The Bridges of Madison County [Original Soundtrack] (1995)

Credit the film and album The Bridges of Madison County with causing a great deal of excitement about crooner Johnny Hartman, a vocalist with a silky voice that almost defies description. Hartman has seen many of his albums reissued, with rapidly rising sales, since the release of the film. This collection marks the debut of Clint Eastwood's Malpaso Records label, which Eastwood intends to focus on jazz, and it's certainly a good start, featuring songs from Hartman, Dinah Washington, Irene Kral, and Barbara Lewis, as well as two versions of "Doe Eyes," an instrumental piece composed by Eastwood and arranged/conducted by longtime Eastwood collaborator Lennie Niehaus. Overall, the album is charming, low-key, and smooth, very much a record worth getting.

Track Listing

1. Doe Eyes
2. I'll Close My Eyes
3. Easy Living
4. Blue Gardenia
5. I See Your Face Before Me
6. Soft Winds
7. Baby I'm Yours
8. It's a Wonderful World
9. It Was Almost Like a Song
10. This Is Always
11. For All We Know
12. Doe Eyes (Reprise)