Sunday, November 27, 2005



Tony Bennett-I Wanna Be Around...

Tony Bennett on Columbia Records CK 66504

This CD is another in the Tony Bennett Master Series with tracks recorded on March 16, 1962; October 19, 1962; December 19, 1962; April 22, 1963; April 24, 1963 and April 26, 1963. The orginal tracks were produced by Ernie Altschuler for Columbia Records. Tracks 1-11 were arranged and conducted by Marty Manning while tracks 12-18 were arranged and conducted by Ralph Burns, featuring The Ralph Sharon Trio. The sessions were recorded at the CBS 30th Street Studios in New York City.

Beautiful music, beautiful arrangements and beautifully performed...

TRACKS:

  • 1. The Good Life (Sacha Distel-Jack Reardon)
  • 2. If I Love Again (Jack Murray-Be Oakland)
  • 3. I Wanna Be Around (Johnny Mercer-Sadie Vimmerstadt)
  • 4. I've Got Your Number (Cy Coleman-Carolyn Leigh)
  • 5. Until I Met You ( Freddie Green-Donald E. Wolf)
  • 6. Once Upon A Summertime (Edmond D. Bacri-Michel Legrand-Johnny Mercer-Edouard Ruault)
  • 7. If You Were Mine (Matty Malneck-Johnny Mercer)
  • 8. I Will Live My Life For You (Henri Gabriel Salvador-Marcel Stillman)
  • 9. Someone To Love (Bob Warren)
  • 10. It Was Me (Gilbert Francois Becaud-Maurice Alfred M. Vidalin-Norman Gimbel)
  • 11. Corcovado (Antonio Carlos Jobim-Gene Lees)
  • 12. Autumn In Rome (Alessandro Cicoquini-Paul Weston-Sammy Cahn)
  • 13. The Way That I Feel (Fred Brooks)
  • 14. The Moment Of Truth (Colleen Gray Satterswhite-Frank Scott)
  • 15. Got Her Off My Hands (Samuel M. Lewis-Fred Phillips-Joseph Young)
  • 16. 'Long About Now (Fred Hellerman-Frances Minkoff)
  • 17. Young And Foolish (Albert Hague-Arnold Horwitt)
  • 18. Tricks (Alan Brandt-Bob Haymes)


Saturday, November 26, 2005




Tony Bennett Sings A String Of Harold Arlen

Tony Bennett on Sony Music Special Products label
CD A 8359

This is a Sony Music Special Products Compact Disc (CD) and the tracks were recorded at Columbia Records 30th Street Studio in New York City. The sessions were recorded on August 15, 17-18, 1960. The tunes were arranged and conducted by Glenn Osser (husband of lyricist Edna Osser).

This is almost the perfect combination of ultimate artist and ultimate composer...

TRACKS:




  • 1. When The Sun Comes Out (Harold Arlen-Ted Koehler)

  • 2. Over The Rainbow (Harold Arlen-E.Y. "Yip" Harburg)

  • 3. House Of Flowers (Harold Arlen-Truman Capote)

  • 4. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Harold Arlen-Johnny Mercer)

  • 5. For Every Man There's A Woman (Harold Arlen-Leo Robin)

  • 6. Let's Fall In Love (Harold Arlen-Ted Koehler)

  • 7. Right As The Rain (Harold Arlen-E.Y. "Yip" Harburg)

  • 8. It Was Written On The Stars (Harold Arlen-Leo Robin)

  • 9. What Good Does It Do (Harold Arlen-E.Y. "Yip" Harburg)

  • 10. Fun To Be Fooled (Harold Arlen-E.Y. "Yip" Harburg-Ira Gershwin)

  • 11. This Time The Dream's On Me (Harold Arlen-Johnny Mercer)

  • 12. I've Got The World On A String (Harold Arlen-Ted Koehler)

Tuesday, November 22, 2005



Basie Swings, Bennett Sings

tony bennett on Roulette Records CDP 7938992

The album was produced by Teddy Reig for Roulette Records and arranged by Ralph Sharon. The tracks were recorded at the Capitol Studios in New York City on January 3 and 5, 1959.

