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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

January 15, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Album of the Week: The Beat of My Heart

The album of the week starting on January 16, 2022, is The Beat of My Heart.



The Beat of My Heart was conceived and planned by Tony Bennett and his new musical director, Ralph Sharon. Bennett wanted to return to his jazz roots with this, his third LP. Bennett relates stories about this album in his autobiography, The Good Life:

Ralph and I wanted to make a jazz statement in a big way, and I came up with the idea of recording an album of standards that put the spotlight on different kinds of rhythm by using all the great jazz drummers I could find. We talked the concept over during our first few months on the road, and gradually it all came together. The first recording date was in June 1957, with Chico Hamilton. I was delighted with the results, particularly with the tongue-twisting. super-percussive title track, “The Beat of My Heart.” Mitch came to the first recording date, but was unusually quiet. Maybe he hoped he was giving us enough rope to hang ourselves. But when the album came out, an army of jazz fans said, Hey, this guy knows how to swing. A whole new audience accepted me—in fact, I still get my biggest reactions at jazz festivals the world over.

Album Facts

Release Date December 1, 1957
Label Columbia (CL-1079)
Producers Mitch Miller, Al Ham
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett
Piano Ralph Sharon
Percussion Art Blakey, Chico Hamilton, Jo Jones, Candido Camero, Sabu Martinez, Billy Exiner
Tenor Sax Al Cohn
Trumpet Nat Adderly
Trombone Robert Alexander, Jim Dahl, Kai Winding
Flute Herbie Mann, Spencer Sinatra, William Slapin
Vibes Eddie Costa
Guitar John Pisano
Bass Milt Hinton, Eddie Saranski, James Bond

Listen to The Beat of My Heart

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Filed Under: Album of the Week Tagged With: Art Blakey, Billy Exiner, Candido Camera, Chico Hamilton, Jo Jones, Mitch Miller, Ralph Sharon, Sabu Martinez

January 8, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Album of the Week: Tony

The album of the week starting on January 9, 2022, is Tony.

 

Tony is Tony Bennett’s second full-length studio album.  In Tony, we see first-hand Tony Bennett’s love of the American Songbook. This album features many great songs from composers including Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, Jimmy McHugh, Harry Warren, Kurt Weill, and the Gershwins. Most of the songs from this album, such as It Had To Be You, These Foolish Things, I’ll Be Seeing You and Always are songs that he still sings today in concert. Tony has two distinct sound profiles: the numbers arranged by Ray Conniff (mostly Side One, plus Always from Side Two) feature a big band sound, while the Percy Faith numbers have a lusher sound with more strings. He is joined on this album by guitarist Chuck Wayne, whom he worked with on Cloud 7; on Tony, Wayne provides a wonderful guitar accompaniment to Lost in the Stars.

Release Date January 14, 1957
Label Columbia
Producer Mitch Miller
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements Ray Conniff, Percy Faith

Listen to Tony

You can also listen to Tony on:

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Filed Under: Album of the Week Tagged With: Columbia, Percy Faith, Ray Conniff, Tony Bennett

January 1, 2022 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Album of the Week: Cloud 7

The album of week starting on January 2, 2022, is Cloud 7.

Cloud 7 was Tony Bennett’s first full-length studio album and it was a jazz album. Having signed with Columbia Records in 1950, he had turned out a number of hit singles including “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Sing You Sinners,” “Cold, Cold Heart,” and “Because of You,” Cloud 7 was the album that he had wanted to make–a solid jazz long-playing album with a solid group of jazz musicians.

As a first album by a young singer (Bennett was not even 30 when he made Cloud 7), it’s a remarkable album that defined Bennett not only as a vastly popular singer, but a jazz artist with impeccable taste and a true vision of his own artistry.

Album Facts

Release Data February 25, 1955
Label Columbia
Producer Mitch Miller
Vocals Tony Bennett
Arrangements Chuck Wayne, Charles Panely
Tenor Sax Al Cohn, Caeser DiMauro
Alto Sax Dave Schildkraut
Trumpet Charles Panely
Guitar Chuck Wayne
Piano Gene DiNovi, Harvey Leonard
Bass Clyde Lombardi
Drums Sonny Igor, Ed Shaughnessy

Listen to Cloud 7

You can also listen to Cloud 7 on

  • Apple Music
  • Amazon Music player
  • Qobuz
  • YouTube Music
  • Pandora

Filed Under: Album of the Week Tagged With: Chuck Wayne, Mitch Mitchell, Tony Bennett

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