Itzhak Perlman Returns to the American Songbook for His First New Album in More Than a Decade

 

Itzhak Perlman is returning to the music that has been part of his life for generations. The celebrated violinist today announces The Way We Were: My American Songbook, his first new album in more than a decade, arriving October 30 from Green Hill Music. Pre-orders begin today, coinciding with Perlman’s 81st birthday, along with the release of the album’s first single, “Summertime,” featuring GRAMMY® Award winner Jon Batiste.

Across more than seven decades of recording and performing, Perlman has become one of the world’s most admired musicians, known for the warmth, humanity and unmistakable voice of his violin. With The Way We Were: My American Songbook, he turns his attention to some of the melodies that have remained close to his heart, revisiting enduring works by George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Stephen Sondheim, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein and others.

The album represents something new for Perlman. Rather than approaching the material simply as a collection of classical arrangements, he draws on the origins of these songs and treats the violin almost as a singer, allowing the melodies to breathe and speak through the instrument.

“This recording is different because it’s a songbook. It’s something I’ve never done before,” Perlman said. “The repertoire I chose is very romantic, lyrical and poetic. Because so much of this music began as songs, I approached it as a singer would. The violin is a singing instrument, and this album became a natural way to let those melodies speak through it.”

That approach is especially evident on “Summertime,” the George Gershwin classic that serves as the album’s first single. Perlman is joined by Jon Batiste, whose vocals bring a jazz sensibility to a performance that places the violin and voice in an intimate musical conversation.

“Jon Batiste is a lot of fun. He’s terrific,” Perlman said. “He’s a wonderful improviser, and playing with someone like that was exciting because every take was a little different. That’s the beauty of making music together; you follow the inspiration wherever it leads.”

Produced by three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning producer David Lai and co-produced and arranged by Or Matias and Natalie Tenenbaum, the album surrounds Perlman with a full orchestra, creating the warm and romantic sound he envisioned for these familiar songs. The guest appearances extend beyond Batiste, with Josh Groban also joining the collection, along with a newly created performance built around the legendary voice of Ella Fitzgerald.

For Perlman, the project is both a personal return and a fresh interpretation of music that has become part of the American cultural landscape. These are songs that have crossed generations and genres, and his violin provides another way of hearing melodies audiences have known for decades.

“For generations, Itzhak Perlman has shown us that great music speaks to the heart, regardless of genre,” said Blake Davis, General Manager of Green Hill. “With The Way We Were: My American Songbook, he brings new life to songs that have become part of our shared musical heritage, honoring them with extraordinary warmth, imagination and artistry.”

The Way We Were: My American Songbook will be released October 30 on Green Hill Music. The album is available for pre-order now, with “Summertime” featuring Jon Batiste available to stream.