Decades ago, Harry Connick Jr was touted as “The Next Frank Sinatra.” Well, instead he just became who he was; a regular guy from New Orleans who swung, sang and acted. This album on Verve Records, however, does harken to Sinatra’s sessions with Billy May, as the tunes from the Cole Porter Songbook have a punch like a heavyweight.
Big and bright brass give a Dizzy Atmosphere as Connick swaggers on a percussive “You Do Something To Me” and is confident on the bold “You’re Sensational.” He sways with the sax section during “True Love” and is peppy with the clarinets during “I Love Paris.” When the strings come in, he gets smoky for “I Concentrate On You” and sounds as if his voice was aged in a barrel for a textured “In The Still Of The Night” while he builds drama like Pagliacci for “Why Can’t You Behave.” Every song sounds like he means it.