Tony Bennett RAH,Birm.,Itunes Fest.Reviews

[Mark Fox]

Tony Bennett – Birmingham Symphony Hall, review
Monday 5th July 2010, 11:30AM BST.

Tony Bennett concert review
Birmingham Symphony Hall
The good life came to Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Saturday night with a memorable performance by legendary crooner Tony Bennett.
Legend is a phrase too often used these days, yet here is an artist who has been selling records by the million for over 60 years, and he’s still going strong at almost 84 years of age.
” I guess you’ll have noticed that I prefer old songs,” he said after 90 minutes of classics from his Great American Songbook album.
“That’s because they’re better than the new ones.” No one was arguing with that .
The Symphony Hall was built for performers of this stature and with his voice and phrasing as immaculate as ever. From the opening Watch What Happens, Bennett and his quartet of excellent musicians kept the night moving along apace with I Got Rhythm and Steppin’ Out, thrilling the audience with some nifty footwork and graceful spins.
He remains the consummate entertainer, his face beaming and arms outstretched to an adoring crowd at the end of each song. Highlights included a lovely rendition of The Way You Look Tonight, duetting only with Gray Sargent’s beautiful guitar. There was also Just In Time, and of course, I Left My Heart In San Francisco.
The night was punctuated with anecdotes from a lifetime in showbusiness – how Bob Hope gave him the name Tony Bennett because his real Italian name of Anthony Dominick Benedetto was to long to fit across the theatre’s marquee and how he and Rosemary Clooney were the first American Idols — and the thrill he got after receiving a letter from Charlie Chaplin, thanking him for reviving his song Smile.
After a couple more of his classics, a standing ovation, a shake of a few fans hands and, picking up the flowers an adoring fan had given to him earlier, he strolled from the stage.
By John Hackney
Tony Bennett at the Royal Albert Hall, review
The Vegas survivor proved he still has chutzpah in spades at this Royal Albert Hall show. Rating: * * * *

By Paul Clements
Published: 10:35AM BST 05 Jul 2010
If one man can lay claim to the great American songbook, it is Tony Bennett. Truly, they don’t make them like that any more – and that applies equally to the singer, in the spotlight now for 60 years, as well as his songs.
Billed as a celebration of 20th-century standards, Bennett’s two-night residency at the Royal Albert Hall – part of a UK tour to promote his new album – is chock full of songs in the key of badda-bing that pack their punch in little more than two minutes flat.
The pace set by his four-piece band is whip-smart, which explains how the
83-year-old troubadour can arrive well after 8pm, rattle through two-dozen numbers, offer a handful of showbiz asides about Frank, Liza and – incongruously – Lady Gaga (“a wonderful singer, by the way”), and still have the audience on their way before it’s quite dark outside.
Performing intimate dinner jazz in the cavernous Royal Albert Hall takes chutzpah, which of course this Vegas survivor – immaculate in dark suit and tie with a dramatic red pocket-square – has in spades. Almost every number is an old-school toe-tapper, with many given a bossa nova sheen. (“I’m just back from Rio!”) None outstay their welcome. I Got Rhythm becomes a high-tempo, double bass-driven thing, finished off with a scat-sung portion of Jingle Bells.
The loveliest ballads, such as the Burke/Van Heusen-penned But Beautiful and Just The Way You Look Tonight, are pared down so that Bennett has only the occasional pluck of Gray Sargent’s dreamy guitar for support.
As big a joy to watch as to listen to, Bennett offers an eyebrow-salute or heel spin with every song. There are delighted whoops when he and his cutely cotton-voiced chanteuse daughter Antonia break off for a sappy tap routine midway through Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends. After a belting (I Left My Heart In) San Francisco, he glad-hands his way triumphantly along the front row.
Even more magical is when Bennett asks for his mic to be turned off so he can offer Fly Me To The Moon a capella. There’s a touch of the flamenco cantor in his urgent, squinting delivery of the vessel-busting high notes, but a point has been gloriously proved. Whattaguy.
Crowd 'boos' Amy tribute song

