"Harry Connick Jr. is a complete musician, and for this reason everything he does deserves at least one listen. "25" contains numerous examples of his varied abilities, from the amazing piano playing on "Stardust" to the beautiful, expressive singing in the ballads. Connick does more than justice to "This Time the Dream's On Me", while the uptempo choices like "On the Atchison..." "I'm an Old Cowhand" and "Lazybones" display wit and charm along with formidable musicianship. One reason why Connick is such an appealing performer is that he respects the original melodic line of a song, even as he makes it his own. The beautiful tune in "Tangerine" is never obscured, nor is that of "On the Street Where You Live". Only "Didn't He Ramble" disappoints as lesser piece of writing. The backup musicians, especially Johnny Adams, all approach Connick's league. A great place to start exploring Mr. Connick."
YET ANOTHER WONDERFUL ALBUM
mackjay | 11/20/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In my eyes, you can't say which Harry Connick, Jr., album is the best, because they all display perfection, and something new in every song. Whether it's his soft voice, or his excellent display on the piano, it's all here in his album produced at 25 years of age, by someone who will go down in Jazz history, Mr. Harry Conncik Jr."
Always a great choice!
N. Adam | New Jersey, USA | 02/04/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have every one of his CD's and this by far is one of his best. This CD is like an old friend that is worth listening to over and over again. I alway's enjoy listening to Harry!"
Simplistic and complicated.
W. Grandy | windsor, nova scotia Canada | 06/29/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This album has the strangest selections I've heard on a single recording. It runs the gamut from Stardust to I'm An Old Cowhand to Lazybones and on and on. Why the title 25?? It was released on his 25th birth date. 'I'm an old cowhand' was included for his then future mother-in-law who hails from Texas. Harry is a competent but not distintive singer however he more than compensates with his great piano playing but one of his teachers, Ellis Marsalis plays piano on stardust. Great organ on 'Lazybones'. If you buy this album and wonder if your woofer/subwoofer took a break, the final track will assure you they're in good shape."
My Very First Harry Connick, Jr. CD Way Back In 1992
Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* | CA USA | 07/05/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
""I only know how happy I am to be given the opportunity to make another record for you. This is about as raw as it gets. This is what I sound like when I'm alone, away from the lights and the crowds. This is what I sound like when I play whatever comes to mind. This is what I sound like at 25." ~ Harry Connick, Jr. ~
This recording, simply titled "25," was released in October of 1992 when Harry Connick, Jr. was, as the title obviously reveals, twenty-five years old. It is my very first HCJ CD and my first exposure to his artistry. Then I found myself collecting one CD after another such as 20, 30, When Harry Met Sally: Music From The Motion Picture (he won the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance), She, Only You (my top fave), Come By Me, Harry for the Holidays and of late, his new recording that was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album in 2010 Grammy Awards, Your Songs, which is a mix of standards and contemporary songs.
The setting of this recording is very intimate with only a handful of guest musicians to lend their expertise in their respective instruments - pianist Ellis Marsalis, bassist Ray Brown, vocalist Johnny Adams and tenor saxophonist Ned Goold.
Mitchell Parish and Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" is the most exquisite track where it features Harry Connick's mentor and one of the most ingenious jazz pianists who is the head of a family of great musicians, Ellis Marsalis. The singer thought that it was "one lyrical/melodic monster" and was hesitant to do his own rendition, but he did it anyway. It turned out to be one of the best interpretations ever recorded and one of his most defining musical moments. Ellis Marsalis' beautiful accompaniment and pianistic command bring out the very best in HCJ's vocals.
Do you sing in the shower? Well, HCJ does. And he used to sing "On The Sunny Side of The Street" in "bits and pieces everywhere from the shower to the shore and wanted to record it one day." And that day came when he finally recorded it in 1992 and had the great moment of singing it completely. And the end-result is an outstanding rendition of this standard from Lerner and Lowe. Equally beautiful are his deliveries of "Music, Maestro, Please" and "On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe."
I completely concur with the producer of this album, Tracey Freeman, who is "always amazed by HCJ's ability to interpret musically and lyrically." He further added on his Liner Notes that most songs were "not premeditated choices; they were chosen right there in the studio. And that most of the songs were done in one take." That merely shows that HCJ is one dedicated musician/singer who gives importance to his work and does it effortlessly, yet with utmost care and respect to the material.
One more great attribute of HCJ is that he possesses one of the most handsome voices the music world has ever heard in the history of male vocalists, but I do believe that it could truly bring out the very, very best if and when he will have the opportunity to work with one of the most brilliant arrangers/orchestrators of all-time, Johnny Mandel. I look forward to hearing someday an all-standards-album of HCJ and Johnny Mandel with a full orchestra. It would surely be a smooth and sure path to another Grammy Award for the multi-Grammy-winning singer/composer/pianist/arranger and occasional actor all rolled-into-one.
P.S. See you at the Hollywood Bowl in a few weeks. I'm sure it will be a great concert!
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
