Grade: A-
With many years of experience, Tony Bennett delivers soulful melodies with the who’s who of the music industry on his opus of covers, “Duets II.” Featuring chart-toppers like Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Aretha Franklin, Lady GaGa, Norah Jones and Michael Bublé, Bennett assembles a dream team of collaborators for the second in his series of duet albums. Combining breathtaking vocals with strings and pianos, Bennett serenades listeners with timeless arrangements and classic revampings. A treat for any listener, the LP contains the last recorded material from the late Amy Winehouse. Winehouse and Bennett’s “Body and Soul” takes the classic and breathes new life into it, helping to propel this standard of musical excellence into new music connoisseurs’ ears. Overall, listeners will enjoy the jazz classics as retold by Bennett and his friends.