The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Thursday, February 25, 2016 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

One of the great songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 and first recorded by Glenn Miller. It was also used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It’s been recorded many times and used in several films, including the 1956 film Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “That Old Black Magic” three times in 1962. The first was a studio recording for the unreleased (until recently, that is) On The Glory Road. The other two were live performances: the first from his legendary June 1962 concert at Carnegie Hall and the second from August 1962 at the invitation of President Kennedy to honor the year’s interns. This concert featured Tony Bennett with the Ralph Sharon Trio and the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Today’s recording comes from the third part of the concert: an unrehearsed improv session with Bennett, Dave Brubeck with two members of his quartet–Joe Morello on drums on Eugene Wright on bass.

To my never-ending joy, the tape of this concert was located in the Columbia vaults and was released in May 2013 as Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962, released just six months after Dave Brubeck’s death in December 2012.

The entire album is magical, but especially that handful of unrehearsed songs in that improv section and none more wonderful than this version of “That Old Black Magic.”

That Old Black Magic (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to That Old Black Magic (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio · 2013


“That Old Black Magic,” as well as Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Chicago

The song of the day for Sunday, December 6, 2015 is “Chicago.”

About This Song

“Chicago” was written in 1922 by Fred Fischer. If there is any song associated with the great city of Chicago, it is this song. It’s been widely recorded by singers including Count Basie and Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and many, many more.

About This Version

Today’s version of “Chicago” is from his 1962 appearance in Washington DC at the request of the White House, along with his own trio as well as the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The tapes for the concert were just located a few years ago and were released in 2013 on Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions Live 1962. The album features a set by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, a set with Tony Bennett and the Ralph Sharon Trio, and ends with a short improv session with Bennett, Brubeck, Eugene Wright on bass and Joe Morello on drums. “Chicago” is from that improv session.

Chicago (That Toddlin" Town) (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to Chicago (That Toddlin" Town) (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio · 2013


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

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Song of the Day: There Will Never Be Another You

The song of the day for Thursday, May 14, 2015 is “There Will Never Be Another You.”

About This Song

Today’s song, “There Will Never Be Another You,” was written in 1942 by Harry Warren, with lyrics by Mack Gordon. It’s ironic that one of Harry Warren’s most beautiful songs was written for a 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

Today’s version is from the recently released live album Bennett / Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. Both Bennett and Brubeck were invited to perform in the summer of 1962 for that summer’s class of White House interns at the request of President John F. Kennedy. The album opens with some great numbers from the Dave Brubeck Quartet and then from Tony Bennett with the Ralph Sharon Trio. Afterwards, Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums) do some really sweet, totally unrehearsed improv, including today’s song. It’s terrific jazz.

About Today

Tonight, Tony Bennett will be appearing at Humphrey’s By The Bay in San Diego, CA. I had the great fortune to see Mr. Bennett perform in that venue almost three years ago, in what was the original year of Tony Bennett, where I got to see him perform five times in nine months and after that was compelled to start this blog.

It’s a lovely, intimate venue and a beautiful location. For those that are going, have a great time. For those of us who aren’t, I want to leave you with a bit of some live Tony Bennett. Because live Tony Bennett is as good as it gets.

There Will Never Be Another You (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to There Will Never Be Another You (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio · 2013


“There Will Never Be Another You,” as well as , is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: That Old Black Magic

The song of the day for Thursday, August 28, 2014 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

One of the great songs by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, “That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 and first recorded by Glenn Miller. It was also used in the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. It’s been recorded many times and used in several films, including the 1956 film Bus Stop, where it was sung by Marilyn Monroe.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962, released last spring. 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.

The concert opened with Dave Brubeck playing with Eugene Wright (bass), Joe Morello (drums) and Paul Desmond (saxophone). After their set, Tony Bennett took the stage with the Ralph Sharon Trio, with Hal Gaylord (bass) and Billy Exiner (drums).

After that, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello joined Tony Bennett for a short improv set. The four songs they did that August night in 1962 are really glorious and bear for repeated listening.

Today’s version of “That Old Black Magic” is from that improv set. You can read the liner notes for the album here, at our sister site, The Interactive Tony Bennett Discography.

About Today

In 1962, President Kennedy invited Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett to do a concert for the summer interns who had served in the White House that year. The concert was held on August 28, 1962. Originally, the concert was to be held on the White House grounds, but there was so much interest in attending, that it was moved to the grounds of the Washington Monument. Fifty-two years later, we are honored to acknowledge these two jazz giants, both of whom served their country in World War II and both of whom happily came to Washington to make music at the request of the president.

That Old Black Magic (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962

Listen to That Old Black Magic (with The Dave Brubeck Trio) - Live at the Washington Monument, Washington, D.C. - August 1962 on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck Trio · 2013


“That Old Black Magic,” 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 Thursday, July 3, 2014 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

“That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the movie Star Spangled Rhythm. From its first recording in 1942 by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, the song has been firmly ensconced in the American songbook. Other significant recordings over the years include those by Louis Prima, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and many more.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the recently released Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962 recording of the 1962 concert in Washington, D.C. at the request of the Kennedy Administration as a thank you for the summer’s interns. Brubeck and Bennett each did their own portion of the concert. Towards the end, Bennett joins The Dave Brubeck Trio for a few completely improvised songs, including this one. Along with Brubeck was Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass. Pure magic, indeed.

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.

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