Steve Tyrell: The Disney Standards

Asking sandpapery Steve Tyrell to record an entire album of Disney movie anthems seems rather like choosing Rocky Balboa to narrate Bambi. Yet the mixed marriage of hailstorm-voiced Tyrell and sunshiny arrangements of kiddie pop tunes proves a surprisingly blessed one. The disc’s appeal can be credited to Tyrell’s good taste in both material and musical companions. Among the latter are smooth-jazz pin-up boy Chris Botti, contributing an appropriately soft and mellow trumpet solo to “When You Wish Upon a Star,” saxophonist Dave Koz, adding an equally tender touch to Phil Collins’ “You’ll Be in My Heart” and Dr. John, joining Tyrell for what can only be described as a pull-all-the-stops rasp-off on “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”