Count Basie was at the piano on tracks #1 and 3 with Ralph Sharon on piano on all the other tracks. The Basie Band included:

Thad Jones, Snooky Young, Wendell Culley and Joe Newman-trumpet

Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell-trombone

Marshall Royal, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, Billy Mitchell, Charles Fowlkes-saxophone

Freddie Green-guitar; Eddie Jones-bass; Sonny Payne-drums

This album is an absolute JOY!!!

TRACKS:

  • 1. Life Is A Song (Fred E. Ahlert-Joseph Young
  • 2. With Plenty Of Money And You (Harry Warren-Al Dubin)
  • 3. Jeepers Creepers (Harry Warren-Johnny Mercer)
  • 4. Are You Havin. Any Fun (Sammy Fain-Jack Yellen)
  • 5. Anything Goes (Cole Porter)
  • 6. Strike Up The Band (George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin)
  • 7. Chicago (Fred Fisher)
  • 8. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (Frederick Loewe-Alan J. Lerner)
  • 9. Poor Little Rich Girl (Noel Coward)
  • 10. Growing Pains (Arthur Schwartz-Dorothy Fields)
  • 11. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan (Arthur Schwartz-Howard Dietz)
  • 12. After Supper (Neil Hefti)


Monday, November 21, 2005



Tony Bennett-The Beat Of My Heart

tony bennett on Columbia Records: CK 66502

Produced by Mitch Miller (that's right) and Al Ham and recorded in June and October 1957 and is the realization of an idea of Tony's to record a collection of standards featuring drums and voice.

Ralph Sharon arranged and conducted and played a little piano, while guys like Chico Hamilton, Jo Jones, Kai Winding, Art Blakey, Al Cohn, Nat Adderley, Candido, Sabu, Billy Exiner, Herbie Mann among others wailed behind Tony. The tracks were recorded at the Columbia 30th Street Studios in New York City. The CD was released as a part of The Tony Bennett Master Series...

MUSICIANS:
on #5,6,9,12,13: Chico Hamilton-drums; John Pisano-guitar; James Bond-bass
on #2,8,17: Jo Jones-drums; Eddie Costa-vibes; Eddie Safranski-bass; Kai Winding, James Dahl-Robert Alexander, Ziskind Lieb-trombone
on #3,4,7,10: Billy Exiner, Candido, Sabu-drums; Herbie Mann, Bobby Jaspar, William Slapin, Vincent Vittorio, Spencer Sinatra-flute
on #1,11,14,15,16: Art Blakey-drums; Ralph Sharon-piano; Al Cohn-tenor sax; Nat Adderley-trumpet; Milt Hinton-bass

TRACKS:


  • 1. Let's Begin (Jerome Kern-Otto Harbach)
  • 2. Lullaby Of Broadway (Harry Warren-Al Dubin)
  • 3. Let There Be Love (Ian Grant-Lionel Rand)
  • 4. Love For Sale (Cole Porter)
  • 5. Crazy Rhythm (Joseph Meyer-Roger Wolfe Kahn-Irving Caesar)
  • 6. The Beat Of My Heart (Harold Spina-Johnny Burke)
  • 7. So Beats My Heart For You (F.D. Ballard-Charles E. Henderson-Tom L. Waring)
  • 8. Blues In The Night (Harold Arlen-Johnny Mercer)
  • 9. Lazy Afternoon (Jerome Moross-John Latouche)
  • 10. Let's Face The Music And Dance (Irving Berlin)
  • 11. Just One Of Those Things (Cole Porter)
  • 12. It's So Peaceful In The Country (Alec Wilder)
  • 13. In Sandy's Eyes (T. Borelli)
  • 14. I Get A Kick Out Of You (Cole Porter)
  • 15. You Go To My Head (J. Fred Coots-Haven Gillespie)
  • 16. I Only Have Eyes For You (Harry Warren-Al Dubin)
  • 17. Begin The Beguine (Cole Porter)

