is.

8. ONLY YOU--Ram/Rand 4:44

Jimmy Green starts the song off with a moaning tenor sax solo in front of strings and then Harry starts singing at a tempo that is amazingly slow. The slow tempo adds to the romantic message of the song. Sung so slowly, the lyrics sound as though they are being spoken. The fairly simplistic words are more poetic with this arrangement.

9. MY PRAYER--Kennedy/Boulanger 4:10

A thumping bass which sounds like a heart beat starts the song, and then Harry and the string section join in sounding remarkably like Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey.

"My prayer is to linger with you
At the end of the day
My prayer and the answer you give
May they still be the same
For as long as we live."

Can you think of a better Valentine's message? Dennis Karmazyn provides a beautiful cello solo during the song.

10. OTHER HOURS--Connick, Jr. 4:00


The only original composition on the CD, it begins with Doering's guitar and the Latin rhythm section. Then Harry croons his own lyrics to a beautiful melody artfully arranged. The song is to a loved one in pain and has a melancholy sound.

11. I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU--Warren/Dubin 4:13

With a very original opening of a slow-moving train drum roll, followed by Harry's voice and Caine's thumping bass, this is one of the greatest love songs ever written. Although the lyrics are not long, they are poetry.

"I don't know if we're in a garden
Or on a crowded avenue
You are here, so am I
Maybe millions of people go by
But they all disappear from view
'Cause I only have eyes for you."

12. GOOD NIGHT MY LOVE (PLEASANT DREAMS)-Motola 4:34

The trio and the sax section of the band sing this old love song to sweet perfection. If you can't dance to this with your loved one in your arms, you are no longer living. Harry's style is reminiscent of the 30's on a 50's song.

I can't think of a better Valentine's album to share with your lover. FIVE STARS