The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: There Will Never Be Another You

The song of the day for Monday, December 31, 2018, is “There Will Never Be Another You.”

About This Song

“There Will Never Be Another You” was written in 1942 by Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. It’s ironic that one of Harry Warren’s most beautiful songs was written for a minor Sonja Henie vehicle called Iceland, starring Miss Henie and John Payne as a U.S. Marine stationed in Iceland during World War II. The song was introduced in the movie by Joan Merrill. Amazingly, this beautiful song was not nominated for an Academy Award. No matter. The song has become a serious jazz standard and has had many fine recordings, including Bennett’s 1959 recording with Count Basie and his 1962 improvisation with Dave Brubeck at the White House Sessions. Other significant recordings include those by Lionel Hampton, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole, and Sonny Rollins.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “There Will Never Be Another You” in 1962 with Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright, and Joe Morello. After Bennett and Brubeck did their individual sets at this concert, they came back onstage for a few improvised numbers, including “There Will Never Be Another You.” Thankfully, all of this was taped. Alas, the tapes were thought to be long-lost. Soon after Dave Brubeck passed in 2012, the tapes were found in Columbia’s classical music section. Columbia released Bennett/Brubeck: The White House, Live 1962 in 2013.

There Will Never Be Another You – Live

There Will Never Be Another You – Live, a song by Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio on Spotify

“There Will Never Be Another You,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Small World

The song of the day for Wednesday, March 28, 2018 is “Small World.”

About This Song

“Small World” is from the great 1959 musical Gypsy by Jule Styne (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). Based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, it tells the story of the mother, Rose, and her two daughters, June and Louise, and her obsession to make it in the vaudeville circuit. The role of Rose was written for Ethel Merman and is one of her finest and most complex roles. “Small World” is sung by Rose and Herbie, who has the misfortune to fall in love with Rose. Gypsy is arguably the best musical ever written and has been revived many times on Broadway.

About This Song

Just a few months after his legendary concert at Carnegie Hall in June, Tony Bennett and the Dave Brubeck Quartet were invited by President John F. Kennedy to perform for the summer interns who had served at the White House that year. The set started with a set by Brubeck, followed by Tony Bennett with Ralph Sharon (piano), Billy Exiner (drums) and Hal Gaylord (bass).

Our song for today is from Tony Bennett’s set, recorded on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962. That we have this album is in itself a miracle. The tapes of the concert were thought to be long-lost. However, soon after Brubeck’s death in December, 2012, the tapes were found–misfiled in the classical music archives. It was released on CD six months later, in May, 2013.

Small World - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to Small World - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 2013


“Small World,” as well as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Monday, May 5, 2014 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

“That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. It had its first recording that year by the Glenn Miller Orchestra and was also used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. Fans of Marilyn Monroe might remember her singing this song in the 1956 film Bus Stop. It has been widely recorded by jazz and popular musicians steadily since written. Some of the best recordings include those by Johnny Mercer, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Shirley Horn, Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the recently released Bennet & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 and is an improvisation by Bennett with Dave Brubeck, Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass. This version swings very nicely and is a real delight to listen to.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0NTxPntOPk44Boyl985eAV
“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennet & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available at iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Wednesday, October 3, 2013 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

“That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. The first recording was by Glen Miller (with “A Pink Cocktail For a Blue Lady” on the flip side), which was followed with recordings by many great artists, including Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland and even Johnny Mercer. Marilyn Monroe sang the song in the film version of Bus Stop in 1956.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the recently released Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. The tape from this concert had been lost in the vaults at Columbia for years, though “That Old Black Magic” had been released in 1971 on Dave Brubeck Summit Sessions. The tape was located in the classical music section at Sony last December and was released as an album in May, 2013 and was number one on the jazz charts for several months; even today it’s still number four for jazz vocals.

This song was a short improv session with Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello. The four songs they did that August night in 1962 are really glorious and bear for repeated listening.

It’s a Harold Arlen kind of week.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0NTxPntOPk44Boyl985eAV
“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes and amazon.com.

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Tony Bennett and Dave Brubeck Concert Photograph

Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston.
Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston.

This photograph from the August, 1962 concert shows (from left to right) Joe Morello (drums), Eugene Wright (bass). Dave Brubeck (piano) and Tony Bennett.