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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

November 23, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: That Ole Devil Called Love

The song of the day for Wednesday, November 24, 2021, is “That Ole Devil Called Love.”

About This Song

“That Ole Devil Called Love” was written in 1945 by Doris Fisher and Allan Roberts. Composer Fisher, daughter of songwriter Fred Fisher, was so popular in the 1940s that she was called “Queen of the Jukebox.” She often wrote with Allan Roberts. She was also a talented singer and performer. Her other songs include “You Always Hurt The One You Love.”

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “That Ole Devil Called Love” in 1996 for his album Tony Bennett On Holiday, arranged by Jorge Calandrelli. Bobby Tucker, formerly a pianist for Billie Holiday, served as musical consultant for the album.

“That Ole Devil Called Love,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday is available on Apple Music.

Billie Holiday recorded “That Ole Devil Called Love” in 1945 for Decca Records. Here’s that recording:

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Allan Roberts, Billie Holiday, Bobby Tucker, Doris Fisher, Jorge Calandrelli, Tony Bennett, Tony Bennett On Holiday

February 3, 2021 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Dat Dere

The song of the day for Thursday, February 4, 2021, is “Dat Dere.”

About This Song

The jazz instrumental “Dat Dere” was written in 1960 by Bobby Timmons; it was first played by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1960, with Timmons on piano. Oscar Brown, Jr. wrote lyrics for the tune in 1961 for his album Sin & Soul … and Then Some. The song has been recorded by jazz and popular singers including Mel Tormé and Rickie Lee Jones.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Dat Dere” in 1998 for his album for children named The Playground, with the Ralph Sharon Trio. Bobby Tucker, the pianist for jazz greats including Billie Holiday, was the musical consultant for the album.

Dat Dere

Listen to Dat Dere on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1998.

“Dat Dere,” as well as The Playground, is available from Apple Music.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bobby Timmons, Bobby Tucker, Oscar Brown Jr., The Playground, The Ralph Sharon Trio

January 18, 2018 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Ill Wind

The song of the day for Friday, January 19, 2018 is “Ill Wind.”

About This Song

“Ill Wind” was written in 1934 by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler for their last show at the Cotton Club, where it was sung by Adelaide Hall. This song has been recorded by Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Kenton, Audra McDonald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra and, of course, Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Ill Wind” in 1996 for the album Tony Bennett on Holiday, an album consisting of songs sung by Lady Day. Bobby Tucker, who played for Billie Holiday later in her career, was the musical consultant for the album.

Ill Wind (You"re Blowin" Me No Good)

Listen to Ill Wind (You"re Blowin" Me No Good) on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1997.


“Ill Wind,” as well as Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Bobby Tucker, Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler, Tony Bennett

April 1, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Album of the Month: Tony Bennett on Holiday

The album of the month for April 2015 is Tony Bennett on Holiday.

TonyBennettOnHoliday

Tony Bennett on Holiday was released by Columbia Records on February 4, 1997. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Tony Bennett on Holiday was produced by Tony Bennett and Danny Bennett, his son. The cover art features Bennett’s portrait of Billie Holiday.

2015 marks the centennial year of the birth of Billie Holiday. She was born on April 7, 1915 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; her birth certificate lists her name as Eleanora Fagan. Her mother, Sadie Fagan, was nineteen years old when Eleanora was born. Her father was Clarence Holiday, who still a high school student when Sadie became pregnant. Clarence was a well-known rhythm guitarist and banjo player who played with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra and other bands during the late 1920s and 1930s.

Much has been written about the tragic life of Billie Holiday. However, we will be focusing on her astounding talent as a jazz vocalist.

Last year, a visitor to The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography left the following comment, which I have been thinking about ever since:

I was surprised to discover that Tony Bennett’s tribute to Lady Day rang truer than all of the other attempts to politicize her, racialize her, or use her as a self-promotional “career stepping stone.” Tony captures the Lady of the Gardenias that struck Sinatra to the core when he first heard her in the late ’30s, causing him to list her as chief among all his inspirations and influences.

I’ll be doing something a bit different with this album. In addition to featuring Bennett’s songs on the album, I’ll also be including Billie Holiday’s version as well so that we can examine how true Tony Bennett’s tribute is.

Filed Under: Album of the Month Tagged With: Billie Holiday, Bobby Tucker, Lady Day, Tony Bennett On Holiday

August 19, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: What A Little Moonlight Can Do

The song of the day for Tuesday, August 19, 2014 is “What A Little Moonlight Can Do.”

About This Song

This charming song was written by Harry Woods while he was living and working in temporarily in London for a British film studio as a composer. One of the songs he wrote was “What A Little Moonlight Can Do” for a movie called Roadhouse. Billie Holiday, with Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra, recorded the song in 1935.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded today’s song in 1996 for his tribute album to Billie Holiday: Tony Bennett On Holiday. This album presents a side of Lady Day that I appreciate. Sure, we hear a lot of her soul-searching songs, but also the light, sweet and cheerful standards that she also sang to great effect, including this one. Bobby Tucker, who played piano for Billie Holiday, served as consultant for this album, which was a brilliant stroke.

One of the readers on our sister site, The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography, said that “I was surprised to discover that Tony Bennett’s tribute to Lady Day rang truer than all of the other attempts to politicize her, racialize her, or use her as a self-promotional ‘career stepping stone.'” I couldn’t agree more. It’s about the music. It always is.

Tony Bennett did the painting of Billie Holiday that is used on the cover of Tony Bennett On Holiday.

http://open.spotify.com/track/0PPOBJY0oBhGCR79a1CiVO
“What A Little Moonlight Can Do,” as well as the album Tony Bennett On Holiday, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Billie Holiday, Bobby Tucker, Harry Woods, Tony Bennett On Holiday

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