Harry Connick, Jr

Come By Me

He's getting soft in his age

Review Score:

(4/10)
I was excited to find a new HCJr. album, especially since it boasts his old big band friends. However, when I listened to it, I realized I not only paid too much, but it is money I will never have again.

His recordings are so painfully slow. For example, I love Irving Berlin, but HCJr. doesn't play any of the song with the usual zest and vigor a Berlin song deserves. His rendition of "There's No Business Like Show Business" is so slow, it becomes unintentionally comical. I was laughing at, not with, HCJr.

Another appeal of the album was "Danny Boy". I was stifing tears to hear HCJr.'s version, not because it moved me, but because I had to suffer through his slogging tempo. "Danny Boy", in my opinion, should be sung by a tenor that lifts you with the music so much, that the singer not only has to inhale before the climaxes of the song, but so does the audience because they are choked up with emotion. HCJr. just makes unbelievable pauses, dragging out the beautiful Irish melody.

Finally, one of my favorite jazz styles is the "stop time" beat. "Cry Me A River" has the stop time, but the tempo is so slow, you can't even tell. There are too many pauses between each beat that you aren't aware of the stopped fourth beat.

I am dissapointed in HCJr. Gone is his spirit from "HCJr.--Eleven" and "Red Light. Blue Light". He's gotten soft, and slooooooooow, in his age.

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