This might be my favorite Tony Bennett song of all: Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars), recorded live in Vegas at the Sahara in 1964; a perfect mix of jazz and big band, thanks to "Lou Basil's wonderful orchestra".
He's was the last of his kind. A giant talent that we may never see the likes of again. Luckily we have his recordings. I hope he knew that we will be listening to them forever.
d & d among thieves; among other things, the terrifying thought that a giant hot air balloon with Hugh Grant's face on it might possibly have been a practical effect
I'm probably going to repeat many things that others have said (and better) in the kajillion previous comments but here goes anyway.
I broke down in tears repeatedly during his "One Last Time" telecast and I'm not one to lose it easily.
Seeing how music, at least temporarily, lifted him out of the cruel fog of Alzheimer's, was inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time.
I hope that he didn't suffer the worst of that endgame. I've seen it. Nobody deserves that.
I've been hearing a lot of his old Columbia albums and he had his share of hits but they aren't my favorites. The arrangements seem unsubtle to my ears and I suspect that Columbia engineered them sharp, as they often did in those days, and also added goopy echo effects.
To me, he seemed most at ease in a piano or piano trio group, or with a really good big band.
Beyond any doubt, the two albums with Bill Evans are twin high points. The double-CD reissue includes alt-takes of all the titles, which is even better. Bennett managed to shake off his addiction but Evans didn't, so there are only those two.
But Bennett was also great in his long-time collaboration with Ralph Sharon and, later with Bill
Charlap.
Robyn sez he "just sang" and she is right but I wonder how many people realize how difficult it is to "just sing" on his level. Of all the crooners (and almost of them were Italian-Americans), he had the best vocal projection and probably could have been an operatic tenor or high baritone had it interested him.
Italian is, IMO and in Not Only IMO, the language of music and if you want to be a singer and especially a just-singer, that is where to start.
By way of contrast, I can carry a tune in bucket but none of my ancestors were Italian and my voice is best described as "Arnold Stang wannabe."
My favorites--by far--are his collaborations with Bill Basie. (As I mentioned elsewhere), got lucky enough to see him with KD Lang--another fine recipe.
Tony sang as another instrument in the combo--never overwhelming the other musicians, but another contributor to the interplay that is jazz. That's what made his collaborations with Basie so sublime.
Here ya go (here's a nice collection--duplicate releases--1990 one is cleaned up nicely)
I got a hug from him in the lobby of a casino hotel (we had been at his concert the night before). I can still hear his voice thanking me for coming to his show, and I can still feel the fabulousness of the cashmere overcoat he was wearing. This was 11 yrs ago; he still could sing exquisitely.
This is largely in relation to writers, actors, and photographers I’ve met, but I find that people who are really, really good at what they do and really, really want to do what they do have a certain serenity about them. A peace. They may be ambitious, but it’s ambitious in regard to the quality of what they do and less in relation with success or money and adulation. If they write novels, their goal is to write a novel better than their last one, not necessarily to sell six times as many as the last one. Though, of course, they appreciate when that happens. (They also tend to be smart as hell.)
If a guy can participate in liberating a concentration camp and be forced to dig up the bodies of his fellow soldiers and then come home and say life is a gift, they’re standing on seriously solid ground.
Those people make life a gift for us as well as for themselves.
Saw Tony touring with KD Lang 'bout 20 years ago. Seems like yesterday. Tie for Best Show Evah with Etta James in NOLA; and the Basie Orchestra (whut yrs trly booked at a venue where I worked--Derisive tut-tutting from colleagues about blue hait and walkers shut down by sellout with green hair and tats shaking the joint apart).
I remember seeing him a decade or so ago and just marevelling at the pace of his show. It reminded me of the Ramones, of all things. He was just back to back. All your favorites, no time killing shtick, no extended breathers. And his voice was clear as day the whole time.
This is one of the stories one of my friends put on my FB page about Tony Bennett:
Met him at my godsons high school graduation. Told him I was a big fan and he asked me what I did. I told him I worked as a jazz singer and he said how lucky we both were. He then invited the only trans kid (and this was many years ago) to join him and his family for dinner. Classy man.
He was an amazing musician and a very gracious man.
A friend is a singer-songwriter who’s quite good and has established himself well. When he was young, he did a show on one of the radio stations in SF - this would have been the early nineties, I think. - and Tony Bennett took the time to pen a letter to him (via the radio station) which was full of encouragement for his writing and performance, and ended with ‘dig the tunes - Tony’.
That was exactly the boost my friend needed then - he was struggling to stay afloat and make headway among a sea of grunge, etc. It was a small kindness that had an outsize impact, and I remain grateful that he did so - my friend’s writing and performing was much encouraged and remains wonderful and spellbinding.
Lovely tribute, Robyn. Thank you.
This might be my favorite Tony Bennett song of all: Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars), recorded live in Vegas at the Sahara in 1964; a perfect mix of jazz and big band, thanks to "Lou Basil's wonderful orchestra".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mseZS1fUGU
That's a honey, all right.
Getting technical: At about 3:22 he manages a perfect mixed voice effect, not to show off but to break your heart, it is so beautiful.
What a singer!
And here's a fun fact: the orchestra leader from that song, Louis Basil?
