One can link him to Jack Kerouac and the hipsters of the 1950s yet his approach is contemporary and usually utilizes a funky background.
—Scott Yanow
Better Than Picasso At Midnite
An inventive spoken word artist who also sings well, Tony Adamo loves jazz and always goes out of his way to champion the music in his lyrics. One can link him to Jack Kerouac and the hipsters of the 1950s, yet his approach is contemporary and usually utilizes a funky background.
“Better Than Anything” was composed in 1963 with the music by David Wheat and lyrics by Bill Loughborough. Singer Irene Kral was the first to record it but it soon became a standard with notable versions by Bob Dorough, Al Jarreau, and Sheila Jordan.
Tony Adamo begins his Better Than Picasso At Midnite by paying tribute to the original lyrics of “Better Than Anything” before he updates the words to fit today’s situations and pleasures. Along the way he mentions winning the Lotto, bling, You Tube and even seeing “Picasso at Midnite.” The background is electronic and there are short solos from guitarist Chris Pimentel and tenor-saxophonist Rob Sudduth (of Huey Lewis and the News).
The sentiment behind this new recording, a single from Adamo’s next release (due this summer), is the same as in the original song. All of the desired items mentioned are better than anything, except falling in love.
~Scott Yanow, Jazz Journalist / Historian
An inventive spoken word artist who also sings well, Tony Adamo loves jazz and always goes out of his way to champion the music in his lyrics. One can link him to Jack Kerouac and the hipsters of the 1950s, yet his approach is contemporary and usually utilizes a funky background.
“Better Than Anything” was composed in 1963 with the music by David Wheat and lyrics by Bill Loughborough. Singer Irene Kral was the first to record it but it soon became a standard with notable versions by Bob Dorough, Al Jarreau, and Sheila Jordan.
Tony Adamo begins his Better Than Picasso At Midnite by paying tribute to the original lyrics of “Better Than Anything” before he updates the words to fit today’s situations and pleasures. Along the way he mentions winning the Lotto, bling, You Tube and even seeing “Picasso at Midnite.” The background is electronic and there are short solos from guitarist Chris Pimentel and tenor-saxophonist Rob Sudduth (of Huey Lewis and the News).
The sentiment behind this new recording, a single from Adamo’s next release (due this summer), is the same as in the original song. All of the desired items mentioned are better than anything, except falling in love.
~Scott Yanow, Jazz Journalist / Historian
