The Great American Songbook (2006)

About this title: Distinct from Columbia's Essential Fred Astaire volume of three years earlier, The Great American Songbook mostly deals with Astaire's earliest (and best) recordings, performances from the early to mid-'30s when he was the premiere interpreter of Broadway's best songwriters -- Gershwin, Berlin, Porter, and Kern. Always debonair and relaxed onscreen, he was no different in his audio incarnation, but he was also exquisitely attentive to the many delightful intricacies of century-best songs like "Night and Day," "A Fine Romance," and "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Due to the consolidation of ... read more

Tracks:

1. Night and Day [Porter]
2. Nice Work If You Can Get It [Gershwin/Gershwin]
3. A Fine Romance [Alternate Take] [Fields/Kern]
4. Cheek to Cheek [Berlin]
5. A Foggy Day [Gershwin/Gershwin]
6. The Way You Look Tonight [Fields/Kern]
7. Isn't This a Lovely Day (To Be Caught in the Rain) [Berlin]
8. Never Gonna Dance [Fields/Kern]
9. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off [Gershwin/Gershwin]
10. Let's Face the Music and Dance [Berlin]
11. They All Laughed [Gershwin/Gershwin]
12. They Can't Take That Away from Me [Alternate Take] [Gershwin/Gershwin]
13. Shall We Dance [Gershwin/Gershwin]
14. Puttin' on the Ritz [Berlin]
15. Something's Gotta Give [Mercer]
16. 'S Wonderful [Gershwin/Gershwin]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.