Published on Mon Jul 05 11:16:58 BST 2010
Amy Winehouse attracted boos from the audience when Tony Bennett dedicated a song to her at the iTunes Festival.
The 83-year-old crooner performed a string of his classic hits to an audience both young and old at Camden's Roundhouse in London on Friday evening, where Amy and her father Mitch watched from the centre of the front row of the circle.
Tony paused in the middle of serenading his audience with The Good Life and said "Ladies and Gentleman, I want to dedicate this song to Miss Amy Winehouse."
The 26-year-old Rehab singer - dressed in a little black dress and with her famous towering beehive - stood-up and applauded and wolf-whistled Tony for the rest of the song, blowing kisses and wiping away tears at the end.
But on hearing her name the reaction from the audience was a mixture of both applause and boos.

Tony, who has been singing for 60 years, received a warm reception from the festival crowd who clapped along to several of his tunes and cheered "Tony, Tony, Tony" between songs.
The iTunes festival continues all month with other headline acts including Ozzy Osbourne, N-Dubz, Faithless and Pixie Lott.
Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2010, All Rights Reserved

[Mark Fox]

Gig review: Tony Bennett







Published Date: 07 July 2010
By FIONA SHEPHERD
Tony Bennett ****

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
UNLIKE many silver singers, Tony Bennett has never exhibited a desire to stage a musical reinvention in order to appeal across the generations. He maintains strict fidelity to classic jazz vocal techniques and a timeless seam of material.

His latest album, Tony Bennett Sings The Ultimate American Songbook, celebrating his 60th anniversary in showbiz, is pointedly subtitled "Vol 1" - he intends to carry on working until his last gasp, and still clocks up over 200 shows a year.

And long may he continue when the voice is still this immaculate, vaulting naturally from the softest of tones to a lusty climactic power finish which never failed to generate excitement in the auditorium.

Many of his interpretations followed this trajectory, such as the captivating Stranger In Paradise and Maybe This Time, which travelled from exquisite understatement to a triumphal flourish. But within the template there were variations - a duet with his daughter Antonia or instrumental breakdowns from pianist Lee Musiker and guitarist Gray Sargent, who worked a fleeting burst of Loch Lomond into one of his delicately wrought solos - and some less obvious song choices, including Hank Williams' country classic Cold Cold Heart.

Throughout his 90-minute set, Bennett was a beaming, benevolent presence. With a slight wave of the hand he would instruct Musiker to hang back and give his voice the space it merited. In contrast, he was full pelt from the get-go on For Once In My Life and utterly relishing The Good Life. The audience couldn't resist joining in on I Left My Heart In San Francisco, even though they had no hope of anticipating his phrasing. Most potent of all was an unamplified Fly Me To The Moon. Bennett delivered no frills, no novel covers, no stunt special guests, just distilled class.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Sounds like Tony Bennett deserves every one of these great reviews.
There are few left like him now, the likes of whom we will never see again.
We can only be grateful , and hope that any up and coming young singers who may have got to see Tony Bennett will have watched and learned what charisma and stage presence is all about.
Thanks Mark, Great stuff

[Mark Fox]

Beautifully put,H&L.
I looked out for you both nights at the RAH-it was a lovely time,but very tiring! We were at Spitalfields Antique Market on the 1st July,bright&early-bought several small silver items-it was very,very warm during our stay.
We chatted briefly to Tony&Mrs Benedetto in Manchester plus photoshoot,then had supper at The Midland with the musicians and Antonia,Tony's daughter.
Didn't go to Cork-our next show is Liverpool,we added this one as we originally only intended to be at his final UK date in Nottingham-only a short run from here. Our driver,Adrian,who was at Michele's book launch will be seeing the show too. He's rapidly becoming a big Tony Bennett fan!
M
PS-All our pics.taken so far are on Facebook.

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Unfortunately we didn't book concerts this time Mark due to several commitments, or we should say expected ones around this time, but glad to see that you and Margaret have been able to enjoy Tony's time here again, and your friend Richard too. Nice pictures on Facebook.
Tony is looking really well. Nice to see that

[Mark Fox]

I'll check you out on Facebook.
More pics.in Liverpool Monday.

