Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Here's To Life
2. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
3. Gentle Rain
4. If You Go Away
5. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
6. Make Someone Happy
7. Where Do You Start
8. Time For Love, A
9. Here's That Rainy Day
10. Love Dance
11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
12. Some Other Time
13. You Must Believe In Spring

Disc 2:

1. Here's To Life
2. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
3. Gentle Rain
4. If You Go Away
5. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
6. Make Someone Happy
7. Where Do You Start
8. Time For Love, A
9. Here's That Rainy Day
10. Love Dance
11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
12. Some Other Time

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3333 in Music
• Released on: 2009-09-28
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Deluxe Edition
• Dimensions: .28 pounds

CD Description
This two-disc package features the Mandel arranged orchestra versions on disc one. On disc two are quartet arrangements of the songs with Barbra accompanied only by piano, bass, guitar and drums.

Customer Reviews

STREISAND'S UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL COLLECTION IS A WINNER!
Barbra's latest release is a revelatory change of pace for the diva who adopts an up close and personal approach to some lovely ballads, with experience and maturity ensuring this album equals or possibly surpasses her earlier efforts on which she explored the Great American Songbook before soaring upwards and onwards to claim a more pop-related reputation by combining strident vocal power with emotional overkill in order to clinch her claim to creative longevity and continued success.

LOVE IS THE ANSWER is better appreciated via this two-disc Deluxe Version as it parallels identical songs on two separate discs, with the main CD featuring the lush string-filled orchestral accompaniment of arranger/conductor Johnny Mandel, whilst the other pares its quieter ambience to the intimate jazz setting of Diana Krall's piano skills and musicians (guitar, bass, drums). Being the album's producer, Krall knows a thing or two about low-key vocal intensity as her "less is more" method follows in the footsteps of Peggy Lee and Shirley Horn so I imagine, considering the reputation of those two great ladies of song, it did not take too much persuasion for Barbra to see the wisdom of such an approach.
Of the superb song choices, HERE'S TO LIFE and Mandel's co-written A TIME FOR LOVE and HOW DO YOU START? were amongst the inspiring offerings of Horn's 1992 album which shares another common link with Barbra's latest by having Mandel on board as sympathetic arranger. With such riches it's difficult to pick other favourites but MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY (from the score of DO RE MI by Comden & Green/Jule Styne - the latter wrote the score of FUNNY GIRL with Bob Merrill) gives sublime advice to those in love, with Barbra coaxing emotion from the sugary lyrics; HERE'S THAT RAINY DAY carries so much emotional gravitas with its wonderful Shearing-styled interlude to ponder, whilst Luiz Bonfa's sensitive GENTLE RAIN (once recorded by Krall) retains its tender bossa-nova rhythms. IF YOU GO AWAY (NE ME QUITTE PAS) is not only a nod towards Jacques Brel's poetic genius but a reminder of Barbra's early career preference for French songs and lyrics. Retaining the Gallic theme, YOU MUST BELIEVE IN SPRING (from the 1967 movie, LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHFORT) comes in just one version with Krall's low-keyed piano backing allowing the diva to score points with the Michel Legrand/Jacques Demy ballad usually associated with Bill Evans and Tony Bennett. I can even forgive Barbra's melody bending of SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES in order to grab emotional clarity at the gripping finale, especially as it works so well, and of course SOME OTHER TIME is one of the great farewell anthems and favourite of many cabaret songbirds with Barbra's final resigned "Oh well!" nailing this song as hers alone.

As a mood album of late-night meditations on love, heartbreak, resolve and acceptance, this collection hits its mark. As a Streisand album it rates high enough to just about outdo everything she has recorded over the past forty-seven years with the amazing revelation that with added nuance and depth her voice remains unimpaired by passing time. Her loyal fans will not be disappointed and it's very likely those who would never ever consider buying a Streisand album will be heading out for their copies in droves!

A Voice Of Great Experience
That Ms Streisand is a phenomenon is inarguable.
Her appearance on Mr Ross's show on Friday evening
confirmed that she is both alive and kicking and in very
fine fettle for a woman who first drew beath in 1942.

Poise, grace, gravitas and impeccable focus still
shine out in a voice which has spread its radiant
wings across five decades. Extraordinary.

That things have just begun to get a little rough around
the edges is inevitable but she is consumately able
to turn minor shortcomings into dramatic advantages
with her ability to hold on hard to the emotion and meaning
of every song she sings. Ms Streisand invariably pins down
the heart and soul of every composition chosen for this new
release and brings each one to glorious life.

It's nice to have both an orchestral as well as a pared down
edition of the material with Ms Krall's wonderful quartet but
give me the latter to listen to every time.

There is a tension and danger in the brave exposure of
that voice in such a starkly economical context.
A single spotlight and nowhere to hide.

'If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)' is surely one of the
most tender and beautiful renditions of this great song
ever captured in a recording. Heartwrending.

'Where Do You Start' is small miracle of restraint.
Never one breath or detail more than is necessary
to tell the story. Surely one of the most stunning
performances in her long career ? Sublime.

Bernstein's 'Some Other Time' winds up the collection
in whimsical and laconic style. A woman without regrets.

Ms Krall's production is unimpeachable.

This album is a truly precious thing.

Essential.

Love in all its Manifestations
Barbra sings a collection of jazz standards and art songs. This is a collection of two CDs - one with trio - stripped down arrangments, produced by Diana Krall and the other CD has incredibly lush orchestra with strings arranged by Johnny Mandel. When I look at the contents of the album, it reminds me of what she said in her last interview with Oprah, when Oprah asked her what sort of music or singer she listens to - she said she likes the singer, Shirley Horn. In fact, Mandel was the arranger for Shirley Horn's sublime album "Here's to life". Barbra sings three songs from Shirley Horn's "Here's to life" album in this record. I think some of the songs on this album are quite challenging art songs. She slows down her tempo in these melodic and lyrical ballads that ooze perfect phrasing. This album show Barbra's maturity as an artist as well as a singer. Barbra is such a romantic person - you can see the romantic resonance from the title of this album and selection of songs. Let's hope one day she's going to record the selection of love songs written by the Bergmans very soon!!