Mark Blackburn

KEITH JARRETT – Danny Boy It's coming up to that time of year when my kid brother Ron died – in his sleep, at home, age 68. He loved DANNY BOY, with its poignant “when all the leaves are dying” lyric. Not long before his passing I shared with my brother this, “my favorite instrumental” version – Keith Jarrett in a live performance before an appreciative audience. You just know that Keith is the sort of musician who “never forgets the lyric.” [Reminded again of something “Nelms123” wrote below this video:] "It is really amazing... but I'm going to wager that you know the lyrics... those who do not, don't yet know the depth of this tune. I like to phrase everything to flow through the words of the song, and i think Keith is doing that here. Especially when it comes to the final verse, i like to play it as if the mother is singing to her son from her grave. Brilliant tune." ---- I think of something the great, English-born jazz pianist Marian McPartland said to her good friend Oscar Peterson – about witnessing a live performance by a great jazz saxophonist, who came down from the stage looking disconsolate. "What's wrong?" Marian asked him. The reply: "I forgot the words . . . " The composer of that ancient Irish melody is unknown, but an Englishman (!) wrote those memorable words: “Fred Weatherly” who also wrote ROSES OF PICARDY (Find Sinatra's 'Great Songs From Great Britain' album with arranger Robert Farnon for the retire-the-trophy version of that one.) [Love the back story on DANNY BOY's lyric shared at Wikipedia:] 'Initially written to a tune other than "Londonderry Air", English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly wrote the words to "Danny Boy" in Bath, Somerset in 1910. After his Irish-born sister-in-law Margaret (known as Jess) in the United States sent him a copy of "Londonderry Air" in 1913, Weatherly modified the lyrics of "Danny Boy" to fit the rhyme and meter of "Londonderry Air". The first recording was in 1915, so DANNY BOY is barely a century old. Poignant thought! And yes, "Don't forget the words" when you're playing the tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6tIzxmPCQE

SO MANY STARS – Lanni Hall and Natalie Cole “Such a lovely song, by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66,” says Natalie Cole at the close of my favorite 'live' concert performance of SO MANY STARS – maybe my favorite song by “The Bergmans” whose lyric provided “a perfect match to a perfect tune” by “Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66” who made it famous half a century ago. This week Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is featuring Lanni Hall and her husband Herb Alpert – their pleasurable “Playing Favorites” show, and a moment ago channel 71 was playing the original hit version of this song with Lanni's lovely lead vocal. [According to Wiki (note below) “American singer, composer, lyricist and author” Lanni turns 78 in November. ] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXZpFOq0JOc If you can find the time, please enjoy both versions featuring as they do, hauntingly beautiful arrangements: Never sure which one I enjoy more! ---- Natalie's gem of a performance is from a live show with superb big band and strings orchestra (which featured Diana Krall as special guest) promoting Natalie's then- latest “Ask a Woman Who Knows” album – maybe my favorite of her jazz CDs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_anpKesgZE WIKIPEDIA About Description Lani Hall is an American singer, lyricist, and author. From 1966 to 1971 she performed as lead vocalist for Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66. In 1972 Hall released her first solo album, Sun Down Lady. Wikipedia Born: November 6, 1945 (age 77 years), Chicago, Illinois, United States Spouse: Herb Alpert (m. 1974) Children: Aria Alpert Also known as: Lani Hall Alpert Instrument(s): Vocals; guitar; percussion

FAMILY PIZZARELLI DOES JONI MITCHELL James Taylor calls him a "one in a million" musician (they won a 2021 Grammy together for the '2-guitar' arrangements on James' AMERICAN STANDARD album; Just left him a note). Just imagining Joni Mitchell herself getting a heads-up to tune in this week in time to hear The Family Pizzarelli sing a beautifully-balanced 3-part harmony sequencing of two of Joni's best-loved tunes – 'HELP ME' (I Think I'm Falling) and 'BIG YELLOW TAXI' – show closers, for yet another terrific “It's 5 o'clock Somewhere” 'Tips Jar' live stream: In an hour's worth of highlights, this may have been 'saving the best till last.' At around the 56:11 mark: my favorite moments this week – yours too? https://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarelliOfficial https://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarelliOfficial/videos/285490461037560/

