Search - Sammy Davis Jr :: Best of

A mixed bag of sounds

Johan Nilsson | Stockholm, Sweden | 12/26/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This collection contains the duets Sammy did with the Mike Curb Congregation. During the eleven songs of the album, he takes us through different musical sounds which makes it very interesting, I think. He starts off with the song we all know, "The Candy Man", but then goes 70's disco (!) with a special version of "That Old Black Magic" (you have to check that one out!). Then he turns Country & Western on "Song and Dance Man", then he moves to gospel for "Movin' on up". But my personal favourite is "Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow" where he gets funky (!), it has almost a blaxploitation-soundtrack kind of sound (a very cool song). The other songs are more in his usual sound (if he has one.) It's great to hear him do "Singing in the Rain" but it would sound a lot better had he gotten rid of the background vocals which is done by children, but then again, I feel the same way about "The Candy Man". But overall a good album, absolutely worth having if you're a fan of Sammy Davis Jr., perhaps the greatest entertainer that ever lived."

One Hep Cat

William A. Phillips | APO, AE United States | 08/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I had the extreme honor of seeing Sammy Davis Jr. perform live at Madison Square Garden on February 23, 1970. It ranks among the greatest performances that I have ever seen. He was Mr. Entertainment and will always remain so in the hearts and minds of so many people who have enjoyed his music and his great talent. Sammy Davis Jr. did it all. He sang, danced, did impersonations and was a masterful all around entertainer. This cd reflects just a small ray of that light which was this true genius of an entertainer and performer. He opened many doors in his lifetime and, until the end, was a living legend. Enjoy this great man and just a small taste of his incredible performing style."