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MARTY CLEAR
St. Petersburg Times
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But what has always made Bennett special was his delivery: the purity of his voice, the subtlety of his phrasing, the controlled emotion of his interpretations.
On a virtually setless stage, a stunning four-piece jazz combo and three singers hold court for nearly two hours. They deliver nearly three dozen songs grouped in loosely conceived sets. (The Early Set includes Stranger in Paradise and The Best Is Yet to Come; the Film Set includes As Time Goes By and The Shadow of Your Smile; the Last Blast features songs from his landmark MTV Unplugged performance.)
The songs are punctuated with anecdotes about Bennett's career, some well-known, others obscure and fascinating.
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Singers Rashad Naylor, Michael Buchanan and Keith Buterbaugh deliver pure and straightforward readings of classic songs, and Buchanan is especially impressive. The trio is at its best during the Friends set at the end of Act One, which features songs by Bennett's favorite composers: the Gershwin brothers, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin and a few others.
Behind them, pianist and musical director Vince di Mura heads a band that delivers many of the evening's most powerful musical moments. Trumpet player Dwayne White was on fire with his solos, and drummer Ron Gregg and bassist Kenny Walker delivered a tight, tasty and creative foundation.
"Copyright 2005 Marty Clear. Reprinted by permission. All other rights reserved."