JIMMY BUFFETT – Pre-you My wife was the big Jimmy Buffett fan in our family – acquiring all his albums and most every one of his books. This was of course "pre-CDs" and I had to purchase all those albums first as black vinyl LPs, then cassettes. I remember I had two early favorite Jimmy Buffett songs – neither of them hits: PRE – YOU and CARNIVAL WORLD (see below). Oh, yes - plus one song he co-wrote with James Taylor – SUGAR TRADE a New England perspective on the Caribbean slave trade and the role sugar played in that grim history. ---- We were the same age: Jimmy was three months older than me – born Christmas Day 1946. Early on, I detected Jimmy's love for the music of Gordon Lightfoot – “the reason I became a song writer” he said [to emulate Gordon]: “So if you think you hear a little (or a lot) of Lightfoot influence in my song-writing? You are correct!” – a Jimmy quote after Gordon died a year ago. ---- I remember sharing with James Taylor an opinion: I could imagine in my mind's ear, James doing “the best cover version of PRE YOU. A song Jimmy said “composed itself” after a beautiful couple – a Navy man and his wife – got on an elevator with Jimmy Buffett at a hotel near the San Diego Naval Air station. Just in time for Jimmy to hear the fellow say the words: “Oh her? She was so . . . pre-you!” I see my namesake reviewed this one “3 years ago” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1-eBG-Rp0 Favorite latter-day photo of Jimmy: with Paul and Burt who I said at Burt's recent passing, “may have sold hundreds of millions of records” but the way Jimmy is beaming at Paul's hand on his shoulder is “like he'd waited a lifetime for this moment.”

SINATRA – That's What God Looks Like To Me A Sinatra song not played before 'right this minute' on Sirius XM Siriusly Sinatra: THAT'S WHAT GOD LOOKS LIKE TO ME. Is it at YouTube? But of course. … His heart like a mountain so vast and so strong That's why all his children have room to belong His smile is the morning we waken to see But you, my son, you are what God really looks like to me… Since Frank's first daughter Nancy terminated her online “Sinatra Family Forum” after its 24 year run, there is nothing left in the way of a Sinatra 'legacy' being shared online with millions of us kindred spirits – nothing apart from “Channel 70 Sirius/XM.” Thanks, Jersey Lou Simon, for including on your playlist this day! ---- About a hundred of us “Sinatra Family Forum Alumni” have kept in touch on Facebook (a private 'members' page) where I can still get a quick answer about “Who wrote that song?” A gentle string arrangement by Gordon Jenkins (I think) that opens with solo electric piano accompaniment (emulating the chimes of an old-fashioned 'celeste'): Never the sort of song destined to get any airplay in this world! But for someone like me (76, with eight grand kids) it hits all the right notes with my heart. [Favorite lines:] “He looks like a baby, when Mother is near . . . His smile is the morning we awaken to see But you, my son – YOU are what God really looks like to me!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYZBSk8J7Tc Our foremost Sinatra expert "Bob in Boston" responded immediately: Bob Freed Group expert Written in 1962 by Lois Irwin and Lan O’Kun. Arranged by Don Costa, and recorded in 1979 for Trilogy. This is the song Nancy would play on Frank Jr.’s birthday.

DOYLE DYKES – Go Rita! (Forever) “That's a song I wrote for Rita, my wife – a long time ago,” says Doyle Dykes after performing a lovely ballad (I could tell he had composed) with some heavenly chord progressions, and a blending of memorable, melodic simplicity (a tune that stays with you) and a complexity of technique that Doyle, as usual, manages to make look oh-so-easy. (Starting around the 6:00 minute mark.) He plays into a mic his favorite acoustic instrument – an OLSON (James Taylor's weapon-of-choice) crafted from “Brazilian [Rosewood] back & sides, and Cedar top.” The song's title, “GO RITA (Forever)” has long been a family catch phrase: “We're 50 years together this week,” said Doyle, adding at song's end: “I'm not all that smart but I think I was pretty smart to marry her.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWYm_uF5K8k

DOLLY & PAUL & RINGO – Let It Be “When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me Singing words of wisdom . . . ” I awoke today humming those words from the refrain of our family's favorite Beatles song – composed words & tune by Paul McCartney. And thinking of my Mom's favorite adage: “There ARE no coincidences!” (You know what she meant.) Our family's favorite living singer/songwriter Dolly Parton just had the thrill (of a lifetime that's included 100 million records sold) -- her recording of LET IT BE with Paul “on piano”– and Ringo on drums. Shared with fans on her Facebook page this morning, followed minutes later by Paul's appreciation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXW-p4nKdDA Does it get any better than singing “Let It Be” with Paul McCartney who wrote the song? Not only that, he played piano! Well, it did get even better when Ringo Starr joined in on drums, Peter Frampton on guitar and Mick Fleetwood playing percussion. I mean, seriously, how much better does it get? Thanks guys! Go give it a listen https://dolly.lnk.to/LetItBe

