The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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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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Song of the Day: Chicago

The song of the day for Thursday, May 22, 2014 is “Chicago.”

About This Song

The song “Chicago” was written in 1922 by Fred Fisher. It’s ubiquitous with the great city of Chicago and has been used for years in films about Chicago, including one my favorites, the 1942 movie Roxie Hart, which served as the basis for the Kander and Ebb musical Chicago. It’s been widely recorded by many artists of many generations, including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Anita O’Day, Quintet of the Hot Club of France and Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra.

About This Version

Tony Bennett sings “Chicago” frequently and especially in first two decades of his recording career: Basie/Bennett, the 1962 Carnegie Hall concert, and Live at The Sahara, Las Vegas 1964. Today’s recording is from the recently release Bennett/Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. Bennett first appears in the concert with the Ralph Sharon Trio and sings several of his trademark songs, including a really lovely I Left My Heart in San Francisco, which was at that time a relatively new song for him. Bennett later joined Dave Brubeck, with Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass, for little jam session. I have to say that each of the four songs on the recording are really exceptional. Everyone is having a great time and the improvisations have a terrific live energy. I know I am prejudiced when it comes to Tony Bennett, but this impromptu jam session is vocal jazz at its best; it’s a master class for any jazz singer. This recording is a real treasure that I’ve played constantly since it was released.

http://open.spotify.com/track/5mL8LW2ZFMquTMrkhb2z2f
“Chicago,” as well as the album 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 Wednesday, October 3, 2013 is “That Old Black Magic.”

About This Song

“That Old Black Magic” was written in 1942 by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for the 1942 movie Star Spangled Rhythm. The first recording was by Glen Miller (with “A Pink Cocktail For a Blue Lady” on the flip side), which was followed with recordings by many great artists, including Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland and even Johnny Mercer. Marilyn Monroe sang the song in the film version of Bus Stop in 1956.

About This Version

Today’s version is from the recently released Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962. 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; even today it’s still number four for jazz vocals.

This song was a short improv session with Tony Bennett, Dave Brubeck, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello. The four songs they did that August night in 1962 are really glorious and bear for repeated listening.

It’s a Harold Arlen kind of week.

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 and amazon.com.