[Dixielandjazz] Why Tony Bennett?

[Gary Kiser]

All I can say is that Tony Bennett rocks, has always rocked and will 
always rock.

All the best, Gary


Stephen G Barbone wrote:
> Why Tony Bennett at a Jazz Festival? See below:
>
> Cheers,
>
> Steve Barbone
>
> www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband
>
>
>
> One-of-a-kind Tony Bennett wows 'em at Jazz Fest
>
> Chris Rose posted this:
>
> Tony Bennett performed Friday, May 1, 2009 at the New Orleans Jazz 
> Festival
> There are the sacred musical families of New Orleans. I don't need to 
> list them here. If you found this blog, you know the drill.
>
> But I would like to add one more to the list - or bestow, at least, 
> honorary citizenship upon the Bennett family of, well - where are they 
> from? Weren't they born in a Cole Porter tune?
>
> Antonia Bennett warmed up the crowd before her father, Tony, took the 
> Gentilly Stage Friday afternoon, bringing a hefty dose of Vegas - and 
> world class, um, class - to the closing set of the day.
>
> In one of the unlikeliest - of many, many unlikely - bookings to grace 
> a Jazz Fest stage in recent years, Tony Bennett delivered a huge 
> crowd, packed to a standstill in the usually-negotiable walkways of 
> Gentilly Meadow.
>
> Whether you were there because you're an ironic hipster or you were 
> there because you listened to Tony on your honeymoon 50 years ago, the 
> music struck a chord. How many Jazz Fest artists introduce a song by 
> saying, "Liza Minnelli won an Academy Award with this one."
>
> Well, maybe Chris Owens. And Ricky Graham, if he played Jazz Fest, 
> which I don't think he does.
>
> Point being: Safe to say, New Orleans - and our out-of-town visitors - 
> took the Tonester into their hearts. I mean, how could you not love 
> this guy?
>
> He sang:
>
> "They all laughed at Christopher Columbus
> When he said the world was round
> They all laughed when Edison recorded sound..."
>
> And, yea - many laughed when they announced Tony Bennett was playing 
> Jazz Fest. Yes, he is a jazz singer, but....
>
> But, like the song goes: "Who's Got the Last Laugh Now?" Anyone who 
> saw the show, that's who.
>
> A legend in our midst. One of the all-time greats. Back when radio 
> mattered. He rolled out the hit parade: "For Once in My Life," "The 
> Best Is Yet to Come," "Shadow of Your Smile." He paused in the middle 
> of "The Good Life" to dedicate the song to Britney Spears.
>
> Oh, Irony, I am your servant.
>
> He mugged through the opening notes of "Do You Know What It Means to 
> Miss New Orleans," before halting and launching into his best known 
> number (is there such a thing in the case of Tony Bennett?) "I Left My 
> Heart in San Francisco."
>
> As Chris Granger / The Times-Picayune said; Tony Bennett sang the 
> songbook on the Gentilly Stage at Jazz Fest.
> Throughout the show, I couldn't help but want to call: "Waiter! Oh, 
> waiter! Another round for my friends!"
>
> Because it is a good life indeed. A crazy good life. It was a crazy 
> good show. Like Jazz Fest producer Quint Davis proclaimed from the 
> stage: "Tony Bennett! The Giant of American Song!" Note for every 
> champagne-soaked note.
>
> And it all goes to show: What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but 
> what happens in New Orleans. . . stays in your heart forever.
>
>
>
> And here is a comment from an audience member:
>
>
> Chris, you nailed it. I was at the Gentilly Stage all day (for a 
> reason). The so-called "sacred ones" B-S'ed their way through their 
> sets on stage, playing maybe 3 or 4 tunes in between the political, 
> parental, and sometimes incoherent diatribes. They worried about their 
> stage monitors, drum microphones, kids on stage and other crap instead 
> of playing music.
> Tony Bennett came out and performed what seemed like an endless stream 
> of 20 tunes one after another with a smile on his face and a salute to 
> his band at every turn. What an absolute professional performer.
> I'm 45, not an aging hipster by any means, or a long-time Tony Bennett 
> fan - although I caught him once in Vegas. But the man blew me away. 
> He is by far the best performer I've seen at the Fest yet this year.

Gary Kiser
34, rue du Président Wilson
63100 Clermont-Ferrand

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