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Tony Bennett

An outstanding interview on WBGO with Tony Bennett and a recent NY Times article sent by sister prompted me to write this article about our national treasure named Tony Bennett.

The native New Yorker, Anthony Benedetto , who turned 80 last week, is truly one of music’s good guys. The humble Benedetto, who was named Tony Bennett by Bob Hope, is thankful to be performing as much as he does. When he was asked why he performs so much he replied, “I don’t want to sing, have to sing!” Although he is now revered as a pop icon, Tony Bennett, who has a Gee Whiz, By Golly nature to him, had a string of hits in the fifties, ‘Because of You’, ‘Blue Velvet’, ‘Cold Cold’ and ‘Stranger in Paradise’ that thrust him into the national spotlight. He followed that up with the internationally recognized anthem, ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1962. Shortly thereafter the rock and roll craze pushed him and his contemporaries from the limelight and Tony Bennett virtually disappeared from mainstream music.

However, it was during this period that he made two incredible jazz albums with the great Bill Evans. These critically acclaimed recordings, The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album and Together Again  (which you can click on the images below for ordering or listening info) are some of the best Tony has ever recorded. Bennett always considered himself a jazz singer and he is extremely comfortable in this genre.

As Sinatra began to fade from the scene, Tony assumed his mantel of leadership, continuing a connection to a simpler time and a past generation. Bennett was thrust back into the limelight with his unlikely appearance on the show, MTV Unplugged. Bennett smashed any generation gap with his integrity and sense of style and the blockbuster, live album, Unplugged, won a Grammy.

Unplugged opened up a whole new younger audience for Bennett but the the album that brought me back to Bennett, after his releases with Bill Evans, was the 1986 release The Art of Excellence

This is Tony Bennett at his best, his voice overflows with character and emotion and the arrangements behind him are exquisite.

I have had the pleasure of seeing Tony Bennett on several occasions including one thrilling performance with the Count Basie Orchestra, where the Count was in a wheelchair, but still the master at understated playing. Bennett will be in our backyard again, on Tuesday August 29th at the Basie Theatre in Red Bank. I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to experience a legend practicing his craft.

http://www.countbasietheatre.org/cal.php

Dan Petrosini - August 5, 2006

Dan Petrosini, Jazz Columnist

jazzywine@aol.com

Local Jazz Tip

Every Tuesday Evening at about 8:30 @ The Quay in Sea Bright, the Jazz Lobsters play for about 2-3 hours. It is a great show in this very intimate environment- no cover charge.