"Compilation album is a generous reminder of The Police star’s incalculable range" - The Independent...

March 19, 2021

“Sting and Shaggy Know You’re Confused” read a headline in Forbes when the former Police frontman and reggae mainstay released a collaborative album 44/876, in 2018. From a bird’s-eye view, the pair’s collaboration seemed unlikely, with Sting and The Police being at the forefront of Britain’s 1980s new wave movement and Shaggy being synonymous with a 2000s single about denying infidelity. And yet, anyone intimately familiar with Sting - both as a solo artist and leader of The Police - knows of his decades-long history melding sounds, dabbling in everything from rock to jazz, new-age, the West African raï genre, classical, reggae - the list goes on.


Now, all of Sting‘s decade-spanning collaborations, starting from the early 1990s and up to the present, have been placed together in a wonderful compilation, simply titled Duets, featuring recordings with Mary J. Blige (“Whenever I Say Your Name”), Herbie Hancock (“My Funny Valentine”), Eric Clapton (“It’s Probably Me”), Annie Lennox (“We’ll Be Together”), Charles Aznavour (“L’amour C’est COmme Un Jour”), Mylène Farmer (“Stolen Car”), Shaggy (“Don’t Make Me Wait”), Melody Gardot (“Little Something”), Cheb Mami (“Desert Rose”), and more.


It’s a welcome opportunity to revisit Sting‘s lengthy collaborative resume; if anything, Duets serves as a reminder that not only has the man been doing this for a long time, but when he does team up with a new artist, he strikes just the right balance in letting the featured player shine, and letting the song belong to them as well.


It is generally known that Sting likes to collaborate with artists from all over the map, literally and from a genre perspective. But the point is driven home on Duets and should clear up any so-called “confusion” casual listeners might have the next time he drops a joint effort.


(c) The Independent by Rachel Brodsky

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Mar 16, 2021

Sting joined Grammy award-winning trumpeter and composer Chris Botti to record a duet of ‘In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning’, for Botti’s 1999 album ‘Slowing Down the World’. Composed in 1955 by David Mann, the song was made famous by Frank Sinatra. This elegant duet features on Sting’s new album ‘Duets’, out this Friday 19thMarch. To celebrate, watch a brand new live performance by Sting and Chris Botti,set against a crackling fire and a sparkling view of the Empire State Building.
 

Mar 15, 2021

Last fall, Sting recorded a category of video clues for the US quiz show JEOPARDY! The episode in question will air this Thursday, 18 March (viewers should check local listings as it airs on different networks and at different times depending on your location.) Also on Friday, 19 March, Sting and Shirazee will be interviewed and have a (pre-taped) performance air on Good Morning America, on ABC from 7AM ET.