Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. He Was Beautiful - Cleo Laine, John Williams
2. I Loves You, Porgy
3. No One Is Alone - Jacqueline Dankworth, Cleo Laine
4. Birdsong (Sambalaya)
5. Solitude - Duke Ellington, Cleo Laine
6. Streets of London
7. I Don't Know Why - Cleo Laine, Dudley Moore
8. Send in the Clowns
9. Dreamsville - Cleo Laine, Gerry Mulligan
10. Gonna Get Through
11. Skylark - James Galway, Cleo Laine
12. Creole Love Call
13. What'll I Do? - Cleo Laine, Joe Williams
14. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
15. You Must Believe in Spring
16. Wish You Were Here (I Do Miss You)
17. Bill

Disc 2:

1. Lies of Handsome Men
2. Play It Again Sam
3. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself a Letter)
4. If - Cleo Laine, Andy Williams
5. Thieving Boy
6. Won't You Tell Me Why - Cleo Laine, Toots Thielemans
7. I Remember
8. Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin' - Cleo Laine, Clark Terry
9. Woman Talk - Jaki Dankworth, Cleo Laine
10. Sophisticated Lady
11. Music - John Dankworth, Cleo Laine
12. Bess, You Is My Woman Now - Ray Charles, Cleo Laine
13. My Man's Gone Now
14. I'm Beginning to See the Light
15. Time for Farewell - James Galway, Cleo Laine
16. Turkish Delight
17. Born on a Friday

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15515 in Music
• Released on: 1997-06-24
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Best of
• Dimensions: .28 pounds

From Amazon.co.uk
Blessed with both a natural jazz instinct and an extraordinary range covering several octaves, Cleo Laine is one of the outstanding singers of our times. Her husky low notes and astonishing forays in the upper registers make her voice uniquely identifiable. She makes the most intelligent use of an eclectic span of material and her recordings are always filled with delightful surprises. The sweep of music in this remarkable collection reflects all that and her lyrics here have been composed by some of the best writers of the times, starting with one W. Shakespeare, who has three of his best numbers--"O Mistress Mine", "It Was A Lover And His Lass" and "Shall I Compare Thee To A Summers Day"--treated with imagination and grace. Standards by Arlen and Alec Wilder rub shoulders with compositions by Laine's husband John Dankworth. The latter's "Dunsinane Blues" is a swinging and delightful exercise in Shakespearean gore and ghosts and his setting of an Auden poem is written with taste and purpose. Guests include guitarist John Williams--a most delicate partnership with Laine on three tracks--and pianist Dudley Moore. --Steve Voce

Customer Reviews

Dame Cleo is the tops!!!!!!!!
An incredibly versatile singer! Cleo can go from swinging jazz to stately showtunes with amazing ease. This collection showcases all sides. She really swings on the Ellington tunes: "I'm Beginning To See The Light" and "It Don't Mean A Thing" among them. Her scat-singing is on par with Ella and Sarah. Good enough to make a silly song like "Birdsong" listenable. Then she shifts into Sondheim territory and turns in one of the best "Send In The Clowns" I have ever heard. A gifted writer, her "He Was Beautiful" is simply beautiful. She is almost bluesy on the heart-wrenching "I Loves You Porgy" and "Bill" from Showboat is a showstopper.

It is criminal that Cleo is not more universally renowned and revered. I recently saw her perform in Glendale, CA and at 70+ she is still a dynamic, mesmerizing performer. This collection is a great overview of her career and it will undoubtedly whet your appetite for more.

Superb performance in a wide range of music
This two-CD set shows the breadth and depth of Cleo Laine's range. While I'd prefer more of her "scat" works in a "Best of..." album, when she does it, it does you (i.e., Turkish Delight). This album is better appreciated after seeing Dame Cleo in concert with her husband and three piece back-up (ala Santa Fe in July). Witnessing her style, grace, the mesh of the ensemble, and the perfection of her performance is a thrill that can draw you into this album and help you fully appreciate the wealth of this music.

She IS beautiful!
I can't believe that just a few years ago I never heard of this beautiful lady and today Im big fan of hers, with 40 albums in my collection! I saw her live on two occasion and she was always sensational! This album contains material recoreded for RCA - its the creme of the last 25 years since Dame Cleo became star outside of her native England and the body of work of a mature singer in a full prime.The new songs are duets with her daughter Jacqui, very moving and nice in their way but of course its Cleo that shines here, with suport of some first-rate guests.For those who are interested in her earlier albums I recommend "The British sessions" since its unbelievable strong album and represents Dame Cleo as she was when she was younger and full of fire!