The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars

The Song of the Day for September 16, 2012 is Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars.

About Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars

This bossa nova song was written in 1962 by Antonio Carlos Jobim, with the English lyrics later written by Gene Lees. The actual title of the song in Portuguese is Corcovado, after the mountain in Rio de Janiero.

The song is jazz classic and a bossa nova standard. Jazz versions include Miles Davis, Charlie Byrd, Frank Sinatra,  Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Krall. Bossa nova recordings include João Gilberto and Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum.

About This Version

Mr. Bennett recorded this song for the 1963 I Wanna Be Around. I believe that Tony Bennett has a wonderful feel for singing bossa nova, exemplified by his 1965 recording of How Insensitive (Insensatez) on If Ruled The World: Songs for the Jet Set. Enjoy this song as the summer winds down.

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Song of the Day: Being Alive

The Song of the Day for September 15, 2012 is Being Alive.

About Being Alive

Being Alive was written by Stephen Sondheim for Company, which premiered on Broadway in 1970.  It was the first Broadway musical this author ever saw and I have been a devoted Stephen Sondheim fan ever since.

About This Version

This version of Being Alive was recorded for the 2004 The Art of Romance.  For my money, I think The Art of Romance may be one of Mr. Bennett’s best-conceived albums. When listened to as a whole, it’s a remarkable emotional roller coaster about all aspects of love and romance. Being Alive has a similar placement in this album as it does in Company, the next-to-the last song, where the protagonist realizes that in order to be fully and totally alive, he must give himself up to love. In many ways, Being Alive is the next step after The Good Life in realizing what’s really important in life.

Being Alive was arranged by Lee Musiker and features Phil Woods on saxophone and Candido Camero on conga (Candido was featured on Mr. Bennett’s 1957 Beat of My Heart and also performed with Mr. Bennett at the 1962 Carnegie Hall concert).

As an extra treat, here’s The Art of Romance Electronic Press Kit (EPK). Thanks, You Tube!

A longer version of the EPK is available at tonybennett.com (with the Ultimate Access Pass–free three-month trial is available).

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Song of the Day: Indian Summer

The Song of the Day for September 14, 2012 is Indian Summer.

There has been quite some discussion about what really constitutes an Indian summer at the Year of Tony Bennett. One of us was born in Liverpool, UK and emigrated to Oregon as child. I was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama and gradually worked my west as an adult. It turns out that Indian summer means different things to people, depending on where they are from.

But, as it was quite chilly here in Portland last week and is now quite warm with temperatures in the mid-eighties, I declare it to be Indian summer.

About Indian Summer

The song was written as piano solo in 1919 by Victor Herbert.  Al Dubin wrote the lyrics in 1939. The next year, Tommy Dorsey, with Frank Sinatra, recorded the song and it reached #1 on the Hit Parade. Sidney Bechet, playing the soprano saxophone, recorded one of the first jazz recordings of the song. It has also been recorded by Gene Krupa, Paul Desmond, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett first recorded Indian Summer in 1962 and was released on the 1963 album I Wanna Be Around. This version was arranged and conducted by Ralph Sharon. The version for today is from Perfectly Frank, released in 1992,  orchestrated by Robert Farnon.

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Song of the Day: Sing You Sinners

The Song of the Day for September 13, 2012 is Sing You Sinners.

Last week, my co-blogger and I went to Bumbershoot to hear Tony Bennett. We took her son, Sam, who is 11 years old today. Sing You Sinners is Sam’s favorite Tony Bennett song. I snuck a peek at Sam when Mr. Bennett started singing this song at the concert. Sam had a huge smile on his face and was tapping out the rhythm the whole time.

Sam, for you: Sing You Sinners. I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

About Sing You Sinners

This song was written in 1930 for the film Honey with music by W. Franke Harling and lyrics by Sam Coslow.  Thanks to You Tube, there is film of this song from Honey:

About This Version

Mr. Bennett has recorded this song several times, starting in 1950. The version we include here was recorded in 1955 and was arranged and conducted by Percy Faith. The 1955 version was compiled on Forty (and Fifty) Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett.  The song was included in the 1962 Carnegie Hall concert. He also recorded it with John Legend on the first Duets album.

You sinners, drop everything and let that harmony ring up to heaven and sing, you sinners!

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Song of the Day: Maybe This Time

The Song of the Day for September 12, 2012 is Maybe This Time.

About Maybe This Time

Maybe This Time was written by John Kander and Fred Ebb. The song was used in the film version of their musical Cabaret, but not in the original stage production. It is said that the song was written by Kaye Ballard and that she first recorded Maybe This Time, though The Year of Tony Bennett cannot find any documentation of when she recorded it for the first time. However, her website does have a link to play a snippet from her current 4-CD set. The song is widely associated with Liza Minnelli, who sings it regularly.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded Maybe This Time in 1995 for his album to Here’s To The Ladies. Mr. Bennett has performed this song at every concert of his I’ve ever attended, and I dearly hope he continues to include it in his concert set lists. It’s a wonderful song and I, personally, will never tire of hearing him sing it to a live audience. Mr. Bennett, with the current quartet, performed this song at the iTunes Festival in London 2010, which is available on iTunes and is a great, if short, live set. And is the best $5.99 you can spend if you like Tony Bennett. Everyone at the Year of Tony Bennett recommends this iTunes concert.

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