The Playground

by Tony Bennett

Overview

On his first children's album, Tony Bennett presses into service some familiar titles from The Great American Songbook, such as Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke's "Swinging on a Star," and Arlen, Billy Rose and E.Y. Harburg's "(It's Only) a Paper Moon." He also dips into his own repertoire for "Firefly," his 1958 hit. And he calls upon such partners as the Muppets' Elmo ("Little Things") and Kermit the Frog ("Bein' Green" and "Firefly"), and Rosie O'Donnell ("Put on a Happy Face"). All of that is very good, but the best parts of the collection are unexpected discoveries and commissions, such as Alan and Marilyn Bergman's newly written lyric for the Bill Evans-composed title song, Bobby Timmons and Oscar Brown, Jr.'s "Dat Dere" and Dr. Seuss' assertive declaration "Because We're Kids," with music by Frederick Hollander. The Ralph Sharon Quartet provides typically sympathetic accompaniment and a child's chorus jumps in here and there, while Bennett exudes his usual warmth, which is perfect for the mood of the album. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	05/28/2013
Label:	Sony Music Entertainment
UPC:	0888837454827
Rank:	75889

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Tony Bennett   Primary Artist,Vocals
Elmo   Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Kermit the Frog   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Rosie O'Donnell   Primary Artist,Guest Artist
Ralph Sharon   Guest Artist,Piano
Gray Sargent   Guitar
Clayton Cameron   Drums
Paul Langosch   Bass
Manfred Knoop   Director,Choir Director

Technical Credits

Frank Loesser   Lyricist,Composer
Terry Gilkyson   Composer,Lyricist
Lee Adams   Composer,Lyricist
Cy Coleman   Composer
Dr. Seuss   Lyricist
Joel Moss   Mixing,Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Walter Donaldson   Composer,Lyricist
Greg Calbi   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Frederick Hollander   Composer
Walter Jurmann   Composer
Jan Folkson   Editing,Digital Editing
Marilyn Bergman   Composer,Lyricist
Leigh Harline   Composer
Johnny Mercer   Composer,Lyricist
James Van Heusen   Composer
Ned Washington   Composer,Lyricist
Jesse Boyce   Composer
Michel Legrand   Composer
Alan Bergman   Composer,Lyricist
Bronislaw Kaper   Composer
Gus Kahn   Composer,Lyricist
Vance Anderson   Production Coordination
Danny Bennett   Producer
Bill Evans   Composer
Bobby Timmons   Composer
Carolyn Leigh   Composer,Lyricist
Charles Strouse   Composer
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg   Composer,Lyricist
Joe Raposo   Composer,Lyricist
Rosie O'Donnell   Performer
Michael McCoy   Assistant Engineer
Oscar Brown, Jr.   Composer,Lyricist
Johnny Burke   Composer,Lyricist
Terry Murphy   Technical Assistance
Tony Bennett   Producer
Paul J. Falcone   Digital Editing
Jason Groucott   Editing,Digital Editing,Assistant Engineer
Josh Cheuse   Art Direction
Arnold Levine   Art Direction
Mark Seliger   Photography
Nancy Coletti   Assistant
Paul Falcone   Editing
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bobby Tucker   Musical Consultant
Billy Rose   Composer,Lyricist