The unique interpretations of a master song stylist, Dean Martin shines in this collection of recordings which were released from 1949 (''Powder Your Face With Sunshine'') to ''Gentle on My Mind'' in 1968. His smooth, gorgeous voice never loses a twist of humor, and you'll find yourself smiling and sometimes singing along with these uplifting tunes, which are the ultimate in ''easy listening''.

The later songs, from the mid '60s on, tend to have a hint of country flavor, and the early ones in the '50s have an Italian feel to them, and some of them of course, like ''Volare'', were originally Italian songs.

It's these early gems that are my favorites, like ''Love Me, Love Me'' from '53, ''Sway'' from '54, a marvelous melody that was also a hit for Bobby Rydell in '61, and Dean's fabulous rendition of ''Mambo Italiano'' from '55, which a few months earlier had been a top hit for Rosemary Clooney, and then there's ''Volare'', which I identify even more with Dean Martin than its singer/songwriter Domenico Modugno.

The booklet insert is excellent, with liner notes by Stevie Van Zandt and two of Dean's children, Deanna and Gail, and most of all, I appreciate its detailed list of each song, with release date, highest chart position, and more, and some nice b&w photos of the very cool Mr. Martin.

The sound overall is quite good, and total running time is 77'59.

More than half of one of the greatest comedy teams of all time, more than a Rat Packer, and more than the host of a highly rated variety show, the man who made a tuxedo look as comfortable as a t-shirt: Dean Martin was the substance of cool. The Essential Dean Martin (Capitol) stands out among other greatest hits collections, in that it combines the Capitol and Reprise hit singles into one stunning package of memorable excellence. The liner notes and accompanying booklet studied alone are a treasure, with words from Stevie Van Zandt and Dean's children Deanna and Gail, the release dates for each song and its peak chart position, and the obligatory black & white photos of the master song stylist himself.

It's safe to say that it's all here, from the recognizable standard to some of the most sought after ballads. From the beautiful and hard to find waltz "Under the Bridges of Paris" to the quintessential rumba "Sway," listening to Dean's velvety, smooth vocals is only pure joy. At a time when rock n' roll ruled the charts, Dean was slipping through gems like "That's Amore," and attaching his name forever to Italian themed hits like "Volare" and "Inamorata." Dean was charming and swinging with "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" and "You're nobody `Til Somebody Loves You." He knocked the Beatles off of #1 with "Everybody Loves Somebody," and swept the girls away with love songs like "Return to Me" and "I'll Always Love You." Western styled selections from the 60's are here as well, like "Houston," and "Gentle on My Mind." Truly, from "Powder Your Face With Sunshine" to "Just In Time," this is a wonderful starting place for a new fan of Dean, or a great summation of his career for a loyal follower. There's a comforting spirit of truth and optimism in the relaxed styling of a man who was the world's coolest crooner. This is the Dean Martin collection to own, for its diversity, its history, and its warm and tipsy dedication to the handsome tan man in the tuxedo.

This is definitely one of the best collection of Dean Martin hits out there. 'Dino' surpasses the previous leader: 'Greatest Hits: King of Cool'. The only major omission I noticed was 'Evening In Roma', but I didn't even notice until after I got home and looked at the liner notes. This album is jam-packed full of everything a Dean Martin fan needs. It's a great starter album for anyone who hasn't heard Dean before, and it's a must-have for present Dean fans! Buy this now!

I bought this collection simply because I realized I was without the rhumba classic "Sway (Quien Sera)" which is so familiar to me I naturally assumed I owned a version of it. This incredible collection from Dino's Capitol years (1949-1968) has allowed me to discover a very worthy singer whom I have known of and about all my life but whom I had never listened to seriously as more than a novelty and retro act surfacing here and there in some recent romantic film's soundtrack. His artistry and cool were superb and in evidence from his very early recordings. He was a true innovator and original and this collection captures his charm before he started self-parodying himself in the late sixties under the influence of producer Jimmy Bowen whose vulgar hurricane-force "wall of sound" orchestrations seem created to drown out the hair dryers of beauty salons everywhere. By contrast, the mono originals (pre-1958) in this collection sound as fresh as if they had been recorded yesterday. They have all been digitally remastered and fill out my 5.1 system in an optimal manner. Whether this comes from the remixing of multiple-angle sources or the subtle re-channelling of the mono sound, I don't know but the results are truly extraordinary. I was a little taken aback when I recognized Dean's version of "Under the Bridges of Paris" as the 50's French standard "Sous les ponts de Paris" because the orchestration made it sound as down-home American as some Dimitri Tiomkin western ballad, but I was taken in by its charm anyway. I also like the way Dino sings most of the Italian lyrics of "Volare" without condescending to Americanize the Italian original by which it can stand proudly to this day. This collection may be only an introduction to Dean's impressive body of work but it's a prized addition to any discothèque and an invitation to explore his early recording work which is by far his best.

Dino: The Essential Dean Martin has thirty wonderful songs by Dean Martin on a single CD. Although I can't call any thirty songs a complete collection of Dean Martin's "essential" hits, this single CD does do a fairly good job at this. The sound quality couldn't be better and the artwork is very good--perhaps with the sole exception of that hard to read song list on the reverse of the artwork.

"Ain't That A Kick In The Head" gives us Dean at his very best--from his days at Capitol, if I recall correctly. Dean croons this marvelously and he never sings a superfluous note! Dean's voice is quite strong and his excellent diction bolsters his performance very well. "That's Amore" was always a huge Dean Martin hit that he made all his own with his excellent timing; Dean sang this with all his heart and his passionate rendition makes this THE definitive rendition of this love song. "Just In Time" gets a slightly happier arrangement than I'm used to--but then again, after all, this IS a happy song! The brass works very well and Dean sings this better than anyone could!

"Volare" is another major Dean Martin hit; the music that accompanies Dean fits perfectly and the harp is used to great advantage. "Mambo Italiano" is a number I associate with Rosemary Clooney but Dean Martin makes it his own as he plays with the tempo and a key change or two--it's stunning! "Mambo Italiano" always was one of my very favorite classic pop hits.

"Standing On The Corner" is a song many men can relate to--Dean's standing on a street corner watching pretty young ladies walk by; and there's also "You Belong To Me." "You Belong To Me" is a passionate love song that tugs at my heartstrings with its natural passion and heartfelt affection for his lover. "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" certainly gets a fine treatment from Dean as he sways, swings and croons his way through this classic love tune; "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You" is easily a major highlight of this album.

"Send Me The Pillow You Dream On" has Dean singing so well with a lush arrangement and a chorus that harmonizes very well. The arrangement may be a little bit much but make no mistake about it--this is STILL Dean Martin's song. "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" is one of the most beautiful love songs I've heard--ever. I particularly enjoy this tune when Dean Martin sings it--he aces this number easily and it's a gemstone in his capable hands.

"Somewhere There's A Someone" shines when Dean Martin delivers this masterfully; and the album closes so nicely with Dean Martin performing "Gentle On My Mind." "Gentle On My Mind" is an excellent cover and Dean delivers this like the incredibly talented singer he always was.

Sure, there may be other songs that should be considered part of the "essential" Dean Martin collection; and so I cannot give this CD a full five star review. I guess I would give this four and 1/2 stars. It is quite a strong album; and Dean Martin fans will enjoy it. People who appreciate classic pop vocals should be running to buy this album!