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Tony Bennett: On Tour at 85
ByBennett's performing defies credulity. His total command of an arsenal of vocal pyrotechnics developed over a 60-year career has no parallel in the pop genre. Decades ago, when Columbia records curtailed his high-budget sessions featuring Torrie Zito's masterful orchestral arrangements of hit after hit, Bennett implemented new singing strategies. He began touring with piano trios (Ralph Sharon was a long-time accompanist) and recorded innovative jazz sides with Bill Evans. During these years he developed recitativo spurts, re-melodized sequences and dramatic body language to replace the whole-noted languor of Zito's lush string support. These new approaches provided replacement for future lapses in breath sustenance and other age-related issues. Little did he realize that these midcourse corrections would sustain him far into the future, and allow him to wow audiences with his octogenarian alchemy.
On this fall 2011 tour, Bennett has assembled a coterie of superb musicians, led by wunderkind pianist/arranger Lee Musiker. As the cavalcade of the 60-year hit list wound its way through the upbeat evening in Pittsburgh, even the most attentive fans found a continuous showcase of fresh vocal wares. A surprising intervallic leap here, a stop-time sequence there, and a flourish of ingenuous patter throughout combined to make the audience roar with approval.
At Heinz Hall, Bennett collated his songs from the long list of hits recorded throughout his vast career, including "The Shadow of your Smile," Maybe This Time," "Embraceable You," "San Francisco," "Old Friend" ( performed with his daughter Antonia) and many others. When he segued from tune-to-tune, there were sighs of recognition from some audience members, though most in the house didn't actually recognize the biggest hits; too young, but clearly thrilled, their idolatrous bravos and continual standing ovations were a testament to Bennett's aesthetic longevity.
Perhaps the most amazing feature of the evening was Bennett singing with Musiker or guitarist Gray Sargent alone. With nowhere to hidethe big orchestras of yore from his early Columbia days gonethe singer was virtually naked on the large Heinz Hall stage, which only served to highlight his stupendous talent even more.
Photo Credit: Sue Story
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Tony Bennett
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