The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Song of the Day: Coffee Break

The song of the day for Monday, October 3, 2022, is “Coffee Break.”

About This Song

“Coffee Break” was written by James Moody, who joined Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop orchestra after his service in the Air Force ended in 1946. Moody primarily played tenor saxophone, but also played soprano and alto sax as well the flute. While a member of various Gillespie groups, he had an active solo and composing career as well. He was named a Jazz Master in 1998 by the National Endowment for the Arts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Coffee Break” on September 1, 1967, with an arrangement by Torrie Zito, for the album Summer of ’42.

“Coffee Break,” as well as Summer of ’42 is available on Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Coffee Break

The song of the day for Monday, April 5, 2021, is “Coffee Break.”

About This Song

“Coffee Break” was written by James Moody, who joined Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop orchestra after his service in the Air Force ended in 1946. Moody primarily played tenor saxophone, but also played soprano and alto sax and the flute. While a member of various Gillespie groups, he had an active solo and composing career as well. He was named a Jazz Master in 1998 by the National Endowment for the Arts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Coffee Break” in 1967, featuring an arrangement by Torrie Zito. It was released in 1971 on the album Summer of ’42.

Coffee Break

Listen to Coffee Break on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1971.

“Coffee Break,” as well as Summer of ’42, is available from Apple Music.

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Song of the Day: Coffee Break

The song of the day for Wednesday, April 4, 2018 is “Coffee Break.”

About This Song

The composer of “Coffee Break,” James Moody, joined Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop orchestra after his service in the Air Force ended in 1946. Moody primarily played tenor saxophone, but also played soprano and
alto sax and the flute. While a member of various Gillespie groups, he had an active solo and composing career as well. He was named a Jazz Master in 1998 by the National Endowment for the Arts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Coffee Break” in 1967. It was released in 1971 on the album Summer of ’42.

Coffee Break

Listen to Coffee Break on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1971.


“Coffee Break,” as well as Summer of ’42, is available from iTunes.

About Today

Your blogger has been working a series of very long days since Friday, including the weekend. She worked 12 hours on Monday, but only 11 hours on Tuesday. It should all be over by Thursday. In the meantime, coffee. Word.

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Song of the Day: Coffee Break

The song of the day for Tuesday, January 2, 2017 is “Coffee Break.”

About This Song

The composer of “Coffee Break,” James Moody, joined Dizzy Gillespie’s bebop orchestra after his service in the Air Force ended in 1946. Moody primarily played tenor saxophone, but also played soprano and alto sax and the flute. While a member of various Gillespie groups, he had an active solo and composing career as well. He was named a Jazz Master in 1998 by the National Endowment for the Arts.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Coffee Break” in 1967, featuring a nice arrangement by Torrie Zito. It was released on Bennett’s Summer of ’42 album, which was released in 1971.

Today’s song is dedicated to all of us headed back to the office this Tuesday.

Coffee Break

Listen to Coffee Break on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1971.


“Coffee Break,” as well as Summer of ’42, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Losing My Mind

The song of the day for Sunday, November 26, 2017 is “Losing My Mind.”

About This Song

This song is from Stephen Sondheim’s 1971 musical Follies, about a reunion of the performers from The Weissman Follies, held as the theatre they performed in is about to be demolished and turned into a parking lot. “Losing My Mind” is sung by Sally Durant, who married one of the stage door Johnnies, Buddy (now a salesman), and lives in Arizona. Her friend Phyllis has married Buddy’s friend Ben, who is quite successful. Sally was in love with Ben years ago and still is. She sings this song about this lost love. The song was introduced on Broadway by Dorothy Collins; in the fabled 1985 concert version of Follies, it was sung by Barbara Cook.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “Losing My Mind” in 1971 for the album Summer of ’42. The arrangement is by Torrie Zito.

I"m Losing My Mind

Listen to I"m Losing My Mind on Spotify. Tony Bennett · Song · 1971.


“Losing My Mind,” as well as Summer of ’42, is available from iTunes.

About Today

I have two great passions when it comes to music: Tony Bennett and the music of Stephen Sondheim. Tonight I’m off to see the filmed production of Follies, as staged by the National Theatre in London. For my money, it’s Sondheim’s best score and is revered by most Sondheim fans, including me. It is seldom produced, as the cast is quite large and the period costumes of the Follies performers are complex and expensive. I am grateful to the National Theatre for producing this musical and making the film available to viewers from all over the world. I can’t imagine how much it must have cost to mount this production; they even use a full orchestra–all the better for this glorious score that I can never get enough of. Imelda Staunton performs “Losing My Mind” in this production. I hope and pray a cast recording will be made.

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