by Nick DedinaTony Bennett's two duet sessions with brilliant jazz pianist Bill Evans have long ago earned classic status, but this beautiful piano-and-voice-only set is an equally rewarding, if less-heralded experience. The reason for this album's lack of a reputation probably lies in the fact that longtime Bennett accompanist Ralph Sharon doesn't have the name recognition with jazz fans that someone like Bill Evans has. Sharon is a supple jazz pianist and he has a special knack for bringing out the best in singers, having worked with Carmen McRae, Chris Connor, and Johnny Hartman before finding the ultimate steady gig playing with Bennett. Sharon's light touch has an effect on Bennett, who turns in a low-key performance that wasn't in keeping with his orchestral sessions from the same era. While the young Tony Bennett sometimes had a tendency to over-sing for dramatic effect, this 1959 set finds him at his most relaxed, subtle, and rewarding. Instead of showing you how much he feels every second (à la Judy Garland), on Tony Sings for Two Bennett allows quick flashes of emotion to appear on an otherwise calm surface (very much like Frank Sinatra in ballad mode). This approach is especially winning on the exquisite, heartbreaking readings of "I'm Thru With Love" and "Street of Dreams"; both can be considered definitive and both Bennett and Sharon deserve equal credit for the album's success. Most of Bennett's original albums during this era have a decided jazz slant, while his pop singles were aimed at kids, and the separate approaches merged in the 1960s. Unfortunately, jazz fans largely ignored his excellent 1950s albums, while teens only bought the singles or compilation albums. Tony Sings for Two is ripe for rediscovery and the Columbia reissue includes one bonus track.