Stardust...The Great American Songbook Volume III (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Rod Stewart; Stevie Wonder (vocals, harmonica); Dolly Parton, Bette Midler (vocals); Vin "Vinny" D'Onofrio (guitar); Sylvia Davanzo, Gil Romero, Katia Popov, Christopher Cardona, Ana Landauer, Barbara Porter, Ken Yerke, Cenobia Cummings, Edith Markman, Franklyn d'Antonio, Antoine Silverman, Martin Agee, Roberto Cani, Bruce Dukov, Julie Gigante, Maxim Moston, Robert Peterson, Paul Woodiel, Michael Markman, Belinda Whitney, Jonathan Dinklage, Endre Granat, Haim Shtrum (violin); Jorge Moraga, Dan Neufeld, Brian Denbow, Debra Shufelt, David Creswell, Danielle Farina, Janet Lakatos, Simon Oswell, Nancy Roth, Jessica Troy, David F. Walther (viola); Timothy Landauer, Danny Miller , Stephen Erdody, David Low , Anja Wood, Steve Richards , Sarah Carter (cello); Warren Luening, Bob Sheppard (clarinet, saxophone, trumpet); Plas Johnson , Tom Evans (saxophone); Lee Thornburg, Warren Vaché (trumpet); Mike Thompson (piano, string synthesizer); Joe Sample, Alan Pasqua (piano); Jon Allen, Joe "Public" Allen (keyboards); Andy Chuckerman (string synthesizer); Bob Cranshaw (bass guitar); John Ferraro (drums); Dorian Holley, Mortonette Jenkins, Marlena Jeter (background vocals); Bob Mann (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer); Eric Clapton (guitar); Dave Koz (saxophone); Arturo Sandoval (trumpet); Kenny Ascher (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Dave Grusin (piano); Allan Schwartzberg (drums).

Audio Mixer: Andy Zulla.

Recording information: Deep Diner Studio, New York, NY; FoxForceFive, Hollywood, CA; Gravity STudios, Chicago, IL; Ocean Way, Los Angeles, CA; Olympic Studios, London, England; Rak Studios, London, England; Reagan's Garage, Los Angeles, CA; Reagen's Garage. Los Angeles, CA; Record One, Los Angeles, CA; Schnee Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Seventeen Grand, Nashville, TN.

Ensembles: Warren Luening; Bob Sheppard.

Photographers: Andrew McPherson ; Penny Lancaster.

Arranger: Bob Mann.

If the cover of Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3 is any indication, Rod Stewart is getting a little tired of the classy act he's put on over the last two years, as a crooner of pop standards. Gone are the straightforward portrait shots, and in their place is a jokey picture of Rod with a pair of hot legs. It unwittingly looks like a grown-up variation of the Blondes Have More Fun cover from 26 years ago (Rod still has the same basic hairdo, bless his heart), and it's a welcome glimpse of the roguish charm and laddish sense of humor that used to be Stewart's calling card. As for the music, for all intents and purposes it's pretty much the same as it was on the first two installments of The Great American Songbook. But to Stewart's credit, he's sounding a bit more comfortable on this third go-round -- he doesn't sound as uptight, nor as mannered, as he did before. Part of this may be due to a shift in producers. Phil Ramone, who co-produced the first two, has left and has been replaced by Steve Tyrell, who releases albums in a similar vein himself. Under his watch, Stewart doesn't sound quite so studious and tentative, and the arrangements aren't quite so fussy, which ultimately makes for a better record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

If the cover of Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3 is any indication, even Rod Stewart is getting a little tired of the classy act he's had to put on over the last two years, as he's restyled himself as a crooner of pop standards. Gone are the straightforward portrait shots, and in is a jokey picture of Rod with a pair of hot legs. It unwittingly looks like a grown-up variation of the Blondes Have More Fun cover taken 26 years later (Rod still has the same basic hairdo, bless his heart), and it's a welcome glimpse of the roguish charm and laddish sense of humor that used to be Stewart's calling card. Unfortunately, that attitude isn't heard anywhere on the music, which is, for all intents and purposes, pretty much the same as it was on the first two installments of The Great American Songbook. Like its predecessors, Stardust is built on the misconception that the great vocalist Stewart will sound great singing selections from the great American popular songbook, when his gifts are better suited for music rooted in folk, blues, and rock & roll. To his credit, he's sounding a bit more comfortable on this third go-round -- he doesn't sound as uptight, nor as mannered, as he did before. Part of this may be due to a shift in producers. Phil Ramone, who co-produced the first two, has left and has been replaced by Steve Tyrell, who releases albums in a similar vein himself. Under his watch, Stewart doesn't sound quite so studious and tentative, and the arrangements aren't quite so fussy, which ultimately makes for a better record. That isn't the same thing as a good record, though. Stewart may be more comfortable and the production might be warmer, but The Great American Songbook is still a bad idea, no matter how slickly it's delivered. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Neither Rod Stewart nor producer Clive Davis have ever been accused of letting any moss grow around them, so when Stewart's first collection of tunes from the Great American Songbook turned out to be a smash, they followed it up with a sequel, and, eventually, with a third volume. As with the preceding albums, STARDUST finds Stewart tackling the cream of the crop of classic pop standards, songs that will be instantly familiar to followers of Bennett, Sinatra, et al. but which may conceivably be new to some of Rod's more rock-oriented fans. In that sense, the record can be seen as a public service, introducing those woefully benighted souls to such masterworks as the Gershwins' lovelorn ballad "But Not for Me," and the transcendently stellar, Hoagy Carmichael-penned title tune. As if the material wasn't firepower enough, the album's profile is further raised by some heavyweight guest stars; Dolly Parton is Stewart's sassy foil on "Baby, It's Cold Outside," Stevie Wonder contributes his trademark chromatic harmonica magic to "What a Wonderful World," and Eric Clapton adds to the poignancy of "Blue Moon" with some lyrical guitar work. minimize