Denise Donatelli - Whistling in the Dark - The Music of Burt Bacharach (2021) Hi Res

Denise Donatelli digs deep into the songs of Burt Bacharach on this, her fifth recording for Savant Records.

The music of the immensely popular and prolific composer is well suited for this Grammy finalist who has performed in a wide variety of venues from clubs such as Catalina's, Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, and Mezzrow to the stage of the Municipal Opera in Prague, Czech Republic. Bacharach's sumptuous melodies sound more seductive than ever imbued with a dark moodiness which spotlights the luminous quality of the lyrics from the pens of Elvis Costello, Daniel Tashian, Bob Hilliard and, of course, Hal David.

Donatelli gives us nine beautifully-recorded tracks highlighting the impressionistic and often ethereal arrangements of arranger, bassist and producer, the renowned Larry Klein. "Larry's idea," Donatelli says, "was to reimagine Bacharach's music in such a minimalistic way...to reframe them in a way that examines the very essence of the songs." Denise Donatelli and her colleagues bring unique insight into the musical legacy of one of the great American composers who helped define the course of popular music.