His daughter...Toni...had her own musical career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aqLwHP4y6Q
kool
He's was the last of his kind. A giant talent that we may never see the likes of again. Luckily we have his recordings. I hope he knew that we will be listening to them forever.
d & d among thieves; among other things, the terrifying thought that a giant hot air balloon with Hugh Grant's face on it might possibly have been a practical effect
I'm probably going to repeat many things that others have said (and better) in the kajillion previous comments but here goes anyway.
I broke down in tears repeatedly during his "One Last Time" telecast and I'm not one to lose it easily.
Seeing how music, at least temporarily, lifted him out of the cruel fog of Alzheimer's, was inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time.
I hope that he didn't suffer the worst of that endgame. I've seen it. Nobody deserves that.
I've been hearing a lot of his old Columbia albums and he had his share of hits but they aren't my favorites. The arrangements seem unsubtle to my ears and I suspect that Columbia engineered them sharp, as they often did in those days, and also added goopy echo effects.
To me, he seemed most at ease in a piano or piano trio group, or with a really good big band.
Beyond any doubt, the two albums with Bill Evans are twin high points. The double-CD reissue includes alt-takes of all the titles, which is even better. Bennett managed to shake off his addiction but Evans didn't, so there are only those two.
But Bennett was also great in his long-time collaboration with Ralph Sharon and, later with Bill
Charlap.
Robyn sez he "just sang" and she is right but I wonder how many people realize how difficult it is to "just sing" on his level. Of all the crooners (and almost of them were Italian-Americans), he had the best vocal projection and probably could have been an operatic tenor or high baritone had it interested him.
Italian is, IMO and in Not Only IMO, the language of music and if you want to be a singer and especially a just-singer, that is where to start.
By way of contrast, I can carry a tune in bucket but none of my ancestors were Italian and my voice is best described as "Arnold Stang wannabe."
And he could draw! And paint!
My favorites--by far--are his collaborations with Bill Basie. (As I mentioned elsewhere), got lucky enough to see him with KD Lang--another fine recipe.
Tony sang as another instrument in the combo--never overwhelming the other musicians, but another contributor to the interplay that is jazz. That's what made his collaborations with Basie so sublime.
Here ya go (here's a nice collection--duplicate releases--1990 one is cleaned up nicely)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIJmYQvaDU3EYBj81EKDYg4cN_1mJ0iDi
(Forgot the linky, duh)
Great!
I got a hug from him in the lobby of a casino hotel (we had been at his concert the night before). I can still hear his voice thanking me for coming to his show, and I can still feel the fabulousness of the cashmere overcoat he was wearing. This was 11 yrs ago; he still could sing exquisitely.
This is largely in relation to writers, actors, and photographers I’ve met, but I find that people who are really, really good at what they do and really, really want to do what they do have a certain serenity about them. A peace. They may be ambitious, but it’s ambitious in regard to the quality of what they do and less in relation with success or money and adulation. If they write novels, their goal is to write a novel better than their last one, not necessarily to sell six times as many as the last one. Though, of course, they appreciate when that happens. (They also tend to be smart as hell.)
If a guy can participate in liberating a concentration camp and be forced to dig up the bodies of his fellow soldiers and then come home and say life is a gift, they’re standing on seriously solid ground.
Those people make life a gift for us as well as for themselves.
Thanks for this, Robyn. He was a giant--and the last of his generation. And a mensch.
He had incredible timbre in that voice.
Rest in peace.
Yup. He had a unique harmonic 'ring' that came out when he opened up in his upper registers. It's just fabulous.
Saw Tony touring with KD Lang 'bout 20 years ago. Seems like yesterday. Tie for Best Show Evah with Etta James in NOLA; and the Basie Orchestra (whut yrs trly booked at a venue where I worked--Derisive tut-tutting from colleagues about blue hait and walkers shut down by sellout with green hair and tats shaking the joint apart).
More Bill and Tony:
https://youtu.be/bvqe9eE6hKU
I remember seeing him a decade or so ago and just marevelling at the pace of his show. It reminded me of the Ramones, of all things. He was just back to back. All your favorites, no time killing shtick, no extended breathers. And his voice was clear as day the whole time.
This is one of the stories one of my friends put on my FB page about Tony Bennett:
Met him at my godsons high school graduation. Told him I was a big fan and he asked me what I did. I told him I worked as a jazz singer and he said how lucky we both were. He then invited the only trans kid (and this was many years ago) to join him and his family for dinner. Classy man.
Bennett was an effortlessly expressive musician, the best kind, and an even better man. Irreplaceable.
He was an amazing musician and a very gracious man.
A friend is a singer-songwriter who’s quite good and has established himself well. When he was young, he did a show on one of the radio stations in SF - this would have been the early nineties, I think. - and Tony Bennett took the time to pen a letter to him (via the radio station) which was full of encouragement for his writing and performance, and ended with ‘dig the tunes - Tony’.
That was exactly the boost my friend needed then - he was struggling to stay afloat and make headway among a sea of grunge, etc. It was a small kindness that had an outsize impact, and I remain grateful that he did so - my friend’s writing and performing was much encouraged and remains wonderful and spellbinding.