[.ca] Steppin Out Astaire Sings

From Amazon.com:
In 1952 Fred Astaire joined Oscar Peterson and some of Verve's best sidemen to lay down jazzy, laid-back versions of songs he had made famous in his Broadway and film career. Those 38 tracks, originally entitled The Astaire Story, have been condensed into this collection, Steppin' Out: Fred Astaire Sings. While Astaire was not blessed with great vocal chops, the best American songwriters including George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter loved him for his unerring sense of rhythm and sympathetic treatment of lyrics, qualities that are well displayed here. Tony Bennett hit the pop mainstream with his 1994 album of jazzy Astaire standards. Here's the original. --David Horiuchi

They can't take that away from me...:
All of the other good reviews speak of the outstanding quality and musicianship of this album: Fred's amazingly subtle and expressive voice, the finest words and music by America's greatest composers, and the exceptionally hip and hot Oscar Peterson Ensemble. But there is more to it than that, there's the way this music makes you feel. For those of us who missed the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals and the Golden Age of Jazz, it is a total treat. Musicals--especially those starring Fred Astaire--and jazz, are the two most important and uniquely American contributions to the arts. This album reminds us of that fact once again. Listening to these songs conjures up a time when America was so very different. A time when we didn't need to be titilated, grossed out, or offended to be entertained. The attitudes, manners, and mores that defined early and mid-twentieth century America can be heard in the music and the lyrics found in this collection. I prefer romance to raunch, glamour to grunge, and class to corruption. Listening to Astaire sing these songs makes me feel happy, and proud of America's past. I am grateful it's been preserved on film and on this disc.

Fred Astaire and Six Great Musicians Having Fun:
This is my all-time favorite album, bought 10 years ago with the thought that it might contain the movie versions of the songs. Instead, I'd say these are the "musical versions," with the Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Kern melodies clearly intact, but expressed with such genuine feeling through Astaire's perfect timing and the musicians' obvious comraderie that it's hard to believe there were earlier versions (my apologies to Ginger Rogers). Flip Philips' mellow sax solo on S'Wonderful, guitarist Barney Kessel's wonderfully sweet introduction to They Can't Take that Away from Me, Charlie Shavers' point/counterpoint trumpet "talking" on Nice Work if You Can Get It, Ray Brown's understated bass work on all (That's why he was so good!), Alvin Stoller's drums and of course the great Oscar Peterson on piano as he brings the unexpected swing to Just the Way You look Tonight moves the "steppin" out of the ordinary and into the sublime. A thousand times heard -- easily standing the test of time.

Elegant Simplicity Provides Perfection:
With the opening phrase of "Steppin' Out with My Baby" I was stunned by the quality of this recording... and remained stunned through the final bars of "Cheek to Cheek." Though recorded more than 50 years ago, the recording is clean and full... sublime. Though his voice is often considered a weakness, Astaire's singing is the perfect match for these classics from The Great American Songbook, allowing the songs themselves to become the center of attention throughout his performances. And the precise, elegant, and intelligent piano playing of Oscar Peterson -- and the work of the other sidemen as well -- perfectly matches Astaire's stylish performances. Though I expected -- and would have accepted -- recording quality well below today's standards, I was amazed that these recordings could not only stand alongside most of today's recordings but, in many ways, rises above them.

At the top of his game - incredible:
If you want to see Fred Astaire dance, watch the movies. If you want to hear him sing -- this album (or the much pricier "The Astaire Story" 2-disc set from which these songs were selected) gives Fred the chance to match his many years of experience on stage and screen with just about the greatest jazz backup band in existence at the time. Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Barney Kessel on guitar, etc. This is an all-star jazz band who give their utmost to back up a singing star they respect, and Astaire, with his inimitable stylism, is obviously "in heaven" because he sings better than I've ever heard him sing. There is a palpable sense of mutual love and joy and respect between the musicians who made this album. To hear it is to love it. Not to knock the big band and orchestra arrangements over which Astaire sang many of these songs in his musical films, but this modest-sized jazz ensemble is obviously more suited to Astaire's singing, in my opinion. It is warm, intimate, and thoroughly enjoyable. Of course, if you like bombast, look elsewhere. If you love subtlety and the highest levels of technical improvisational musicianship, this is it.

A Great American Songbook:
In an album that contains many of the finest songs ever written by Berlin, Porter, Gershwin and others, Fred Astaire proves that it phrasing and timing, and not voice, that make a great singer. This is a truly remarkable CD in all aspects. The sound quality, considering it was recorded in 1952, is superb. Astaire is in incomparable form, with the songs sounding much better than some of his earlier versions. And the sextet supporting Astaire, including the marvelous Oscar Peterson at the keyboard, is as fine as any. Not to be missed for anyone who loves this genre. There is also a 2 CD, complete recording of this session on Amazon.com called The Astaire Story.

• Steppin' Out With My Baby
• Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
• Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
• They Can't Take That Away from Me
• Dancing in the Dark
• 'S Wonderful
• Way You Look Tonight
• They All Laughed
• I Concentrate on You
• Night and Day
• Fine Romance
• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Continental
• I Won't Dance
• You're Easy to Dance With
• Change Partners
• Cheek to Cheek