The Last Concert

The Last Concert

Rosemary Clooney

Concord Records, 2002

REVIEW BY: Duke Egbert

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 01/31/2003

The death of Rosemary Clooney on June 30 of last year in manyways was the end of an era. Her smoky, expressive voice was ahallmark of the swing generation, with a career spanning from herfirst hit record in 1951 all the way to the present day. Along theway, she worked with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, headlined withTony Bennett and Bob Hope, and starred in movies and television.She was truly an original, the 'girl singer' who started singingduets on Cincinnati radio for $20 a week and ended up a star.

Due to a happy accident, her last public performance on November16, 2001 was captured on this magnificent recording. The HonoluluSymphony Pops, in an attempt to get a recording contract, recordedtheir entire 2001 season for record company consideration, and oneof those concerts happened to feature Clooney, having some fun atthe end of her vacation performing a concert with the orchestra. Asfate would have it, soon after this concert Clooney's long battlewith lung cancer took a turn for the worst; so this is the swansong, and it's a recording to be proud of.

This is a magnificent recording. The sound is crisp, clear, anduncluttered; the live recording is perfect, making it feel likeClooney and the Symphony Pops are right in the room with you. Theorchestration is rich and lush, paying attention to such details asthe chiming vibraphone on "You Go To My Head" and a gorgeoussaxophone solo on "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe." More wondrousis the fact that Concord Records made a brilliant decision inleaving Clooney's between-song patter in, featuring her wry andfunny commentary on her famous nephew George and her memories ofworking with Bing Crosby.

Highlights include "Sentimental Journey"; Clooney's smooth anddusky take on Hoagy Carmichael's "Rockin' Chair"; and a post-9/11version of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" that frankly blowsCeline Dion's out of the ballpark.