I have listened to EVERY Tony Bennett album/cd he has ever done over the years, so needless to say I am a fan. But, I cannot express how amazingly good this CD (album, for people from my era) is. I truly think it is Bennett's best. He is at his prime.

Every song on the CD is excellent, all jazz, all done tastefully, and his selection of "friends" only adds to the pleasure of the CD. I especially liked Sheryl Crow and B.B. King, but everyone -- Diana Krall, Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, Kay Starr, Billy Joel, and Natalie Cole worked smoothly and well with TB.

I cannot imagine anyone who likes Tony Bennett's sound who will not find this listening experience truly wonderful. And, i would expect that some who are not his fans will finally see why so many of us think of him as one of the greatest singers of the past five decades.

I love Tony Bennett- he's talented without being a megalomaniac (unlike Frank Sinatra). "Playin With My Friends" brings Tony together with the likes of Billy Joel, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow and Ray Charles. Tony and Diana Krall have a wonderful sound together on the first track "Alright, Okay, You Win". The most enjoyable factor of these types of CD's is hearing younger artists truly showcase their talents through older songs. It seems more and more kids are warming up to music from several generations ago simply because they recognize newer vocalists on the album. Overall, an entirely scrumptious and delectable CD for evenings in or dinner parties.

I never truly considered Tony Bennett one of the great singers of the late 40's and the 50's, and have become amazed at his longevity as a performer and at his continuing popularity.

All this is well earned, as this CD shows. He maintains an upbeat style and while it's wonderful to hear him with a veteran such as Kay Starr on "Blue and Sentimental", he is still a good match for such gals as Diana Krall, Sheryl Crow, and Bonnie Raitt.

Most outstanding, though, in my mind is "New York State of Mind", a great duet with Billy Joel. And for real low down blues, "Evenin'" with Ray Charles can't be beat. Another master blues musician, B. B. King, really backs Tony up, and easily shares the spotlight on "Let The Good Times Roll".

This is good blues, although with the Tony Bennett upbeat interpretation, it isn't always at its most soulful...often a blending of Bennett's smooth and upbeat voice with generally soulful vocal or instrumental accpaniment from the great guest stars.

This is a superb album showcasing not only the continued fine voice of Tony, but absolutely wonderful work by Diana Krall, Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, B.B. King, Bonnie Riatt, et al.

The only disappointment is the lack of liner notes. It would be nice to read about these sessions. For instance, where has Kay Starr been all these years. She doesn't sound all that great, but it was nice to hear that she's still among the living.

And, when are recording companies going to stop printing essential sideman information, etc. in the tiniest of type and layed over color graphics? The "artsy" album designers are all after some award, and forget there are those of us who actually like to read what was written and not have to strain through black print on dark colors.

Five stars for Music, but deduct a 1/2 star for the lack of liner notes and graphics as described.

I love the music of Tony Bennett. Being only 16, I wish I could have been around during the 50s and 60s when men like Bennett and Sinatra were the hippest men around. I have learned to appreciate music of this sort, jazz, blues, ballads and so on...and I have quite a collection of Bennett CDs. But, this by far is my favorite. Bennett's vocals blend splendidly with nearly all of his duets partners, and I think they are wonderful choices for the songs. The sad song "Evenin'" with Ray Charles is an emotional blues ballad and Ray and Tony do it splendidly. The duets with Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, Billy Joel and K.D. Lang stand out most in my mid. But, the crowning achievement on this album is the duet with the great B.B. King. "Let The Good Times Roll" (in my opinion one of the greatest songs ever recorded), is spectacular on this album. Bennett and King, I never thought I'd hear them together, but being a fan of both I was ecstatic when I heard this recording. I want to stand up and applaud and sing along each time I hear it. The last song, "Playin' With My Friends", which features all of the duet partners, is a stunning finale. This is a must for any Tony Bennett fan. And since Bennett sounds so strong and great on this album, I wouldn't be surprised seeing more albums this good to come along. Go Tony!