The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album

After long rebuffing record label pleas to record material more in tune with the rock-pop fashions of the day, Tony Bennett found himself without a recording contract in the '70s. It was a development that only focused the singer more intently on his craft in general — and his life-long love of jazz, in particular — leading directly to this brilliant 1975 collaboration with the singular talents of pianist Bill Evans. The spare, European classicism that made the pianist's work so intriguing gently coaxes Bennett into some of his most introspective, refined, yet undeniably dramatic performances on "Some Other Time" and "The Days of Wine and Roses." Their interplay on "Young and Foolish," "My Foolish Heart" and "But Beautiful" are gorgeous reminders of the almost telepathic bond that can develop between musicians working at the peak of their powers in supportive creative environs. Now including five insightful, previously unreleased alternate takes, it's an album whose influence still seems to waft through Bennett's performances with the Ralph Sharon trio decades later.