MY VALENTINE - an (almost) lost JOHNNY MANDEL arrangement Two years after Paul McCartney's album of standards “Kisses on the Bottom” was released, someone shared a unique YouTube video as a “tribute to Johnny Mandel's great arrangement” of MY VALENTINE -- one of two original compositions Paul included on the album. Within the first 15 seconds, those of us who called Johnny “the dean of living arrangers” (he left us two years ago at age 96] can spot chords and voicings that are "pure Johnny Mandel" – sounds that were uniquely his. [The poster “Aitzol” included a note:] I made this video for Paul, the greatest musician, and My Valentine, one of his greatest songs. This version is not included on the original "Kisses On The Bottom" (2012) album, just on the iTunes edition "Kisses On The Bottom: Complete Kisses", and it sounds great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAUXAhYOlm4

TONY BENNETT / LADY GAGA – Dream Dancing At this moment Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is playing Tony's last great duet – with Lady Gaga on one of Cole Porter's most beautiful melodies – DREAM DANCING: Posted to YouTube “1 year ago” and my favorite of their videos for reasons I can't put into words. But I see my namesake 'reviewed' this one, noting that “it's a lesser-known Cole Porter tune which …. “ …. Tony performed definitively 44 years ago, for his second 'alone-together' album with jazz piano giant Bill Evans. (A bonus track on their “Together Again” album of 1977 but not released on any CD until 2009.) It's a rangy song. And apart from Sinatra, no male singer has ever had as great a vocal range as Tony. Incredibly, he's still got the range, together with perfect intonation! A musical video so good it gives me those 'tears of joy.' You too? Barely two minutes, including Lady Gaga's entry to the studio and a loving greeting for her musical hero. Thanks for sharing Lady Gaga. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZu1ZBIsaQw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LIW7q_cFeA

TONY BENNETT – I'll Be Seeing You I have two favorite versions of this great old song – maybe the most poignant ever written about the loss of a loved one – I'LL BE SEEING YOU. Best rendition with a full orchestra? Sinatra's -- recorded in 1962 for his very last album for Capitol Records “Point of No Return.” But then there's this one -- more simple and even more affecting: Tony Bennett, alone together with his great piano accompanist Ralph Sharon on Tony's “Perfectly Frank” Sinatra tribute album of 31 years ago; joined by bass player Paul Langosh and drummer Joe LaBarbera. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHL8LApVRe0 If like me you were wondering . . . “Where is Tony Bennett buried?” Google to learn (finally) from this note of “2 days ago”: Tony Bennett is buried under his true name, Anthony Benedetto, with his family, in Calvary Cemetery in Woodside. A recent burial was evident when the Queens Chronicle visited the Benedetto family gravesite on Aug. 9 .... ” Wikipedia Calvary Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery in Maspeth and Woodside, Queens, in New York City, New York, United States. With about three million burials, it has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States. Wikipedia Address: 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd, Queens, NY 11377, United States Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 4:30 p.m. Phone: +1 718-786-8000 Find a Grave: 64107 No. of interments: ≈ 3 million

JOHN PIZZARELLI / GEORGE BENSON – Love Dance “When morning finds us caught in Life's most sensible trance: Turn up the quiet. Love wants to dance ....” In a '5 o'clock Somewhere' live-stream show – with more than a few highlights – at around the 42:00 mark John Pizzarelli included a great love song you may never have heard before: “Love Dance – by Ivan Lins,” said John, at song's end; I wanted to shout aloud, 'Don't forget who wrote the brilliant lyric!' https://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarelliOfficial/videos/303938885331117/ https://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarelliOfficial?comment_id=Y29tbWVudDozMDM5Mzg4ODUzMzExMTdfMjU0MDU1OTQ3NDE0MDEy Permit an aside please. Four years ago at YouTube I wrote an appreciation for a George Benson video of what I called “my favorite love song of the 80's.” I had noted elsewhere that Quincy Jones asked Oscar-winning lyricist Paul Williams to mate “some perfect English words” with that hauntingly beautiful melody from Quincy's friend – Brazilian composer Ivan Lins (still with us at age 78). George Benson included the resulting gem on his 'Give Me The Night' black vinyl LP – the first album anyone had recorded for Quincy's then-new “Quest” record label. The title track was the album's hit song getting lots of airplay; “Love Dance” not so much. Just recently I'd been hoping my favorite jazz singer / guitarist would sing and play this one on his show – given that John previously performed Paul Williams' Oscar-nominated “Rainbow Connection” – for Kermit the Frog and The Muppets. Paul Williams' words for Barbra Streisand's “Evergreen” picked up both the “Best Original Song” Academy Award, and “Song of the Year” Grammy. ---- P.S. On his original 1980 recording of 'Love Dance' Benson stuck to singing; the lovely acoustic guitar accompaniment was provided by George's good friend Lee Ritenour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-t8LqL1q-A

