The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Day Dream

The song of the day for Thursday, August 22, 2024, is “Day Dream.”

About This Song

“Day Dream” was written in 1941 by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, with lyrics by John LaTouche. Acknowledged to have been written solely by Strayhorn, “Day Dream” is a lovely song with a strong Strayhorn touch, enhanced by the thoughtful lyrics by LaTouche. The first recording was in 1941 and featured Johnny Hodges on saxophone and Billy Strayhorn on piano. Other notable recordings include this recording by Tony Bennett, Betty Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Day Dream” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, released in 1999 for the centennial celebration of Duke Ellington’s birth. The song was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“Day Dream,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Performane.

Here’s the original recording with Johnny Hodges and Billy Strayhorn on piano:

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Song of the Day: Sophisticated Lady

The song of the day for Monday, August 5, 2024, is “Sophisticated Lady.”

About This Song

“Sophisticated Lady” was written in 1932 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills and Mitchell Parish. Ellington is said to have been inspired to write this song by two of his grade school teachers, who toured Europe in the summers after teaching all year. “To me that spelled sophistication.” “Sophisticated Lady” was first recorded in 1933 on the flip side with Harold Arlen’s Stormy Weather. It is, of course, one of Ellington’s most popular and often-played songs. In addition to numerous recordings by Ellington over the years, the song has been recorded by Art Tatum, Anita O’Day, Billie Holiday, Billy Eckstine, Johnny Hodges, Sarah Vaughan, and Glenn Miller.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Sophisticated Lady” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The recording features Joel Smirnoff on violin. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

em>Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Performance.

“Sophisticated Lady,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s a live recording of “Sophisticated Lady: from Ellington’s performance at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival (where he brought down the house with the extraordinary 14 minute rendition of “Dimenuendo In Blue” which I’m also including):

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)

The song of the day for Sunday, May 19, 2024, is “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in 1931, with lyrics by Irving Mills. It was one of the first songs to use the word “swing” in the title and this song certainly defined what it meant to swing. Ellington recorded the song with Ivie Anderson on vocals and it was an immediate hit. It has been widely recorded since it was written and the song is a lot of fun to play and to listen to. Significant recordings include those by Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt, Gigi Gryce, Tony Bennett, and Thelonious Monk.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” in May 1999 for his centennial tribute to Duke Ellington: Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, featuring a very fine arrangement by Ralph Burns.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s the original recording with Ivie Anderson:

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Song of the Day: In A Mellow Tone

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 8, 2024, is “In A Mellow Tone.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington wrote “In a Mellow Tone” in 1939, with lyrics by Milt Gabler. The song was based on the 1917 song “Rose Room” by Art Hickman and Harry Williams. The song is a favorite of both vocal and instrumental jazz performers, including Tony Bennett, Paul Gonsalves, Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, and Annie Ross.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “In A Mellow Tone” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Burns. In addition to lovely vocals from Bennett, this recording gives the trio members (Ralph Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums) some terrific solo time.

“In A Mellow Tone,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me

The song of the day for Monday, April 29, 2024, is “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”

About Today

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was born 125 years ago today on April 29, 1989, in Washington D.C. He was a jazz pianist, composer, and orchestra leader from 1923 until his death from lung cancer on May 24, 1971. He wrote over 1500 compositions and thousands of recordings. You can read more about Duke Ellington at his website dukellington.com. On this website he is remembered

It is not just the sheer enormity of his creative output that makes it so enduring, but its emotional depth. During tours of France in the 1930s, a critic wrote that Duke’s music “reveals the very secret of the cosmos;” a poet wrote that “such music is not only a new art form but a new reason for living.” It sounds as fresh today as it ever did, and worthy of a lifetime of study.

About This Song

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” was written by Duke Ellington and Bob Russell in 1940. As with most Ellington songs, the tune was written first and the lyrics added later. Also, as with most Ellington songs, it became a favorite song of both instrumental and vocal musicians. Ellington recorded the song in 1944 and it was a hit on both the R&B and Popular charts. Other recordings include those by Tony Bennett, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis, Jr., Anita O’Day, and Nina Simone.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which was released to coincide with the centennial celebration of his birth. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Ellington’s 1944 recording of “Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me.”