Tony Bennett

[Guest]

Am I allowed Tony Bennett on these boards?

This was an absolute tonic - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode..._Tony_Bennett/. (Note: Concert starts after one hour). Harold Jones and the smashing Cleo Laine, alas now with walking stick, were there too.

I had the very good fortune to see Tony Bennett live at Glastonbury. It was - no surely not - 1998. He was, let's see, nearly 72. I was 35. For some reason, I was enthralled that "someone of that age and era" could still be so great. It had been curiosity initially. No real expectations. By the end, I was grinning from ear to ear.

Later, you get used to people turning up unexpectedly "late". 2007. Chuck Berry, then 81, at Lulworth. Magnificent. In entirely different ways, Bassey and BB King giving "some performance" more recently - although I only saw those two on TV.

But now it's Bennett at 85. Blimey. I have no idea what a ticket cost. I am sure it was exorbitant. Still, if there is one concert this year that I really wish I hadn't missed, it is this one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/oct/04/tony-bennett-review?newsfeed=true

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/tony-bennett-palladium-londonbremmy-the-great-wedgwood-rooms-portsmouth-2367594.html

"Bennett's effortless command of light and shade point out the problem modern vocalists have: many approach singing like a sport, rather than a method of human interaction" - Jude Rogers.

[Ariosto]

I worked with him once or twice, a long time ago when he sang with the LSO of all things. I was definitely extremely unimpressed. He wasn't a very nice guy either, full of ego.

[Lateralthinking1]

I find that very surprising indeed. However, in the late 1970s he had a cocaine addiction. Fortunately unlike many in that predicament more recently, he wasn't responsible for the collapse of the international economy or in charge of savage cuts.

[Ariosto]

It was in fact in about 1984 when I experienced him, and he was only addicted to his ego then.

[PUSB]

Don't really get the adulation for this - he got a great review in the Guardian but sounds very dull and middle of the road to me.

[Lateralthinking1]

It was in fact in about 1984 when I experienced him, and he was only addicted to his ego then.

Well, he was without a recording contract then. His son was trying to get him back from a quite desperate state. What did he do or say?

Anyhow, you appear to be speaking of the Roy Budd era. Perhaps there were some tensions all round as the LSO launched into the "Star Wars Trilogy", the "Dr Who Theme" and "Eye of the Tiger"?

[Ariosto]

Well, he was without a recording contract then. His son was trying to get him back from a quite desperate state. What did he do or say?

Anyhow, you appear to be speaking of the Roy Budd era. Perhaps there were some tensions all round as the LSO launched into the "Star Wars Trilogy", the "Dr Who Theme" and "Eye of the Tiger"?

I can't really remember much as it was along time ago.

He seemed to wan't to show audiences all his precious paintings on a screen, and I seem to remember him being ratty in a recording session in Golders Green. We only did it for the money, and its not as if he was a good singer ...

[Ian Thumwood]

Quite intrigued by these comments as an acquaintance once told me he reckoned one of the best ever gigs at Vienne was a set by Tony Bennett. He had gone to the gig with little expectations but was amazed at the command he had over the audience and his stage presence. For the last 20 or so years, it seems to me that he has re-invented himself. Previously, I would have considered his work more in the Easy Lsitening / Lounge tradition and the total opposite of what I would want to have listened to. However, recent TV appearance suggest that he as more fully embraced jazz which was his first love and ditched the commercial stuff. From what little I have heard, I would suggest that he is definately more aligned with jazz than anything else.

Aristo's commments are interesting. Classical players often fail to get the point of more commercial or even jazz artists. The essence of the music is in the phrasing and the way that rhythm is approached, the latter being particularly difficult for most classical musicians struggle to grasp. There was a case about 20 years ago with Dame Kiri Takanua trying to sing jazz and the results were abject shite - probably the worst attempt at playing jazz ever committed to disc. It is not as easy as it seems.

Several years ago I was amazed at how in awe a number of jazz musicians were with Barabra Streisand during a lunch with an American big band. It was quite shocking but made me realise that there must be some degree of musical ability to elicit this kind of affection for a singer I would hitherto would have considered a absolute crock of crap. Since being part of this discussion, I have been to gigs by all sorts of singers from outside jazz and the experience has definately opened my ears to being more appreciative of more commercial aspects of music. Singers like Angelique Kidjo and many of her other African sisters are extremely gifted and sound to be technically assured to boot. In other idioms I seen musicians as diverse as Al Green, B B King, Cyndi Lauper, Salif Keita and Chaka Khan really take command of a stage and reveal a musical personality that certainly raised my opinion of their work. Curious to compare and contrast with the likes of Joe Cocker and Seal who were extremely poor and obviously reliant on the studio to project an identity that was missing on the stage. Measure the liks of Tony Bennett in this kind of company and you will understand why he is consdiered highly by many jazz musicians. (Alternatively listen to Rod Stewart murder the Broadway somgbook.)

