CCMusic.com

Sound the trumpets, let the cymbals ring out, here's another Charles Aznavour, a new Aznavour, an Aznavour recalling the early Aznavour, before he had started singing. Who hadn't yet found his voice, who composed songs for others. The songs he wrote for others had a jazzy feel, a furiously jazzy feel, a sincerely jazzy feel. Here, refuting rumors of retirement in brilliant style, he's coming back with a bang. Not singing new songs. Singing his songs differently. Which is bolder than you might think, not only at the age of 85, because the punters, of all sexes, colors and ages, all know his great classics off by heart, inside out and upside down. Great classics are untouchable, with their inflexions, orchestrations, guitar licks, a waltz with a violin, you can't change songs at the drop of a hat. (...) When Charles first stepped into the legendary Capitol studios, 1750 North Vine St, Hollywood, he well knew which voices echoed in this futuristic temple, those of very real ghosts: Nat King Cole, Louis and Ella, Sinatra, Dean Martin, and just recently Diana Krall whose rhythm is set by two big names: John Clayton (composer and double bass player) and Jeff Hamilton (drums). Decked in shades, with the demeanor of a young rolling stone, we go down three blocks, to Sunset Boulevard, where Charles laughs that he might one day see his photo on the wall, up with the greats: "I'm not boastful, but it's a childish dream, to see a Frenchie up there". The entire album is imbued with this fresh spirit. It was an encounter with the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the most musical of big bands, the most sophisticated, the most powerful of the time, which set the ball rolling. Twenty-five years' experience and enough albums, nominations and Grammy awards to fill a villa in Malibu. A slew of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, just what you need in the way of bass clarinet and violins, cellos and violas, heavyweights at each music desk, with an overall sound that captures the imagination of frail humans and their meagre dreams of fraternity, swing to swing you to heaven or hell, whatever, since Charles claims he has "friends in both". to measure up to such an ensemble, you need depth: like all big bands, they are devoted, body and soul, but on one, non-negotiable condition. That you can and do hold your own.