[chrissyblue]

Was lucky enough to have a ticket to see Tony Bennett at the Symphony Hall Birmingham, have never seen the great man before but have been in love with his voice since I was a wee child, I was totally blown away by his performance and the time he was on stage. Was so pleased he sang so many of my favourite songs, "Once Upon A Time" always makes me cry so beautiful, I will never forget that night,, went on my own, I just wanted to see this legend of a man live, exactly as I imagined, the man is humble, charming, as one with his audience, I'm a Joe Longthorne addict and I have always marvelled at Joe's own tribute to Mr Bennett which is pure perfection and a high spot for me of Joe's performance but to see Tony himself live was sheer heaven and bliss, love the man to bits !

[Lena & Harry Smith]

So nice to see worthy tributes for legends like Tony.
You obviously have good taste in music Chrissyblue. We are also Joe Longthorne fans. He is one of the best singers and entertainers that we have in the country

[Marian]

Pleased to hear you had such a wonderful evening Chrissyblue.
It's always a pleasure to read comments and reviews from other members of the forum.

[Mark Fox]

Professional newspapers reviews are one thing but genuine views like yours are the BEST,
thanks.

[chrissyblue]

I always feel it important to comment on an artist's performance, the fan who pays the money to go to the show can state how the performer really was, we know the artist inside out. A journalist who justs goes along to review a show and doesn't know the difference between Frank SInatra and Frankie Goes to Hollywood can never give a balanced review. I'm a music addict I have to admit, although I love modern music I was raised on the "Greats" Swing, Big Band,Jazz, and these will always be a favourite of mine. Tony Bennett and 4 musicians on stage- nothing better. I have always been a follower of Joe Longthorne and his many talents as in my eyes he is the consumate performer and true inheritor of the crown wore once by Matt Monro,Anthony Newley,Sammy Davis,etc When he takes the mic and sings he is quality and class all the way, my dream Joe CD would be Joe with a god old fashioned Big Band singing all the classics, perhaps .....................

[Mark Fox]

Tony was in Turkey
a few days ago-this evening he is at The Perugia Jazz Festival-what a life!

[Lena & Harry Smith]

Chrissie, we are also fans of the Big Bands too, and are already booked for a date in October for The History of the Big Bands at Wimbledon Theatre, and Sandra and John may be interested to know that this same concert is in Lincs on September the 19th. I expect you are aware of the Glenn Miller concert coming to the Weston Playhouse August 4th and Pete Reynolds singing the great songs of Matt, Nat, Englebert. on the 14th. Looks good.
We have been regular visitors to Weston for the past 36 years

[Mark Fox]

Review: Tony Bennett, Royal Concert Hall Nottingham

WALKING out of the Royal Concert Hall after a couple hours with Tony Bennett, I was tempted to cross the street to the Cornerhouse, head up to Saltwater, buy an expensive Scotch and pretend like I was sat at the top of the Chrysler Building.

Even in his 80s, Mr Bennett has that effect. Describing his show as "professional" might sound a bit like damning it with faint praise. It shouldn't. The man is a pro, a singer who knows both his instrument and his audience .

After a few warm-up songs from daughter Antonia, Tony took the stage and gave a nearly two-hour lesson in commanding a room. The setlist featured the greats, including Porter, Gershwin, Sondheim et al.

A sweet moment came when he dedicated Just In Time to longtime English fan Joan Shaw who, as it happened, was sitting next to us. ("Play it for Joan Shaw!" he instructed the pianist as he launched into his solo).


Some songs got the traditional straight-off-the-album treatment, while on others Tony and the outstanding four-piece went off and had some fun. The Way You Look Tonight began with just Tony and his guitarist before sliding into a silky jazz number with plenty for the pianist to do.

I Left My Heart in San Francisco brought inevitable gasps and applause, although for my money the encore's top moment was a haunting Boulevard Of Broken Dreams.