[Serial_Apologist]

Tony Bennett is not really my cuppa - I always heard him as a pale reflection of Ole Blue Eyes, or more accurately a follower-on from the younger Sinatra. I did once have the LP he recorded with Bill Evans, but that was for Evans - the music was "too nice", so I'm surprised to read the above messages; I was very touched by his befriending of Amy Winehouse, and his attempts to discourage her drug habit in her last days.

[handsomefortune]

from guardian quote

many approach singing like a sport, rather than a method of human interaction

whilst i think this is possibly the case regarding r&b-ish/x factor-ish singing styles especially, (usually focused on the subject of 'love'), i'm not planning on listening to tony bennett's material as a supposed remedy. not even in a postmodern ironic context. 'the brat pack', and crooners generally, do zilch for me, or my ears. about the best it got was when lesbians gained cult cred points for dressing and behaving like the more famous crooner chaps ....but even that eventually got annoying.

perhaps it did look 'touching' serial apologist, but imv did more for bennett's career than vice versa! I was very touched by his befriending of Amy Winehouse, and his attempts to discourage her drug habit in her last days.


whereas i felt really sad that she'd take advice from her dad, or the rather remote character of 'uncle' tony bennett, who surely represents her dad's taste, and era....when surely she could have had her very own taste, and defined her very own era, if she hadn't totally sabotaged her own chances. the photos of bennett and winehouse are just sad imv, and 'old fashioned' in the very worst, regressive sense. no doubt mr w is dribbling right now, as he gets THE book together, about his 'fun loving' daughter. alls i'd add is that her life looked anything like 'fun', or one 'filled with love' as mr w continually reitterates. i do warm to the little i've seen of amy's mum, though suspect she's got hideous, dangerously sentimental taste too. no wonder amy 'wasn't herself', she never reached this point, and presumably under the weight of all that confusing syrupy goo, it's hardly suprising.

[Serial_Apologist]

from guardian quote

many approach singing like a sport, rather than a method of human interaction

whilst i think this is possibly the case regarding r&b-ish/x factor-ish singing styles especially, (usually focused on the subject of 'love'), i'm not planning on listening to tony bennett's material as a supposed remedy. not even in a postmodern ironic context. 'the brat pack', and crooners generally, do zilch for me, or my ears. about the best it got was when lesbians gained cult cred points for dressing and behaving like the more famous crooner chaps ....but even that eventually got annoying.

perhaps it did look 'touching' serial apologist, but imv did more for bennett's career than vice versa! I was very touched by his befriending of Amy Winehouse, and his attempts to discourage her drug habit in her last days.


whereas i felt really sad that she'd take advice from her dad, or the rather remote character of 'uncle' tony bennett, who surely represents her dad's taste, and era....when surely she could have had her very own taste, and defined her very own era, if she hadn't totally sabotaged her own chances. the photos of bennett and winehouse are just sad imv, and 'old fashioned' in the very worst, regressive sense. no doubt mr w is dribbling right now, as he gets THE book together, about his 'fun loving' daughter. alls i'd add is that her life looked anything like 'fun', or one 'filled with love' as mr w continually reitterates. i do warm to the little i've seen of amy's mum, though suspect she's got hideous, dangerously sentimental taste too. no wonder amy 'wasn't herself', she never reached this point, and presumably under the weight of all that confusing syrupy goo, it's hardly suprising.

Fair points all

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

well if Bennett was ratty and ego-centric in the company of strangers and musicians that would not really single him out now would it ... in his later years he has an effortless mastery and is perhaps the finest exponent of the song book still living ... although nowhere near Mel Torme for sheer brilliance ...

[Ariosto]

It is possible of course that TB has improved in the last 30 years or so, and I certainly have never heard him since then.

The comments about my Jazz knowledge may or may not be pertinent. I have always been a jazz lover and have worked with lots of people in Jazz and light music over the years. We do have quite a few Jazz CD's and my taste is fairly wide from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock and many more. I've even been seen at Ronnie Scott's a few times. I just don't consider myself an expert in the Jazz field and I certainly find it hard to perform in that genre - not that I've really ever seriously tried.

I must say that the male crooners of the TB variety though have never really hit the right spot, whereas female artrists like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald get me where it really hurts, and I love them.

[barber olly]

well if Bennett was ratty and ego-centric in the company of strangers and musicians that would not really single him out now would it ... in his later years he has an effortless mastery and is perhaps the finest exponent of the song book still living ... although nowhere near Mel Torme for sheer brilliance ...

His recording of The Very Thought of You in the '60s for me was exemplary as an interpretation and the interplay between him and Bobby Hackett on Cornet superb.