Friday, November 18, 2005



JAZZ

Tony Bennett on Columbia Records

columbia CGK 40424

This album is a collection of tracks ranging from sessions recorded in 1954 to 1967. Bennett credits jazz with sustaining his career, with winning him a new and ardent audience once the hit singles stopped coming. Like Miles Davis or Stan Getz or Bill Evans, Bennett's artistry is about lyricism and shading and soul - as the twenty-two tracks in this album illustrate.

Jazz features Count Basie, Nat Adderley, Ron Carter, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Herbie Hancock, Ralph Sharon, Chico Hamilton, Chuck Wayne, Herbie Mann, Milt Hinton, Art Blakey and Elvin Jones...just to name a few.

MUSICIANS:
Track #1: Charles Panely-trumpet; Chuck Wayne-guitar, arranger; Harvey Leonard-piano; Dave Schildkraut, Caesar DiMauro-sax; Ed Shaughnessy-drums; Clyde Lombardi-bass (rec 12/22/54, NYC)
#2: Marion Evans Orchestra with Urbie Green-trombone; Joe Newman, Joe Wilder-trumpet; Bobby Tricarico-tenor sax; Joe Soldo-flute; John Bunch-piano; Corky Hale-harp; Milt Hinton-bass; Sol Gubin-drums; Marion Evans-conductor, arranger (rec 1/27/67, NYC)
#3: Ralph Burns-director, arranger; Bernie Glow, Doc Severinsen, Jimmy Maxwell, Marky Markowitz-trumpet; Urbie Green, Robert Alexander, Frank Rehak, Dick Hixon-trombone; Toots Mondello, Ed Caine, Romeo Penque, Al Klink, Danny Bank-sax; Eddie Costa-vibes; Bernie Leighton-piano; Milt Hinton-bass; Herb Lovelle-drums; Barry Galbraith, Chuck Wayne-guitar (rec 4/6/61, NYC)
#4: Ralph Sharon-conductor, piano; Hal Gaylor-bass; William Exiner-drums (rec 3/26,27/64, Las Vegas)
#5: Ralph Sharon-piano; Spencer Sinatra, Bobby Jaspar, Herbie Mann, Wiliam J. Slapin, Vincent D. Vittorio-flute; Louis "Sabu" Martinez, William Exiner, Candido Camero-drums, percussion (rec 10/25/57, NYC)
#6: Ralph Sharon-piano (rec 10/28/59, NYC)
#7: Ralph Sharon-piano, arranger; Count Basie-conductor; Al Grey, Henry Coker, Benny Powell-trombone; Wendell Culley, Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Eugene Young-trumpet; Charlie Fowlkes-baritone sax; Frank Wess, Frank Foster, William Mitchell, Marshall Royal-sax; Freddie Green-guitar; Eddie Jones-bass; Sonny Payne-drums; Candido Camero-bongos (rec 12/30/58, NYC)
#8: Same as #7 (rec 12/22/58, NYC)
#9: same as #3 (rec4/6/61, NYC)
#10: same as #2 (rec 1/27/67, NYC)
#11: same as #4 (rec 3/26,27/64, Las Vegas)
#12: Ralph Sharon-arranger, piano; Al Cohn-tenor sax; Art Blakey-drums; Nat Adderley-trumpet; Milt Hinton-bass (rec 10/14/57, NYC)
#13: Ralph Sharon-arranger, piano; Chico Hamilton-drums; John Pisano-guitar; James Bond-bass (rec 6/27/57, NYC)
#14: Ralph Sharon-piano (rec 10/28/59, NYC)
#15: Don Costa-arranger, conductor; Ralph Sharon-piano; Hal Gaylor-bass; William Exiner-drums; and featuring Al Cohn-tenor sax with The Will Bronson Chorus (rec 2/19/65, NYC)
#16: same as #1 (rec 8/11/54, NYC)
#17: Ralph Burns-director; Bernie Glow, Doc Severinsen, Jimmy Maxwell, Marky Markowitz-trumpet; William Elton, Wayne Andre, Chauncey Welsch, Dick Hixon-trombone; Toots Mondello, Jerry Sanfino, Romeo Penque, Al Klink, Danny Bank, Zoot Sims-sax; Bernie Leighton-piano; Milt Hinton-bass; Herb Lovelle-drums; Mundell Lowe-guitar (rec 4/5/61, NYC)
#18-21: Stan Getz-tenor sax; Herbie Hancock-piano; Ron Carter-bass; Elvin Jones-drums (rec 10/15/64, NYC)
#22: Bobby Hackett-ukelele; Joe Marsala-clarinet (rec 3/11/65, Chicago)

