Ben Webster : Ben Webster For Lovers

  Ben Webster - Sax (Tenor)
  Billy Strayhorn - Piano
  Dave Bailey - Drums
  David Novales - Violin
  Ed Thigpen - Drums
  George Duvivier - Bass
  Gerry Mulligan - Sax (Baritone)
  Hank Jones - Piano
  Herb Ellis - Guitar
  Jimmy Jones - Piano
  Jo Jones - Drums
  Ken Druker - Sequencing
  Leroy Vinnegar - Bass
  Les Spann - Guitar
  Louie Bellson - Drums
  Mac Ceppos - Violin
  Mel Lewis - Drums
  Milt Hinton - Bass
  Mischa Russell - Violin
  Mundell Lowe - Guitar
  Oscar Peterson - Piano
  Osie Johnson - Drums
  Ray Brown - Bass
  Richard Davis - Bass
  Richard Dickler - Viola
  Roger Kellaway - Piano
  Rudy Sims - Cello
  Stan Levey - Drums
  Teddy Wilson - Piano
  Tony Scott - Clarinet

Issued in time for Valentine's Day 2005, Ben Webster for Lovers collects 11 of the tenor giant's best ballads from his Verve period. Readings of 'My Funny Valentine,' 'Someone to Watch Over Me,' 'Where Are You,' 'Love Is Here to Stay,' and 'Time On My Hands' are the standouts, but nothing here is superfluous. The only track that should have been included that wasn't is Webster's read of 'Chelsea Bridge' from Music for Loving, the single most moving ballad he ever recorded. This set works well for its intended purpose, but it functions just as well as a stellar set of ballads by one of the jazz genre's finest practitioners of the form. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide