The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Saturday, May 27, 2023, is “Honeysuckle Rose.”

About This Song

“Honeysuckle Rose” was written in 1929 by Thomas “Fats” Waller, with lyrics by Andy Razaf. It’s one of Waller’s better-known songs and for good reason. The tune is very well written and Razaf’s lyric is delightful. Waller recorded it in 1934 and that recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. The song has been recorded steadily throughout the years,

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Honeysuckle Rose” in July 1995 for his album Here’s To The Ladies, which is comprised of songs associated with the great 20th-century female singers; this song is for Lena Horne. Jorge Calandrelli conducted the orchestra and wrote the arrangement.

Here’s To The Ladies won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance.

“Honeysuckle Rose,” as well as Here’s To The Ladies is available on Apple Music.

Here’s a live performance of “Honeysuckle Rose” by Lena Horne in 1957 at the Waldorf Astoria.

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Song of the Day: Body and Soul

The song of the day for Wednesday, May 24, 2023, 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 we have Bennett’s first recording of “Body and Soul,” recorded in May 1989 for his 1990 autobiographical album Astoria: Portrait of the Artist. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement and conducted the orchestra.

“Body and Soul,” as well as Astoria: Portrait of the Artist is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Prelude to a Kiss

The song of the day for Saturday, April 29, 2023, is “Prelude to a Kiss.”

About Today

Happy Birthday to the great Duke Ellington, born on April 29, 1899, in Washington, D.C. We love you madly!

About This Song

“Prelude to a Kiss” was written in 1938 by Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Gordon and Irving Miss. Ted Gioia in The Jazz Standards notes that in the late 1930s, having practically invented swing music”

… at this juncture, he does the exact opposite. The Duke uses his fame and great artistic freedom to become more ambitious, more experimental, less beholden to the formulas of swing music. ‘Prelude To A Kiss’ from 1938 is a case in point.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Prelude to a Kiss” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. The recording feature violinist Joel Smirnoff and was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“Prelude to a Kiss,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

Here’s an early recording of today’s song:

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Song of the Day: Mood Indigo

The song of the day for Friday, April 18, 2023, is “Mood Indigo.”

About This Song

Originally titled “Dreamy Blues,” Ellington wrote this song in 1930, which is based on a theme by Barney Bigard, who is said to have learned it from his New Orleans clarinet teacher, Lorenzo Tio. Ellington wrote the song specifically for “microphone transmission” and it was first played on a 1930 radio broadcast. Audiences loved the song, and so Irving Mills wrote the lyric, changing the name of the song to “Mood Indigo.” The song has been widely recorded by instrumental and vocal artists, including Tony Bennett, Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Mood Indigo” in May 1999 for his album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. It was arranged by Jorge Calandrelli.

“Mood Indigo,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: In A Sentimental Mood

The song of the day for Tuesday, April 25, 2023, is “In A Sentimental Mood.”

About This Song

One of Duke Ellington’s most beautiful melodies, “In a Sentimental Mood” was composed in 1935, with the lyrics by Manny Kurtz and Irving Mills added later. The original 1935 Ellington recording features Otto Hardwick on alto sax; Benny Goodman recorded it that same year. Though the song has always been popular and is widely recorded, the 1962 recording with Ellington and John Coltrane is considered to be one of the most notable instrumental recordings.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “In a Sentimental Mood” in May 1999 for Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool. Jorge Calandrelli wrote the arrangement.

“In A Sentimental Mood,” as well as Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is available on Apple Music.

Here’s Ellington’s 1935 recording of “In A Sentimental Mood”