TRACKS:


  • 1. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me (Jimmy McHugh-Clarence Gaskill)
  • 2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (Duke Ellington-Bob Russell)
  • 3. Stella By Starlight (Victor Young-Ned Washington)
  • 4. On Green Dolphin Street (Bronislau Kaper-Ned Washington)
  • 5. Let's Face The Music And Dance (Irving Berlin)
  • 6. I'm Through With Love (Matty Malneck-Joseph A. Livingston-Gus Kahn)
  • 7. Solitude (Duke Ellington-Edgar DeLange)
  • 8. Lullaby Of Broadway (Harry Warren-Al Dubin)
  • 9. Dancing In The Dark (Arthur Schwartz-Howard Dietz)
  • 10. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart (Duke Ellington-Henry Nemo-Don Redman-Irving Mills)
  • 11. When Lights Are Low (Benny Carter-Spencer Williams)
  • 12. Just One Of Those Things (Cole Porter)
  • 13. Crazy Rhythm (Joseph Meyer-Roger Wolfe Kahn-Irving Caesar)
  • 14. Street Of Dreams (Victor Young-Samuel Lewis)
  • 15. Love Scene (Duke Ellington)
  • 16. While The Music Plays On (Lupin Fein-Emery Heim-Irving Mills)
  • 17. Close Your Eyes (Bernice Petkere)
  • 18. Out Of This World (Harold Arlen-Johnny Mercer)
  • 19. Just Friends (John Klenner-Samuel M. Lewis)
  • 20. Have You Met Miss Jones? (Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart)
  • 21. Danny Boy (traditional)
  • 22. Sweet Lorraine (Cliffor Burwell-Mitchell Parish)



Thursday, November 10, 2005




Cloud 7

columbia CK 85806

This CD is included in The Tony Bennett Master Series and is a reissue of Bennett's first LP. The album was produced by Mitch Miller and was recorded over three sessions on August 6, 1954, August 11, 1954 and December 22, 1954.

Chuck Wayne wrote the arrangements on the August 6th and August 11th dates while Charles Panely wrote the arrangements for the December 22nd session. This was Tony's first album and was Columbia's concession to his string of pop hits to allow their singer to present superior standard songs backed by a small jazz-inflected group of musicians playing a collection of appropriate standards.

Here is a demonstration of Tony Bennett's passion for jazz and the Great American Songbook...

MUSICIANS: On tracks 2, 3, 5-10: Chuck Wayne-guitar; Dave Schilkdkraut-alto sax; Caesar DiMauro-tenor sax; Charles Panely-trumpet; Clyde Lombardi-bass; Harvey Leonard-piano; Ed Shaughnessy-drums

On tracks #1, 4: Chuck Wayne-guitar; Dave Schildkraut-alto sax; Al Cohn-tenor sax; Charles Panely-trumpet; Clyde Lombardi-bass; Gene DiNovi-piano; Sonny Igoe-drums



TRACKS:



  • 1. I Fall In Love Too Easily (Jule Styne-Sammy Cahn)

  • 2. My Baby Just Cares For Me (Walter Donaldson-Gus Kahn)