Fans of proper jazz drumming also got a real treat in the person of Harold Jones. Mr Bennett introduced him as "Count Basie's favourite drummer" (he's also played with Ella Fitzgerald and, erm, Robbie Williams).

But there was only one star in the room and, as the encore stretched past half a dozen songs, there could be no question on the matter.

Can Mr Bennett hit all the notes he could at The Sands in the 60s? No, of course not. He parcels them out sensibly, moving and gently and often with speak-singing through the middle of songs but delivering on the big finishes. By the big, ka-pow end of Stranger In Paradise, the matter had been settled. Mr Bennett brings the goods.

[Mark Fox]

UMBRIA JAZZ FESTIVAL

I had this sent from a friend from Slovenia who was at The Umbria Jazz Festival.
PLUS links to his videos on Facebook and YOUTUBE.

Subject: Tony in perugia 2010
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:07:20 +0200


Mark,


Saturday night was magnificent. Tony played Umbria Jazz festival for the fifth time. His last visit to Perugia was in 2005 when he was joined onstage by the Count Basie Orchestra. This time, he was only accompanied by his four piece band. I have to say that from a musical perspective, it was great to see Lee Musiker again at the piano. The last time I saw Tony at the RAH in 2007, I was not impressed by his then-MD Bruce Barth - the band often messed up the endings and Bruce's solos were a bit uninspired.


Back to Saturday's gig: Tony took the stage after an interesting but somehow incoherent performance from Herbie Hancock and his band. From the beginning on, it was clear to me that Tony was going to give his all tonight. I'd seen him before in the UK, in 2004 and 2007 - both times he had just recovered from short illnesses and was a bit subdued in his singing. But on Saturday he went all the way - he played around with melody lines, often in the upper register and even though his voice seemed a bit weary at first (a result of the Turkey trip I guess), he warmed up perfectly during the show.


The best part of the concert were the ballads. Now , I've known Tony's singing for a long time, and being a singer myself I notice every nuance in his phrasing and delivery. I mean it when I say that I have NEVER seen him interpret the lyrics with such passion and subtleness. As if he wanted to let EVERYONE know what the true art of singing is. At first, the crowd was a bit hesitant to embrace him (especially those who have come to see Herbie in the first place), but after he sang 'But Beautiful' and 'The Way You Look Tonight', people around me started to sigh. The setlist was basically the same as throughout the UK tour, and quite refreshed from the last UK visit in 2007. Good to see new songs being added, especially 'Once Upon A Time' - arguably the best song of the night. I was so impressed with it that I couldn't even press the record button on my digi camera - hope someone does and posts it online soon. Tony received a spontaneous standing ovation after this one, and I remember a fan next to me shouting: "You're better than ever, Tony!". And it's true: I've never seen him sing with such magic and depth. Never once did he mess up the lyrics or sing the wrong note.


After singing 'For Once in My Life', he left the stage. At this point, the crowd ran towards the stage (including myself) and we had the privilege of Tony singing to us from a few feet away. He was clearly enjoying it, and I felt like he was singing in my living room. Unbelievable! He chose not to do 'How Do You Keep The Music Playing', instead he ended with 'O Sole Mio', a special treat for all the Italian fans. And they sure were happy - some of them even started to chant "Antonio, Antonio" when he came onstage to wave to the crowd one last time. I sure hope that he returns to Europe soon, I refuse to believe that this was the last time I saw him sing!!!!


The night was truly magical, Tony simply has that 'X' factor which most contemporary singers aka clowns lack. The band played great, I was especially impressed by Lee and Gray. I attach a link to photos of the trip and links to the video clips I took with my camera.


Best,
Blaz


Photo album


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 ... 61cb694f68


Videos


1. The Way You Look Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPJg4uBoB_w


2. But Beautiful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud4PUV5OSnM


3. O Sole Mio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWBXmy4Q6t0


4. There Will Never Be ANOTHER YOU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyXjFnZWfoc


5. The Shadow zOf Your Smile-I Left My Heart in SF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Czkdqw3SWI


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a free e-mail account with Hotmail. Sign-up now.