Dean more than earned his paycheck...
Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 02/14/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Cha Cha de Amor may not be Dean Martin's strongest album; but it has a place in Dean Martin history as the last album Dean recorded for Capitol Records--and this selection of songs ain't exactly bad, either! The quality of the sound is excellent; and both the artwork and the liner notes are very nicely done. In addition, Nelson Riddle deserves much credit for the fine arrangements of these songs although I don't believe that Nelson Riddle did the arrangements for the bonus tracks at the end of this CD. There is great value in this CD because we get four bonus tracks from Dean's early recording years.
The album starts with an awesome number that sports that classic early `60s and late `50s Latin cha cha beat, "Somebody Loves You." "Some body Loves You" has a fine musical intro and when Dean comes in this number takes off like a jet! Dean never sounded better; what a loss this was for Capitol Records when Dean left to go to Reprise Records after this album was recorded! "My One And Only Love" makes good use of the flute; the music fits in perfectly with Dean's vocals and he handles this like the pro he always was. "My One And Only Love" is truly a major highlight of this album. "I Wish You Love" is a very classic love song that could never go out of style; and I really like Dean's Latin-style rendition of "I Wish You Love."
"Cha, Cha, Cha, D'Amour" makes good use of the percussion and the brass sections; and Dean uses his excellent sense of timing to make this number stand out from the others. Dean sings this very well and it's great music for dancing with your sweetheart even in our times. "I Love You Much Too Much" features Dean squarely front and center--right where he always belonged! "I Love You Much Too Much" has a lush musical arrangement but it doesn't drown out Dean; and that's the hallmark of a very fine ballad.
"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" is a tune Dean Martin aces as easily as if he were breathing; and this reflects just how talented he was. I could never do this! "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" is another huge hit on this album; and listen for "Two Loves Have I." "Two Loves Have I" has Dean swinging gently with that classic Latin beat and the maracas sound just right on this number.
"Vieni Su (Say You Love Me, Too)" was recorded in 1949; this bonus track has Dean's excellent voice in perfect form and we get a taste of how he sounded in his somewhat younger years. The music is very pretty and the melody is catchy, too. "I Passed Your House Tonight" is another bonus track from Dean's early years; and when Dean sings this it really shines! We also get two more bonus tracks entitled "Wham! Bam! Thank You, Ma'am!" and "Peddler's Serenade." In particular, "Peddler's Serenade" has a great accordion arrangement and this ballad makes a beautiful ending for this superb album.
Dean Martin fans will consider this album a true "must-have" for their collections; and people who enjoy Latin music from the late 1950s and early 1960s will not be disappointed. People who like classic pop vocals will also find much to like here, too.
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Track Listings (16) - Disc #1