Great American Songbook: Vol.2: As Time Goes By

Full title: As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook Vol. 2.
Personnel includes: Rod Stewart (vocals, whistling); Cher, Queen Latifah (vocals); David Spinozza (acoustic guitar); Dean Parks, Aaron Kaplan, Larry Koonse (guitar); Rob Mathes (nylon string guitar, keyboards); Elana Barere, Avril Brown (violin); Vincent Lionti, Adria Benjamin (viola); Richard Locker, Ann Kim (cello); Lawrence Feldman (clarinet); Dave Koz (alto saxophone); Doug Webb (saxophone); Arturo Sandoval (trumpet); Mike Thompson (piano, synthesizer); Henry Hey (piano); Phillippe Saise, Rob Mounsey (keyboards); Joe Locke (vibraphone); Tom Barney, Reggie McBride (bass); John Ferraro, Shawn Pelton (drums); .
Producers: Richard Perry, Clive Davis, Phil Ramone.
AS TIME GOES BY VOL. 2 was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
On his second album tackling the Great American Songbook of the album's subtitle, Rod Stewart sounds even more energized, and seems to insert more of himself into his delivery of gems by the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hart, et al. Though two veteran pop-rock producers (Richard Perry and Phil Ramone) handle most of the tracks, they wisely make no attempt to "rock up" any of the arrangements, instead leaving Stewart to explore his balladeer side to its fullest.
One may wonder why the Perry-produced tracks feature layers of string synthesizer, when Ramone's cuts employ the real thing; presuming that there was no lack of budget here, it must have been some inscrutable aesthetic choice. While those more accustomed to a traditional approach may be put off by this aspect, or by a pair of duets with Cher and Queen Latifah, this album isn't for them anyway. It's for those who have followed Stewart through all the stylistic byways of his career and are ready to go with him around one more bend.