It's De Lovely: The Authentic Cole Porter Collection in Bloomington, MN

Whenever great American song in general, or a classic songwriter specifically, goes through another phase of popularity, record labels invariably cast around to assemble yet another round of songbook compilations with artists from their catalog interpreting the
standards
. In 2004, on the occasion of the
Cole Porter
biopic
De-Lovely
(starring
Kevin Kline
),
Bluebird
/
BMG
entered the sweepstakes with
It's De Lovely: The Authentic Cole Porter Collection
. This collection is authentic because
Porter
was signed to
's long-ago parent label
RCA Victor
, and the label proved home to many of the best versions of his songs. It's also authentic because it features two rare performances by
himself. Although he never recorded with orchestral accompaniment for commercial release,
did record eight demos in 1934 accompanied only by his clumsy piano, and 70 years later producer
Barry Feldman
and bandleader
Vince Giordano
paved over the original backing with a newly recorded backing track that relies on a mid-'30s arrangement. The result is successful;
's voice betrays a few similarities to
Mickey Mouse
's but is no more idiosyncratic than Broadway hero
Cliff Edwards
, his interpretation is naturally superb, and the new accompaniment is unobtrusive. The rest of the compilation is more problematic. While most songbook compilations focus either on vintage versions contemporary to the song or later interpretations,
It's De Lovely
attempts both but manages only a hodgepodge of artists and time periods. The compilation certainly doesn't shirk in its presentation of excellent, classic material, but it never coalesces as a representative picture of
's genius. Only a few performances easily evoke
's era: the classic versions of
"Night and Day"
and
"Begin the Beguine"
by
Fred Astaire
Artie Shaw
(respectively), a performance of
"Easy to Love"
by the beloved crooner
Al Bowlly
, and a mournful version of
"What Is This Thing Called Love"
led by
Leo Reisman
and featuring trumpeter
Bubber Miley
from
Duke Ellington's Orchestra
. Latter-day interpretations by
Sonny Rollins
(of
"You Do Something to Me"
) and
Paul Desmond
"I've Got You Under My Skin"
) are lovely also but difficult to reconcile to the whole. ~ John Bush