Product Review

This is the first in a new Acrobat series which will be devoted to the illustrious composers who made significant contributions to the Great American Songbook - the songs written during the half-century or so from the dawn of the recording era, many from stage musicals or movies, other purely the product of Tin Pan Alley, which provided the core repertoire for many of the finest and most prominent vocalists, big bands and jazz musicians of those and subsequent decades. This great-value 50-track 2-CD collection brings together some of the best-known and most-performed songs by the great Cole Porter, one of the more unusual composers of his time, since, whereas many songwriters worked in partnerships, he wrote alone, in a highly sophisticated and individual style, which reflected his different cultural background from many of his peers. The selected songs are presented here broadly in chronological order of their composition, using recordings from across the years since they were introduced, some by artists who were legendary interpreters of Porter's work, like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, along with others who simply dipped into his rich catalogue of landmark songs for their singles releases or albums. Their interpretations reflect not only the melodic quality and lyrical craft in his songs, but their timeless adaptability. It's a highly entertaining showcase for the work of one of popular music's most talented and influential practitioners.