PLAY: Tony Bennett, “Duets II”

With Frank Sinatra gone, Tony Bennett is left to hold the title of the last of the great American vocalists. And like Ol’ Blue Eyes, he’s not above singing with anyone who will put his legacy in front of the uninitiated. Tony Bennett is a genre unto himself. On “Duets II,” he sings with country crooners, pop stars, soul-stirrers, and opera maestros. Only gangsta rappers are missing (stay tuned for “Duets III: Bennett Brings Forth the Rhythm & the Rhyme”). Amy Winehouse’s duet on “Body and Soul” will no doubt get all of the attention — and deservedly so. It’s tragic in its subtext and tender in its delivery. Still, its not the only classic worth revisiting. “Duets II” is full of goosebumps. Yeah, it’s a tired formula, but in the hands of a master, Tony Bennett makes these standards feel like the first time.

WATCH Tony Bennett perform “Body and Soul” with the late Amy Winehouse.