Many Moods of Tony

Tony Bennett's Columbia Records contract in the 1960s called for three albums a year, and the result was occasional releases like this one, whose title gives away the truth: it's a hodgepodge of previously released singles ("Spring In Manhattan," "Don't Wait Too Long," "The Little Boy") and sessions held at various times with various arrangers and musicians, all stitched together to meet the release schedule. What rescues it is a remarkable new ballad, "When Joanna Loved Me," that immediately went onto the Bennett concert short list. He even named his daughter after it. Other highlights are a delicate arrangement of "A Taste Of Honey" and one of Bennett's patented drum duets with Chico Hamilton on "Caravan." But on the whole, this album does not meet the standard Bennett had set with recent releases. ~ William Ruhlmann