These days it is probably politically incorrect to praise an album like Christopher Hopkins' inaugural effort, I'll Be Seeing You. It recalls those days of the '50s and '60s when singers like Vic Damone, Eddie Fischer, Jerry Vale, and others made album after album featuring the top songs of the... [+] Expand

These days it is probably politically incorrect to praise an album like Christopher Hopkins' inaugural effort, I'll Be Seeing You. It recalls those days of the '50s and '60s when singers like Vic Damone, Eddie Fischer, Jerry Vale, and others made album after album featuring the top songs of the day mixed with traditional pop and standards. While Hopkins thankfully has stayed away from contemporary pop, he has adopted much of the format of singers of those times varying the pace of the music throughout to mix up the tempo. There's romantic music at its most amorous with heavy string accompaniment along with some very mellow sax by first-rate reed men Mark Henderson and Dave Karr. On "In the Still of the Night," Hopkins creates a borderline erotic mood like Nat "King" Cole did on "Paradise." "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" has just Adi Yeshaya's soft piano helping Hopkins create a cabaret-type ambience. Hopkins' vocal versatility is captured on an up-tempo version of "Where or When" as he sings with the rhythm section and Dave Karr's swinging flute. There's a flirtation with funk on "I Only Have Eyes for You" as Yeshaya's organ and Dave Graf's trombone get close to becoming down and dirty. More important this tune as much as any spotlights Hopkins special way with the lyrics, his loyalty to melody, and his ability to put new life into a well-worn standard. The excellence of the musicians on this album is further demonstrated by David Singley's guitar on "My Foolish Heart."

This is an album that can serve several purposes, as a backdrop for a romantic evening, to do some slow dancing, or just for an hour of enjoyable listening. Well thought out and imaginative orchestrations played by first-rank musicians working with a singer with a strong voice who knows how to deliver a song makes this album easy to recommend. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide [-] Collapse

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