 Westside Strutters Unfortunately, I can't honestly say that if Billie Holiday had been alive in 1979 that she wouldn't have enjoyed this album. What I would like to know is this what Ira Gershwin thought of this album; he was alive. Surely Michael Feinstein, then working as Ira's personal assistant, must have come home one night after the baths and drunkenly forced this upon Ira instead of the usual private piano recital. I also can't say that if I had been an A&R guy in 1979 instead of a second-grader, that I myself might not have brought this up at a pitch meeting: "What if we take the pulsating sounds of nightclub '79 and combine it with the timeless melodies of George Gershwin?!" "Gershwin '79!" screams my boss, wiping the white powder from his nose and lips. I seem to be doing a lot of avoiding talking about this miserable album. The almost laughable low point is the Andrea True/Donna Summer style moaning of "Embrace meeee!" during the endless "Embraceable You." I want to laugh, and yet can only wince. I should note that Parachute Records was a subsidiary of Casablanca, so you know this made someone a lot of coke money. I only wish I had had a parachute so I could have bailed out during "Rhapsody in Blue" or "I Got Rhythm/Fascinating Rhythm." Makes one feel grateful they didn't do 12" Joplin … did they?
Review by Nancy Draw |