The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Happy Birthday To Ralph Sharon

The Year of Tony Bennett wants to wish pianist Ralph Sharon a very, very happy birthday.

Mr. Sharon was born September 17, 1923 in London, England. He currently resides in the Denver, Colorado area and performs regularly in the area.

We are saddened by the terrible flooding in Boulder and other parts of Colorado, and hope that Mr. Sharon and his family are safe and sound.

Last year for Mr. Sharon’s birthday, we did Ralph Sharon Week. We’re including the links to those stories here:

Ralph Sharon Week

Song of the Day: Nobody’s Heart Belongs To Me

Song of the Day: It Amazes Me

Song of the Day: I Left My Heart in San Francisco

Song of the Day: Isn’t This a Lovely Day

Song of the Day: I Concentrate On You

Song of the Day: Street Of Dreams

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RIP Marian McPartland

The Year of Tony Bennett joins jazz fans everywhere in mourning the passing of one of the greats: Marian McPartland.

She did it all: masterful pianist, composer, entertainer, educator, author and host of the impeccable NPR program Piano Jazz. After a detour to rock music in college, Marian’s program on NPR brought me back into the fold of jazz music and I never left again. She made jazz relevant to new generations of fans with Piano Jazz; we all owe her our gratitude.

Tony Bennett and Marian McPartland

In memory of Marian, we include this link to her session with Tony Bennett on Piano Jazz.

Updated

Links to some of the many obituaries that have been written for Marian:

New York Times

National Public Radio

Los Angeles Times

Chicago Tribune 

The London Guardian

Washington Post

Voice of America

The Atlantic Monthly

 

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Happy Birthday to George Cory

August 3 is a very special day for those of us at The Year Of Tony Bennett. Not only is it Tony Bennett’s birthday, but it is also the birthday of George Cory, who with Douglass Cross, wrote the song that Tony Bennett completely and totally owns: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

Because it’s Saturday, we hope that you may have a little extra viewing and listening time because I cannot pick my favorite version of this song, so I picked two.

The first is the original version … the single … that was recorded on January 23, 1962. In researching this recording for The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography, I have identified (so far) nearly 60 albums, singles and compilations that this recording appears on.

(I Left My Heart) In San Francisco

Listen to (I Left My Heart) In San Francisco on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1962

The second version is also from 1962: August 28, 1962 and released this year on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. I really love this live version.

I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2013

And now a couple of video snippets.

The first is from the Judy Garland television show from July 30, 1963:

And finally, this snippet from the Ed Sullivan Show, filmed in 1964. It’s beyond tragic that only part of the song is included in this video, but that part we do see is so lovely:

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Antonia Bennett’s Sail Away

I didn’t want to let anymore time pass without acknowledging the extraordinary singing by Antonia Bennett last Saturday night in Tacoma, most especially on Noël Coward’s song “Sail Away.”

I’ve always loved the score for Sail Away, but Miss Bennett’s version of this song is by far the best that I have ever heard. It was heartbreakingly beautiful and was sung perfectly.

Thank you, Miss Bennett, for making such a wonderful memories with your “Sail Away.”

Here’s Sir Coward singing his song:
http://open.spotify.com/track/4YjnxkU8jpZL71QQ756JW6