The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Crazy Rhythm

The song of the day for Thursday, April 11, 2019, is “Crazy Rhythm.”

About This Song

“Crazy Rhythm” was composed by Joseph Meyer and Roger Wolfe Kahn (music) and Irving Caesar (lyrics) in 1929 for the musical Here’s Howe. It’s been a popular standard since it was written and has been heavily recorded, not just by jazz and popular artists, but other genres including hillbilly. Significant recordings include those by Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Stan Getz, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, and Whispering Jack Smith.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Crazy Rhythm” for Bennett’s 1957 album The Beat of My Heart. For this album, Bennett assembled the best jazz drummers and percussionists to perform on this album. “Crazy Rhythm” features Chico Hamilton.

Crazy Rhythm

Crazy Rhythm, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“Crazy Rhythm,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Friday, February 3, 2018 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

“That Old Black Magic” was written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer in 1942 for the movie Star Spangled Rhythm. The popularity of the song has long outlived the movie it was written form. Glenn Miller made the first recording in 1942. Over the years, it has been recorded many times by many artists. It has also been used in other films, notably the 1956 Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “That Old Black Magic” three times 1962. Two were live recordings (one from his Carnegie Hall concert in June and the other at the White House in August). Today I’m featuring his first version, recorded on March 13, 1962, along with several other songs, all for the unreleased On The Glory Road. Thankfully, that album is now available, at least for downloading. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra. This recording also features Chico Hamilton on drums.

That Old Black Magic

Listen to That Old Black Magic on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“That Old Black Magic,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available from iTunes.

About Today

I found this nice video of Tony and his quartet performing “That Old Black Magic” on the Rachel Ray show from 2013. Enjoy!

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Song of the Day: Caravan

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 12, 2016 is “Caravan.”

About This Song

Duke Ellington and Juan Tirol wrote “Caravan” in 1936, with lyrics by Irving Mills. Caravan is one of the most popular Duke Ellington songs and has been recorded steadily over the years. In Jazz Standards, Al Gioia attributes its popularity as a jazz song due to “the composition’s adaptability to a modernistic, modal-based approach.”

About This Version

Today’s recording is from 1962 and was almost lost forever. It’s from Tony Bennett’s album On The Glory Road, which was due to be released in 1962 but was pulled at the last moment. Thankfully, the album was released in the 2011 Complete Collection boxed set and is now also available on iTunes. “Caravan” was arranged and conducted by Ralph Sharon and features percussion by Chico Hamilton.

Caravan

Listen to Caravan on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1962.


“Caravan,” as well as On The Glory Road, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Lazy Afternoon

The song of the day for Wednesday, August 20,2014 is “Lazy Afternoon.”

About This Song

“Lazy Afternoon” was written for the 1954 musical The Golden Apple by Jerome Moss (music) and John Latouche (lyrics), which uses mythological Greek characters from Ulysses but set in the state of Washington (at Mount Olympia, of course) in the United States. This song, as well as the entire score, is quite beautiful. This song was introduced in the production, which opened Off-Broadway and then transferred to Broadway, by Kaye Ballard and Jonathan Lucas.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this song for his 2nd jazz album (and 3rd LP album), The Beat of My Heart, released in 1957. This album featured collaborations with some of the world’s greatest drummers and percussionists; this song featured Chico Hamilton on drums and John Pisano on guitar (we saw Mr. Pisano on the Diana Krall Live in Paris DVD just a few nights ago). The entire album was arranged and conceived by Tony Bennett and Ralph Sharon. It was Sharon’s first album with Bennett.

Lazy Afternoon

Listen to Lazy Afternoon on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1957.


“Lazy Afternoon,” as well as The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Crazy Rhythm

The song of the day for Monday, July 28, 2014 is “Crazy Rhythm.”

About This Song

Today’s song was written in 1928 by Joseph Meyer and Roger Wolfe Kahn for a long-forgotten Broadway musical called Here’s Howe. It’s been a popular standard since it was written and has been heavily recorded, not just by jazz and popular artists, but other genres including hillbilly. Significant recordings include those by Chet Atkins, Les Paul, Stan Getz, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke and Whispering Jack Smith.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Crazy Rhythm” in 1957 for his third album, The Beat of My Heart. Tony Bennett had, very wisely, hired Ralph Sharon as his pianist and musical director in early 1957. Sharon encourage Bennett to continue to explore his jazz inclinations. Bennett describes their interaction in developing The Beat of My Heart in his autobiography, The Good Life:

Ralph and I wanted to make a jazz statement in a big way, and I came up with the idea of recording an album of standards that put the spotlight on different kinds of rhythm by using all the great jazz drummers I could find. We talked the concept over during our first few months on the road, and gradually it all came together. The first recording date was in June, 1957, with Chico Hamilton. … when the album came out, an army of jazz fans said, Hey this guy knows how to swing. A whole new audience accepted me–in fact, I still get my biggest reactions at jazz festivals all over the world.

Today’s song, “Crazy Rhythm,” features the great Chico Hamilton.

http://open.spotify.com/track/3Km0pzPoVkrr29letO2Z7p
“Crazy Rhythm,” as well as the album The Beat of My Heart, is available from iTunes.

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