Love Is Here to Stay is a collaborative studio album by American singerTony Bennett and Canadian singer and pianistDiana Krall. It was released on September 14, 2018, byVerve Records andColumbia Records.[1][2] The album features the New York–basedjazz group theBill Charlap Trio.[3] An exclusive CD edition containing two bonus tracks was released atTarget,[4] while a red-colored opaque vinyl of the album was made available exclusively throughBarnes & Noble.[5]
All songs in the album are from theGreat American Songbook and were composed byGeorge Gershwin, with lyrics byIra Gershwin. Bennett first recorded "Fascinating Rhythm" in 1949.[3] By recording the song again forLove Is Here to Stay, he received theGuinness World Records title for "longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist." The time span is 68 years and 342 days, according to theGuinness adjudicator who presided over the record-setting.[6] Bennett and Krall have been friends for more than two decades. Krall previously participated in recording two Bennett's albums,Duets: An American Classic (2006) andPlayin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues (2001). This record is their first full-length project together.[7]
Chris Pearson ofThe Times gave the album four stars out of five, commenting, "Tony Bennett's admirers are by now resigned to him making duet albums, even if he works best solo. This example is more palatable than most since it pairs him with Diana Krall, among the few younger singers to share his deep appreciation of the Great American Songbook. Moreover they are backed by the trio of the pianist Bill Charlap..."[13] John Paul ofSpectrum Culture mentioned, "There is nothing onLove Is Here to Stay that will rewrite the legacy of either artist—they've both been better before and Bennett's range isn't quite what it once was (but whose is after some 70 years in the business?) But it's nonetheless an enjoyable pairing of two of the classiest jazz vocalists still working and, more importantly, still clearly enjoying themselves in the process. We should all hope to be so active should we find ourselves becoming nonagenarians".[11]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic stated, "In the Bill Charlap Trio, the pair have empathetic support, keeping the proceedings both light and lush, helping to turn this album into a charming testament to endurance—endurance of the Gershwin catalog, the collaboration between Krall and Bennett, and, especially, how Tony Bennett can still sound completely committed to songs he's spent decades singing".[8] Bobby Reed ofDownBeat wrote, "Bennett and Krall offer 10 delightful duets [...] and each vocalist delivers one solo rendition; his is 'Who Cares?' and hers is 'But Not For Me.' Just as salt and pepper can work together in a recipe, Bennett's authoritative vocals and Krall's more delicate delivery complement each other, and several tunes conclude with a delicious bit of unison singing".[14] Lee Mergner ofJazzTimes commented, "With the release ofLove Is Here to Stay, an exquisite duet album with Diana Krall, Bennett has further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest singers in American music."[15]
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