Camp KC Review: “Jackpot”

Mister D: Now is the time to start buying multiple copies of Jackpot. Christmas is around the bend and what a great gift this would be for the casual or new fan. Currently “Jackpot” is number 198 on the Billboard Top 200 CD charts and falling fast. Don’t let it disappear this Christmas season….

Camp KC
Music and Film Reviews
October 17, 2008
by Shawn Michael
(Atlantic / Rhino Records)

To quote the Divine Miss M herself: “The showgirl must go on.” And her latest highlight compilation proves exactly why. A true catalog retrospective, spanning 36 years of her illustrious career, Jackpot!: The Best Bette celebrates the musical accomplishments of an artist adept in nearly any genre. From Big Band (“In the Mood”) to blues (“When a Man Loves a Woman”), rock ’n’ roll (“Beast of Burden”), Motown (“Just My Imagination”), and even pop standards from the American songbook (“Tenderly,” “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most”), this CD proves that, given the right material and arrangements, there isn’t anything Bette Midler can’t perform.

Even for the most well-versed Bette Midler devotee, Jackpot! is a rare gift: an album fully showcasing her talents. Yes, there are some notable (if understandable) omissions, but even more remarkable and pleasantly surprising are some of the songs included. Audiences are treated not only to her rendition of such rare gems as “I’ve Still Got My Health,” “Baby Mine” (both off the Beaches soundtrack) and the previously unreleased track “Something Your Heart Has Been Telling Me,” but also to such staples as “Do You Wanna Dance?” and the original single version of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Although her Grammy-winning entries “From a Distance” and “Wind Beneath My Wings” might seem as obligatory as her oft-heard signature tune “Friends,” they are worth including. And when heard again with new ears, Midler’s trademark ballad “The Rose” sounds remarkably fresh, reminding us all how and why the world took notice three decades ago.

Don’t miss Jackpot!: The Best Bette in stores now from Atlantic / Rhino Records (www.rhino.com). Go to www.bettemidler.com for more artist information.