The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: I Cover The Waterfront

The song of the day for Saturday, January 19, 2013 is I Cover The Waterfront.

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About I Cover The Waterfront

Inspired by a book written by newspaper reporter Max Miller, who actually did report on news from the mid-Atlantic waterfront, I Cover The Waterfront was composed in 1932 by Johnny Green with lyrics by Edward Heyman. An instrumental-only version of the song was used in the 1933 film of the same name.

The song has proven popular since the beginning, with performances by Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw and Art Tatum, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sang this song on his brilliant concept album from 1959 Hometown, My Town, in which Bennett pays tribute to his home town of New York City, from skyscrapers and luxury penthouses to the docks described in I Cover The Waterfront.

I Cover The Waterfront

Listen to I Cover The Waterfront on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1959

I Cover The Waterfront, as well as the full Hometown, My Town, is available on iTunes.

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January 2013 Tour News

January 27 The New Jersey Performing Arts Center Newark, NJ
https://twitter.com/Zack_Bishara/status/295715443241529347
https://twitter.com/ChristinePolcar/status/295715550863175680
https://twitter.com/BoogBannon/status/295740478215843840
https://twitter.com/NJPAC/status/295697939559485441
January 26 The Warner Theater Washington, D.C.
https://twitter.com/seanrsimons/status/295363181868617728
https://twitter.com/steviepr/status/295359786046873600
https://twitter.com/WaldronWine/status/295362874417766401
https://twitter.com/codybannon/status/295359294130507777
http://twitter.com/allaboutyi/status/295332024435224576
https://twitter.com/MattBurdetsky/status/295332272196947968
https://twitter.com/organicmania/status/295325667074117632
https://twitter.com/seanrsimons/status/295320953041338368

January 20 The State Theater Minneapolis, MN
Review from blogger Axl’s Catch Groove.
Review from the Twin Cities Pioneer Press.
https://twitter.com/justinphenke/status/293207809439457280
https://twitter.com/achoops/status/293195302977032192

January 18 Orpheum Theater Sioux City, IA

Video from the performance, courtesy of KTIV News in Sioux City, Iowa

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jake on X (formerly Twitter): "Going to see Tony Bennett tonight. I hope he sings "Call Me Maybe"! / X"

Going to see Tony Bennett tonight. I hope he sings "Call Me Maybe"!

Bruce R. Miller on X (formerly Twitter): "It"s Tony Bennett time in Sioux City! #orpheum / X"

It"s Tony Bennett time in Sioux City! #orpheum

 

 

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Song of the Day: Out Of This World

The song of the day for Friday, January 18, 2013 is Out Of This World.

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About Out Of This World

This song was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1945 film of the same name. The song was introduced in the movie by Bing Crosby, though Mr. Crosby dubbed the voice of the main character played by Eddie Bracken.

It became a jazz standard and has been recorded by John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mel Tormé, among others.

About This Version

This version was recorded by Tony Bennett in 1964 with an extraordinary group of jazz musicians: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone), Ron Carter (bass), Herbie Hancock (piano) and Elvin Jones (drums). Several other songs were recorded in the same session and several are included on this Rarities disc, including Day Dream, Danny Boy, and Just Friends. The compilation album Jazz, released in 1987 by Columbia Records, contains these and other jazz recordings made by Mr. Bennett, from the late 1950s and 1960s.

Out of This World

Tony Bennett · Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 1 · Song · 2012

Out Of This World, as well as Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights: Volume 1, is available at iTunes.

Jazz is available from Amazon and other CD retailers.

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In Grand Company, or Get Thee to Starbucks UPDATED

I found an amazing CD at my local Starbucks today that I recommend to anyone who loves Duke Ellington.

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It’s called In Grand Company. It’s a compilation of recordings made by Duke Ellington with other artists: Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and many, many more.

But the one amazing cut on this CD is It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) with Louis Armstrong. I love this song and have featured it as a song of the day here. But I’ve never heard anything as exciting as this recording with the Duke and Louis. If nothing else, it’s the first time I’ve ever heard the verse sung.

UPDATED: I found the recording of It Don’t Mean A Thing for you to listen to. If this doesn’t swing, I don’t know what does.

It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing)

Listen to It Don"t Mean A Thing (If It Ain"t Got That Swing) on Spotify. Song · Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington · 2010

 

I don’t know how long Starbucks will have this in the stores, but I do encourage you to find this CD and give it a listen. You can also purchase it online from Starbucks. The CD also comes with a booklet with informative liner notes by Steven Stolder, who also produced this compilation for Sony Music Entertainment.

And, while you’re there, the Starbucks store has Viva Duets, if you haven’t picked up your copy yet.

 

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Thursday, January 17, 2013 is But Beautiful.

About But Beautiful

Originally written for the 1947 film Road To Rio, But Beautiful was written by Jimmy Van Heusen, with lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was introduced in the film by Bing Crosby. It found great popularity as jazz ballad, with recordings by Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Johnny Hartman, and Shirley Horn, among others.

About This Version

Tony Bennett and Bill Evans recorded this song in 1975 for their first album,The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album. Bill Evans had recorded the song with Stan Getz in 1974 at the Laren (Holland) International Jazz Festival; an album, with the same name, was released posthumously in 1996.  Mr. Bennett often sings this song in concert.

But Beautiful

Bill Evans, Tony Bennett · The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album (Expanded Edition) · Song · 1975

But Beautiful, as well as the full The Tony Bennett Bill Evans Album, is available from iTunes.

Readers of this blog know that I am a big fan of the work that Tony Bennett and Bill Evans did on their two albums. On their second album, Together Again, they included a piano solo The Bad And The Beautiful, which I have always liked. A few weeks ago, the film showed up on Turner Classic Movies and I so watched it, for the first time. It’s a bit of a melodrama, but it has a terrific cast (Kirk Douglas, Lana Turner, Walter Pidgeon, Barry Sullivan and many more) and its theme song, by David Raskin, is used throughout. Here’s But Beautiful, here from the The Complete Tony Bennett Bill Evans Recordings set from Fantasy / Concord. Note that this set contains a good selection of alternate takes from the Together Again session.

The Bad And The Beautiful - Remastered 2003

Listen to The Bad And The Beautiful - Remastered 2003 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Bill Evans · 2009

The Bad and the Beautiful, as well as the full Together Again album, is available from iTunes.