Given his seemingly effortless ability at melding such disparate forms as jazz and gospel with his own rare melodic gifts, it's not hard to view George Gershwin as America's first classical crossover artist. But as this glorious, 41-track double-disc introduction to Gershwin's epochal repertoire quickly demonstrates, that assessment woefully shortchanges the sheer grandeur of "Rhapsody in Blue" or the sultry earthiness of "Summertime." Singer and pop musicologist Michael Feinstein produced the set (as well as contributing a new recording of "Home Blues"), and under his guidance it understandably leans toward Gershwin's remarkable body of songcraft, though it also includes more concert-oriented pieces such as the "Rhapsody" and "Prelude No. 2," both in original performances by the composer. But Feinstein's loving sense of American pop song history insures that the performances here are both inspired and enlightening. Indeed, his choices represent not only a who's who of 20th-century pop and saloon singers--spanning a rich pantheon that includes Jolson, Kelly, Astaire, Holliday, Sinatra, Bennett, Waters, Torme, Clooney, Day, Vaughan, and Fitzgerald--but deftly underscore Gershwin's transcendent synthesis of style, era, and distinctly American subject matter. Also includes a written tribute by modern songwriter Diane Warren and an essay by Pulitzer Prize winner Tim Page.

Track List:

CD1:
1 - George Gershwin - Prelude No. 2 For Piano
2 - Ethel Waters - I Got Rhythm
3 - Buck & Bubbles - Oh Lady, Be Good
4 - Billie Holiday - Summertime
5 - Maxine Sullivan And Her Orchestra - Nice Work If You Can Get It
6 - Fred Astaire - They Can't Take That Away From Me
7 - Al Jolson - Swanee
8 - Benny Goodman - Liza
9 - Frank Sinatra - Someone To Watch Over Me
10 - Dinah Shore And Buddy Clark - 'S Wonderful
11 - Jane Rusell - Do It Again
12 - Dorothy Kirsten - Soon
13 - Morton Gould, His Piano And Orchestra - Fascinating Rhythm / Someone To Watch Over Me
14 - Billie Holiday And Her Orchestra - The Man I Love
15 - Fred Astaire - Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
16 - Gene Kelly - Love Is Here To Stay
17 - Felicia Sanders - How Long Has This Been Going On
18 - Harry James And His Orchestra - Blues
19 - Doris Day - But Not For Me
20 - Rosemary Clooney - A Foggy Day
21 - George Guetary - I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise
22 - Oscar Levant - Third Movement (Allegro Agitato)
CD2:
1 - Buffalo Philharmonic - Of Thee I Sing Overture
2 - Tony Bennett - They All Laughed
3 - The Hi-Lo's - Of Thee I Sing
4 - Los Angeles Philharmonic - Promenade (Walking The Dog)
5 - Ella Fitzgerald - I've Got A Crush On You
6 - Alberta Hunter - Somebody Loves Me
7 - Maureen McGovern - Love Walked In / Embraceable You
8 - Dick Hyman - Mine
9 - Mel Torme - Isn't It A Pity
10 - Andre Kostelantez And His Orchestra - Introduction And Jazzbo Brown
11 - Aretha Franklin - It Ain't Necessarily So
12 - Robert McFerrin And Adele Addison - Bess, You Is My Woman Now
13 - Miles Davis - I Loves You, Porgy
14 - Sarah Vaughan - My Man's Gone Now
15 - Cab Calloway - There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
16 - Tony Bennett - Who Cares
17 - George Gershwin - Rhapsody In Blue
18 - Andre Kostelanetz And His Orchestra - Strike Up The Band
19 - Michael Feinstein - Home Blues

Download links: