The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: The Day You Leave Me

The song of the day for Friday, February 1, 2013 is The Day You Leave Me.

About The Day You Leave Me

This song was written by one of Tony Bennett’s favorite songwriters, Cy Coleman, with lyrics by Christopher Gore.

About This Version

This recording is from one of my favorite Tony Bennett albums, his 1986 The Art Of Excellence. This recording is, to the bests of my knowledge, the first time he worked with the great arranger Jorge Calandrelli, who has orchestrated and conducted several albums for him since. With the primary group of the Ralph Sharon Trio (with Paul Langosch on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums), this album also features the U.K. Orchestra Limited. The front and back covers of the album feature the photography of Annie Leibowitz, including the iconic photograph of Bennett with the Twin Towers in the background.

The Day You Leave Me

Listen to The Day You Leave Me on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1986

The Day You Leave Me, as well as the full The Art of Excellence album, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Honeysuckle Rose

The song of the day for Friday, January 4, 2013 is Honeysuckle Rose.

Waller and Razaf

About Honeysuckle Rose

This song was written in 1929 by Fats Waller (music) and Andy Razaf (lyrics). It was introduced in the 1929 revue Load of Coal. It came to be one of Waller’s and Razaf’s most beloved songs. It took the song a few years to take off, but the Fletcher Henderson recording of 1933 was a hit and the song became a standard for jazz and popular singers. Waller’s 1934 recording was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

About This Version

In his tribute to the great American female singers, Here’s To the Ladies (1995), Tony Bennett chose this song to pay tribute to Lena Horne, who sang this song regularly in her concerts. Honeysuckle Rose was arranged and conducted by Jorge Calandrelli. The Ralph Sharon Trio with Mr. Sharon on piano, Doug Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums was featured on the album.

Honeysuckle Rose

Listen to Honeysuckle Rose on Spotify. Song · Tony Bennett · 1995

Honeysuckle Rose, as well as the full Here’s To The Ladies album, is available from iTunes.

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In A Sentimental Mood

I’ve been in a Duke Ellington mood all day and so the Song of the Day for August 9, 2012 is In A Sentimental Mood, written by Edward Kennedy Ellington in 1935. Lyrics were written later Irving Mills and Manny Kurtz. It may be one his most-recorded songs; it certainly is one his most-loved songs. In fact, I can’t remember not ever knowing and loving this song.

This is from Tony’s 1999 album Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot and Cold. The personnel on this album is staggering. The Ralph Sharon Quartet (Ralph Sharon, Gray Sargent, Paul Langosch, and Clayton Cameron) are featured, as well as an orchestral charts arranged and conducted Jorge Calandrelli, the Argentinian composer, conductor, and arranger and big band charts arranged and conducted by Ralph Burns (though the big band wasn’t used on this particular song). The album is definitely worth careful listening.