Miami Herald
Oct. 17, 2003
BY HOWARD COHEN
BETTE MIDLER
Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook (Columbia) ***
Singing standards has always been Bette Midler’s forte, unlike other aging
popsters looking for career rejuvenating (Rod Stewart, Boz Scaggs, Aaron
Neville, Cyndi Lauper). Her return to the genre is also a reunion with
producer-arranger Barry Manilow on a swinging jazz-pop tribute to the late
Rosemary Clooney.
Manilow knows Midler’s strengths and on this 30-minute, refreshingly
flab-free CD, he plays to these and the two team for a playful duet of On a
Slow Boat to China.
Fans of adult pop should consider this one a best Bette.
