Judy: Duets

Drawn from a variety of sources, including Judy Garland's short-lived but wonderful 1963-‘64 CBS television series The Judy Garland Show, this compilation of duets finds the legendary entertainer joined by singer Bobby Darin for a “goin' home” medley of travel-related songs (including the Garland standard “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe”), Mel Torme on “The Trolley Song,” Tony Bennett for “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” Vic Damone for a West Side Story medley, and early MGM costar Mickey Rooney on “You're So Right for Me.” But the real highlights are Garland and Barbra Streisand performing a beautifully harmonized overlapping dual diva rendition of "Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again"; Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin (technically, a trio) singing “You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You”; and Garland and daughter Liza Minnelli belting out “Together.” Presented in Dolby Digital stereo, Judy: Duets also features a bonus segment offering a brief synopsis of Garland's career, from her childhood vaudeville days as Frances Gumm to her landmark 1961 Carnegie Hall performance. Although some of the numbers here are forgettable, overall this is a wonderful collection that not only spotlights Garland's incredible singing but also her generosity and easy rapport with colleagues. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)