  • 3. My Heart Tells Me (Harry Warren-Mack Gordon)

  • 4. Old Devil Moon (Burton Lane-E.Y. "Yip" Harburg

  • 5. Love Letters (Victor Young-Edward Heyman)

  • 6. My Reverie (Larry Clinton)

  • 7. Give Me The Simple Life (Harry Ruby-Rube Bloom)

  • 8. While The Music Plays On (Lupin Fien-Emery Heim-Irving Mills)

  • 9. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me (Jimmy McHugh-Charles Gaskill)

  • 10. Darn That Dream (Jimmy Van Heusen-Edgar DeLange)



TONY BENNETT

a little history is a beautiful thing...

If you go back with Tony Bennett to the very beginning of his career in the early 1950s, you'll remember that after signing with Columbia in 1951, he had a string of Top-10 hits, including the million sellers, Because Of You, Cold, Cold Heart, Rags To Riches, and Stranger In Paradise. Mitch Miller signed Tony and used his demo record of Boulevard Of Broken Dreams as his first side for the label.

Bennett also made the pop charts with I Wanna Be Around, The Good Life, If I Ruled The World, For Once In My Life and his signature song, I Left My Heart In San Francisco...but Tony's heart has always been in jazz. He may very well be the only singer who's been backed by the orchestras of Ellington, Basie, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich; with charts written by Ralph Burns, Johnny Mandel, Neal Hefti, Quincy Jones and Gil Evans. Of course, his amazing collaboration with Ralph Sharon has produced a body of work which truly lights up the universe of popular music.

It has been said that Tony Bennett is clearly the continuer of the Frank Sinatra legacy. Not that Tony imitated Sinatra, but that he too is concerned with keeping alive-across generations of listeners-America's most abiding jazz and popular songs...this nation's original classical music. In his book, The Good Life, Bennett wrote of Frank Sinatra, "He communicated precisely what he was feeling at any moment. He knocked down the wall between performer and audience, inviting listeners into his mind."

Truly, Tony Bennett continues that premise...

Thursday, November 03, 2005





CHRIS CONNOR

CDs AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON.COM

Listing of all the Great American Songbook's Chris Connor performances on CD available at amazon.com.
(For details on each CD scroll down to individual Chris Connor CD listings.)



Classic

Chris Connor on Contemporary Records

contemporary CCD-14023-2

This album was produced by Helen Keane for Contemporary Records and the sessions were recorded at Secret Sound Studios in New York City on August 5-6, 1986. Richard Rodney Bennett arranged the charts with the following instrumentation:

Michael Abene-acoustic piano (#1,3,4,5,9), DX-7 (#2); Richard Rodney Bennett-acoustic piano (#1,6,7,8,10,11), DX-7 (#3,5,9); Paquito D'Rivera-alto sax; Claudio Roditi-trumpet, flugelhorn; Rufus Reid-bass; Akira Tana-drums.


TRACKS:



  • 1. Let's Face The Music And Dance (Irving Berlin)

  • 2. Laura (David Raksin-Johnny Mercer)

  • 3. Sweet Happy Life (Luiz Bonfa-Antonio M. De Moraes-Andre M. Salvet-Norman Gimbel)

  • 4. In Love In Vain (Jerome Kern-Leo Robin)

  • 5. Love Medley:

  • What Is This Thing Called Love (Cole Porter)

  • You Don't Know What Love Is (Don Raye-Gene DePaul)

  • Love (Hugh Martin-Ralph Blaine)

  • 6. The Nearness Of You (Hoagy Carmichael-Ned Washington)

  • 7. Ten Cents A Dance (Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart)

  • 8. Blame It On My Youth (Oscar Levant-Edward Heyman)

  • 9. Brazil (Ary Barroso-Bob Russell)

  • 10. We'll Be Together Again (Marvin Fisher-Frankie Laine)

  • 11. Let's Take The Long Way Home (Harold Arlen-Johnny Mercer)