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The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

February 2, 2015 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Song of the Day: Danny Boy

The song of the day for Monday, February 2, 2015 is “Danny Boy.”

About This Song

The tune for “Danny Boy” is “Londonderry Air,” a tune popular in the Irish diaspora. It was first collected in 1885, but pre-dates that quite a bit; it is referred to as an “ancient air.” The lyrics were written by a Bath lawyer named Frederic Weatherly in 1912. The song is widely sung on Irish holidays.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Danny Boy” in 1964. Twice in that year, Bennett sang in sessions with Herbie Hancock (piano), Stan Getz (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass) and Elvin Jones (drums). They recorded some really excellent jazz in those sessions, though no album was ever released. Five songs from those sessions were included on the Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 1 CD included in the 2011 Complete Collection box set and now available from iTunes.

About Today

The Year of Tony Bennett remembers Stan Getz, who was born on February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia to Polish parents who had emigrated to the US in 1903. He was interested in music and the saxophone as a child and joined the Jack Teagarden band when he was only sixteen years old. Having relocated to Los Angeles, he joined the Stan Kenton band when he was seventeen.

After a stint with the Woody Herman Band, Getz set out primarily on his own as soloist and leader.

Stan Getz was at the forefront of the samba and bossa nova movement in the US. He won Grammy awards for his recording of Desafinado (1962), Record of the Year for “The Girl From Ipanema” (1964) and Album of the Year for Getz/Gilberto, also in 1964.

In his later years, he returned to cool jazz, working mainly in the San Francisco area and as an artist-in-residence at Stanford University. He won his fifth and last Grammy in 1991 for Best Solo Jazz Performance for “I Remember You.”

Stan Getz died of cancer in June, 1991.

In his autobiography, The Good Life, Tony Bennett writes:

Another tremendous coach of mine was Mimi Speer. She had a studio right on Fifty-second Street, across from all my favorite haunts. We’d look out her window down at the marquees across the street: Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Stan Getz, George Shearing, Lester Young, Count Basie and Billie Holiday, all lined up in a row. It was enough to make your head spin. She’d tell me, “Do not imitate another singer, because you’ll end up sounding just like they do, and you won’t develop an original sound. Instead find a musician you really like and study their phrasing. That way you’ll create a sound all your own.” I paid particular attention to sax players Stan Getz and Lester Young.

You can learn more about Stan Getz, his life and his music at stangetz.net. This excellent site was created and is maintained by Stan’s daughter, Beverly Getz and contains a wealth of information.

Danny Boy

Listen to Danny Boy on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2012.


“Danny Boy,” as well as all the songs included on Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Volume 1, is available from iTunes.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: Danny Boy, Remembering Stan Getz, Stan Getz, Stan Getz Birthday

February 2, 2014 By Suzanne Leave a Comment

Remembering Stan Getz

The Year of Tony Bennett would like to remember the great Stan Getz, who was born on February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The family moved to New York and the young Stan began his study of music. His father first bought him a clarinet, but Stan preferred the saxophone and practiced eight hours a day. As a high school student, he was accepted into the All City High School Orchestra of New York City, which also enabled him to get private (and free) music lessons.

In 1943, at the age of 16, Getz got a job playing saxophone for Jack Teagarden. Because Getz was underage, he became Teagarden’s ward. His career began to skyrocket and he served as soloist with Woody Herman, and was able to then launch his career as a leader and soloist.

Getz was one of the early proponent of the West Coast cool jazz style in the mid 1950s, playing with artists including Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie and Max Roach. In the 1960s, he helped introduce the bossa nova style in the US with his 1963 Getz/Gilberto album and the Grammy winning “The Girl From Ipanema.”

He continued to work successfully up until his death in 1991.

In 1964, Tony Bennett, Herbie Hancock, Stan Getz, Ron Carter and Elvin Jones recorded a series of songs that remained unreleased until the 2011 release of the Complete Collection. In honor of Stan Getz, we feature one of the songs from that session: “Just Friends.”

Just Friends

Listen to Just Friends on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2012.

Filed Under: About His Collaborators Tagged With: Just Friends, Stan Getz, Stan Getz Birthday

February 2, 2013 By Suzanne 1 Comment

Song of the Day: Just Friends

The Year of Tony Bennett wishes to acknowledge the birthday of the late Stan Getz, who was born on February 2, 1927 in Philadelphia. We celebrate his career today with our song of the day for February 2, 2013: Just Friends.

About Just Friends

Just Friends dates from 1931 and was written by John Klenner and Sam M. Lewis. It was introduced in 1931 by Red McKenzie and His Orchestra, but became a hit song in 1932 with the Russ Columbo recording. It’s become a solid jazz standard, with recordings by Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt, among others.

About This Version

In 1964, Tony Bennett got together with a notable quartet of jazz musicians: Stan Getz (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass), Herbie Hancock (piano) and Elvin Jones (bass) for two sessions: one in May and another in October. The result was a handful of impeccable jazz recordings. Originally, there was to be a release called Tony Bennett, Stan Getz and Friends. This recording was never released, but thankfully the recordings were subsequently released.

 

The compilation album Jazz, released in 1987, contained all the songs they recorded: Danny Boy, Day Dream, Out Of This World, Have You Met Miss Jones and today’s song, Just Friends. All of these songs were on the first volume of Rarities in the 2011 Complete Collection.

Just Friends

Listen to Just Friends on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 2012.

Just Friends, as well as the full Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Volume 1, is available from iTunes. Jazz is available from retailers including Barnes and Noble.

Filed Under: Song of the Day Tagged With: John Klenner, Sam M. Lewis, Stan Getz, Stan Getz Birthday

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