Hit Man: David Foster and Friends

David Foster is a wonderful composer and the album, Hit Man: David Foster and Friends, showcases that. Foster uses his connections to assemble a powerful group for just one night. This live album showcases a beautiful arrangement and some of David Foster's greatest hits that span more than 30 years of music composing and producing.

Some songs on the album get the wonderful treatment of becoming a duet. The classic Michael Buble song, "Home," becomes an interesting duet with country singer Blake Shelton; it sounds beautiful but I find an unintentional (and yet funny) gay theme to it now that it's sung between the two. I'm very surprised how "Bridge Over Troubled Water" works between Josh Groban and Brian McKnight; McKnight harmonizes beautifully in the end of the song.

Intentional or not, Foster used this concert to show off the two talents he wants to promote: Charice and Katherine McPhee. David Foster's prot?g?, a 16-year-old Filipino girl named Charice, gives a commanding performance of "I Have Nothing" and "I Will Always Love You." Getting this album just for this track is probably enough. I never understood exactly why Foster took a liking to Katherine McPhee (and I voted for her), but she does a decent version of "Somewhere," which is saved by the epic arrangements behind her. She probably has the airiest voice out of all the singers, so she ends up looking like the weak link on the whole production of powerhouse singing superstars.

To be a nitpick, "I Will Always Love You" isn't a David Foster song originally, but I'm sure he used his version from The Bodyguard to showcase his prot?g?. Celine Dion wasn't bringing her A-Game either. Her version of "Because You Loved Me" sounds tired and off tempo. I'm a little confused by the arrangement of Peter Cetera's track. It seems like the higher keys he sang got synthesized, but the lower part stayed normal during "Hard to Say I'm Sorry." As an album by itself, it's flawed, but when you attach the DVD along with it, it becomes a worthwhile deal, since the DVD has more tracks.

David Foster has had a strong career of hits, and has created many memorable songs. Hit Man is a legendary album and something I wish artists would do more often: come together and make beautiful music.