The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: So In Love

The song of the day for Monday, October 18, 2021, is “So In Love.”

About This Song

Cole Porter wrote “So In Love” for his 1948 for his Broadway musical Kiss Me Kate, where it was introduced by Patricia Morison, who played the role of Kate. This song has been widely recorded, by artists including Julie Andrews, Chick Corea, Placido Domingo, Eddie Fisher, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “So In Love” for his 2021 album with Lady Gaga, Love For Sale. Bennett is accompanied by his quartet and the orchestra. His quartet is comprised of Tom Ranier on piano, Gray Sargent on guitar, Marshall Wood on bass, and Harold Jones on drums. Jorge Calendrelli wrote the arrangement.

So In Love

Listen to So In Love on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2021.

“So In Love,” as well as Love For Sale is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: But Beautiful

The song of the day for Friday, June 8, 2018 is “But Beautiful.”

About This Song

This song was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke for Bing Crosby to sing in the 1947 movie The Road to Rio. The song has been widely recorded, including recordings by Bill Evans, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Gregory Porter, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole.

About This Version

I love this song and have featured it often and always feature the recording that Tony Bennett made with Bill Evans in 1975 for The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album. Today I’m very pleased to feature the very lovely duet of “But Beautiful” that Mr. Bennett made with Lady Gaga in 2014 for their album Cheek to Cheek.

But Beautiful

Listen to But Beautiful on Spotify. Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga · Song · 2014.


“But Beautiful,” as well as Cheek to Cheek, is available from iTunes.

I know it’s not Saturday, but this video of Tony and Lady Gaga is just too beautiful to pass up.

About Today

I so happy to hear Tony Bennett sing “But Beautiful” Wednesday night at his concert in Portland, with the brilliant guitar work of Gray Sargent. I had the great honor of getting to meet and have conversations with all four members of the quartet: Ton Ranier, Gray Sargent, Marshall Wood and Harold Jones. I have so much admiration for the work of this quartet and meeting them was so special. I also got to meet the jazz singer Donna Byrne, who opened for Tony Bennett on Wednesday. She’s a hell of a singer and a warm and nice person. Do check out her website–from the Music link on the menu, you can hear her wonderful voice. I particularly like “He Was Too Good To Me.”

My sincere thanks to Gray, Harold, Tom, Marshall and Donna for their warmth and kindness towards this blogger.

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The Tony Bennett Quartet

I can’t say enough about what a fine group of musicians comprise this quartet. They are all supremely talented, both as individuals and as a close, tight-knit group.

They will be performing at a local jazz club in Methuen, Massachusetts on April 10, along with singer Donna Byrne. I wish I could be there. If you live in the greater Boston area, you might want to head to Methuen on the 10th.

Tony Bennett Quartet (sans Tony) bound for Jocko’s Jazz in Methuen

It’s a rare bird. A first. The Tony Bennett Quartet will play a show without Bennett. On April 10 in Methuen, they’ll take the cabaret stage at Jocko’s Jazz, a Tuesday night staple for more than a decade at The Sahara Club and Restaurant.

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The Quartet

The Year of Tony Bennett has seen Tony Bennett several times in concert, always with this quartet of gifted musicians who not only back up Mr. Bennett superbly, but are all exceptional artists in their own right.

Tom Adair (piano).

Gray Sargent (guitar). Gray Sargent has, to the best of our knowledge, played with Mr. Bennett longer than other members of the current quartet. Gray was a member of the Ralph Sharon Quartet (along with Clayton Cameron and Paul Langosch) and has played with Ruby Braff. He is a recognized jazz and swing guitarist. Tony often sings with only Gray accompanying him at his concerts and those songs are always quite lovely. You can sometimes find Gray’s album, Shades of Gray, from Amazon.

Marshall Wood (bass). Marshall Wood is a well-respected jazz bass player. He played with Gray Sargent on Shades of Gray and with Rudy Braff.

Harold Jones (drums). Count Basie’s Favorite Drummer. He’s The Year of Tony Bennett‘s favorite drummer too. A native of Richmond, Indiana, he has played with many of the 20th and 21st century’s finest jazz artists: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Oscar Peterson, Benny Goodman, Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald and Natalie Cole. He is a renowned drumming instructor as well. We recently enjoyed the new biography of Mr. Jones: Harold Jones: The Singer’s Drummer by Gil Jacobs, which is available on Amazon.

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The Best Is Yet To Come

Mr. Bennett has recorded (to my knowledge) four different versions of this song.

Recorded on July 30, 1960. Orchestra conducted by Cy Coleman.
Released as a single; see The Columbia Singles, Vol 6
I Left My Heart in San Francisco 1962
Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall 1962
With Ralph Sharon and His Orchestra
Recorded Live on June 9, 1962
Duets An American Classic 2006
Sung with Diana Krall. With Lee Musiker, Gray Sargent, Paul Langosch, and Harold Jones
Arranged and conducted by Jorge Calandrelli
iTunes Festival: London 2010 – EP  2010
With Lee Musiker, Gray Sargent, Marshall Wood, and Harold Jones

I am featuring The Best Is Yet To Come for several reasons: it’s a great song and I never tire of hearing it.

This song, as much as any other song in his catalog, shows a quality of Tony that draws so much love and adoration from his fans: his innate and glorious sense of optimism. When Tony sings this song, I truly believe, along with the rest of the audience, that the best is yet to come: the best of Tony’s singing, the best of myself, and the best of the world.

Some people in our cynical world may say that this kind of optimism is Pollyanna-like and not grounded in reality. The complete opposite is true. Only a man filled with love for everything around him can give us that knowledge that the best is indeed yet to come. Likely not all at once, certainly with challenges along the way, but I come away from this song believing in its truth and the truth and honesty of the man who sings it at every concert of his I’ve ever attended. I hope and pray that he never stops singing it, because it’s a message that more people need to hear.

So thank, Tony Bennett. Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a plum.

I’m hard pressed to pick my favorite version, but there is something quite magical about this performance in the 1962 Carnegie Hall concert, recorded with Ralph Sharon conducting the orchestra.  The other three are also quite wonderful. It’s great song, sung by a singer who seems to love singing it.

Click here to view a video of Tony singing this song at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2002. Many thanks to Wolfgang’s Vault.

The Best Is Yet To Come

Music: Cy Coleman
Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh

Out of the tree of life I just picked me a plum
You came along and everything’s started to hum
Still, it’s a real good bet, the best is yet to come

The best is yet to come and babe, won’t it be fine?
You think you’ve seen the sun, but you ain’t seen it shine

Wait till the warmup’s underway
Wait till our lips have met
And wait till you see that sunshine day
You ain’t seen nothing yet

The best is yet to come and babe, won’t it be fine?
The best is yet to come, come the day you’re mine

Come the day you’re mine
I’m gonna teach you to fly
We’ve only tasted the wine
We’re gonna drain the cup dry

Wait till your charms are right for these arms to surround
You think you’ve flown before, but  you ain’t left the ground

Wait till you’re locked in my embrace
Wait till I draw you near
Wait till you see that sunshine place
Ain’t nothing like it here

The best is yet to come and babe, won’t that be fine?
The best is yet to come, come the day you’re mine

Out of the tree of life I just picked me a plum …

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