Doc to Mp3

The late Doc Pomus was one of the top songwriters in the R&B/blues tradition while Johnny Adams was one of his favorite singers; their eventual matchup was quite logical. Pomus wrote a few new songs and worked with Adams on planning this Rounder CD up until his own death.

Any time two greats who admire each other and are musically compatible team together, the results are usually mutually beneficial. That was true for Bill Monroe and Doc Watson, whose spirited union on this 17-song disc is a sampler of American musical styles. They ripped through bluegrass, folk, blues, spirituals, mountain tunes, work songs, reels and breakdowns. Monroe's mandolin and Watson's guitar playing were masterful, wondrous and performed without any trace of self-indulgence. Their vocals were also delivered with ease, fluidity and conviction, the product of two performers completely at ease with themselves and only interested in spotlighting the material.

Of the Tonight Show Band's three Amherst CDs, this is the most highly recommended one. The repertoire is fresher than the songs featured on the two earlier releases and, in addition to the usual swing-era standards, such tunes as Tommy Newsom's "Three Shades of Blue" and Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" are included. Guest appearances by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis ("Avalon") and singer Tony Bennett ("I Can't Get Started") add some variety, the arrangements (mostly by the innovative Bill Holman and Tommy Newsom) are generally colorful, and the band (featuring such soloists as trumpeters Doc Severinsen, Snooky Young, and Conte Candoli; tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb; and pianist Ross Tompkins) sounds in prime form.

For this effort, trumpeter Doc Severinsen, in one of his rare recordings away from a big band format, teams up with the reeds of Ernie Watts, guitarist Lee Ritenour, a variety of studio musicians and a large string orchestra to perform crossover-oriented music. With arrangements contributed by producer Jeff Tyzik and Allen Vizzutti, even such songs as "My Funny Valentine," "Take The 'A' Train" and "Maiden Voyage" are transformed into rather routine, funky dance music.