Ballads in Blue

In the 1950s, tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster was at the peak of his powers. His musical personality really featured two separate emotions: harsh and tough on the faster pieces and surprisingly warm and tender on the ballads. Webster uses the latter voice throughout this set. On all but four of 20 selections, Ben is backed by a string section arranged by Ralph Burns (except for "Chelsea Bridge" which was arranged by Billy Strayhorn) and, although clarinetists Tony Scott and Jimmy Hamilton and pianists Teddy Wilson and Hank Jones are heard from, the focus is otherwise entirely on the great tenor. The final four numbers, which matches Webster with Wilson in a stringless quartet, also stick to ballads. Music that is both beautiful and creative.

Now That's What I Call Power Ballads is a series, containing power ballad rock songs mostly from the 1980s. It debuted at number thirty on the Billboard 200 albums chart. This collection contains definitive Rock ballads from the finest Classic Rock bands in history including Journey, Whitesnake, Aerosmith, Poison, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Scorpions, Heart, Night Ranger, Warrant and others.