The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Body and Soul

The song of the day for Saturday, September 9, 2017 is “Body and Soul.”

About This Song

“Body and Soul” was written in 1930, with music by Johnny Green and lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, and Frank Eyton.

Ted Gioia, in his book The Jazz Standards, says that:

(Body and Soul) is the granddaddy of jazz ballads, the quintessential torch song, and the ultimate measuring rod for tenor sax players of all generations. Even in the new millennium, this 1930 composition continues to serve as the cornerstone of the repertoire.

Louis Armstrong recorded the song first, followed in the 1930s by recordings from primarily white society bands, such as those led by Paul Whiteman. That said, some early recordings by jazz artists including Benny Goodman and especially Art Tatum started to cement this song as a serious jazz standard (in fact, it’s rated #1 on the jazzstandards.com website). However, the Coleman Hawkins recording from 1939 is widely acknowledged to have made the song a true jazz standard. The Hawkins recording was followed by great jazz recordings by Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Art Pepper, Dave Brubeck and many more. Fine vocal recordings include those by Billie Holiday and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Today I’m featuring the beautiful (and Grammy-winning) 2011 version from Duets II with Amy Winehouse.

Body and Soul

Body and Soul, a song by Tony Bennett, Amy Winehouse on Spotify


“Body and Soul,” as well as Duets II, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Speaking of Grammy Awards, Tony Bennett’s 1994 MTV Unplugged won the coveted Grammy for Album of the Year. Here’s Mr. Bennett singing “Body and Soul” from that concert, with Ralph Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums.

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Song of the Day: In A Mellow Tone

The song of the day for Friday, February 3, 2017 is “In A Mellow Tone.”

About This Song

“In A Mellow Tone” was written by Duke Ellington, with lyrics from Milt Gabler, was written in 1939. This 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 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, which was released on the centennial birthday of the great Duke Ellington. This recording was arranged and conducted by Ralph Burns. It features the Ralph Sharon Quartet, with Sharon on piano, Paul Langosch on bass, Clayton Cameron on drums, and Gray Sargent on guitar. I especially like the opening of the song, which starts with just the singer and guitar, then piano and then the rest of the quartet. It’s a lovely beginning. Listen how the song grows throughout to finally bring in the band. Sargent’s guitar is outstanding on this recording.

In A Mellow Tone

In A Mellow Tone, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify


“In A Mellow Tone,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: It Don’t Mean a Thing

The song of the day for Saturday, July 13, 2013 is “It Don’t Mean a Thing.”

About This Song

Written by the great Duke Ellington in 1931, this song really defines what the Swing era was all about. That said, this song predates the Swing era by several years, but it brought the musician’s term into general usage and was used to define one of the great eras of jazz music. The 1932 recording by Duke Ellington with Ivie Anderson is considered a masterpiece. This song ranks #84 on the jazzstandards.com list, and deservedly so.

About This Version

Tony Bennett swings the hell out of this song, as do his wonderful supporting musicians, especially Clayton Cameron and Gray Sargent.


“It Don’t Mean a Thing,” as well as the entire Tony Bennett Sings Ellington Hot & Cool, is available from iTunes.

And since it’s Saturday and maybe you have a little time to listen to more than one tune, I have a couple for you.

First up is Ivie Anderson, with Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges, recorded live on February 2, 1932:

And another of my favorites: Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong from the Great Summit recorded in 1961. It’s the only time I’ve heard the verse sung for this great song. And the clarinet!

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Song of the Day: By Myself

The song of the day for Tuesday, May 7, 2013, is By Myself.

About This Song

Written by the team of Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwarz, By Myself was written for the 1937 musical Between The Devil, where it was introduced by Jack Buchanan. The song proved more popular than the production, with recordings by Eileen Farrell, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald and even Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame.

About This Version

Today’s version is from Tony Bennett’s delightful tribute to Fred Astaire, Steppin’ Out. The arrangement is very effective, with just Bennett and Cameron with his famous brushes, as befits a song that ends with “by myself, alone.”

Fred Astaire sung this song in the film Band Wagon.


By Myself, as well as the full Steppin’ Out album, is available from iTunes.

Here’s a bit of Fred Astaire from Band Wagon, singing By Myself:

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Happy International Jazz Day!

Today, April 30, is International Jazz Day. You can read all about the jazz activities all over the world today, especially in this year’s host city, Istanbul (where Tony Bennett had a very successful concert last sumer), at the Official International Jazz Day website.

Here at the Year of Tony Bennett, our celebration is a bit smaller, but no less heartfelt. And, as we are honoring Duke Ellington this week, we’ve chosen three great recordings of Ellington’s It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Aint’ Got That Swing) for our readers and listeners. Why? Because it’s one of my favorite songs and I absolutely love all three of these recordings. And, they do exhibit not only a purity of the song, but also of the mores of their time in jazz. For this author, these three recordings are a mini-history of jazz.

Ellington wrote this song in 1931 during intermissions at club dates in Chicago. The song was first recorded in 1932, with vocals by Ivie Anderson and instrumental solos by Joe Nanton (trombone) and Johnny Hodges (alto sax). Here’s Ivie Anderson singing this song:

Tony Bennett has performed and recorded this song throughout his career; I am partial to this version from his 1999 album, Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Clayton Cameron on drums …

And, to finish off this trio, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong from 1961 The Great Summit.

Just remember: it really don’t mean a thing if ain’t got that swing.

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