WILLIE NELSON – All the Things You Are My Mom and Dad's favorite song (mine too) is Kern & Hammerstein's masterpiece ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE – new versions of which (meaning ones I've never seen) keep reaching my appreciative ears in YouTube postings by 'artists various' including, just a month ago, Willie Nelson's performance (with a full orchestra yet!) on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, circa “mid-to-late 90's” according to the informed comments below from kindred spirits. Tux Guys (1 year ago) (Going by Leno's hair, this must have been in the mid-late '90's.) Knockout. Being a great songwriter himself, Willie knows what goes into a great song, and knows how to handle one by someone else, in this case Jerome Kern's compositional masterpiece. His declamatory style, with its conversational phrasing, is absolutely perfect for Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics, and the tune itself, modulating, as it does, through three different, distant keys? With Willie Nelson's ears... No problem. Jazz4Ashahel Not a trick to be found here. The man stands there and honors the tune. Solid musicianship, straightforward rendition of a beautifully crafted tune. This one makes a tear fall, because it is so true and right. The crowd goes wild, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qhlmheb4ak&lc=Ugx_8KlmGFdCfdeNHj54AaABAg.8bLSmxXk9hm9qsjUnjNzcA

TONY BENNETT / STEVIE WONDER – For Once in My Life Tony's all-time favorite duet with another male singer? He never allowed himself any intimations of preferences, but my personal guess would be his Grammy-winning 'live' performance with Stevie Wonder – someone with vocal power to match his own, and who can sing 'chromatic display' chords as effortlessly as he plays the same notes on harmonica. Breathtaking is the word for his solo (at around the 2:01 mark). Love those spoken words of 'mutual appreciation' at song's end. TONY: Stevie …. wonderful! STEVIE: The great Tony Bennett! Happy Birthday. The only such video I can find of this 'live' performance is this one – uploaded to Vimeo “five years ago” with “subtitulos” by “Bossa Nova Clube”. Thanks for sharing. Celebrated elsewhere this 97th birthday [search] “ Great Melody, Great Lyric, Great Rendition, Songwriting Workshop, Harmony Central ” https://vimeo.com/266302839

TONY BENNETT / Robert Farnon w. London Symphony My father had a life-long friendship with Robert Farnon, the Canadian-born arranger who spent most of his life in London – in recording studios, conducting London Philharmonic / Symphony musicians (which is to say among the very best). Every great arranger acknowledged Robert Farnon's influence. Tony Bennett said “Canadians should raise a statue" in his honor. Sinatra dubbed him “The Guv'nor” and Andre Previn told Johnny Mercer that “Robert Farnon is the greatest string arranger in the world.” So. Imagine my delight at what Siriusly Sinatra is playing right this minute, in the middle of a day devoted (almost) entirely to Tony Bennett: COUNTRY GIRL – composed by Robert Farnon. Informed comments below the video include this one from EDC3743 Farnon was inspired to write *Country Girl* by William Wordsworth's poem of 1805, “The Solitary Reaper”. The verses of which are: 1 - Behold her, single in the field, Yon solitary Highland Lass! Reaping and singing by herself; Stop here, or gently pass! . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AusNBSX3WEw

SINATRA+ Quincy's "best-ever big band" – After You've Gone After posting that solo guitar rendition of AFTER YOU'VE GONE by Doyle Dykes, the intuitive genius of YouTube sent me another video, as if to say 'Isn't THIS your all-time favorite version of that song?' Yes indeed. And this share is the best version at YouTube, featuring as it does, words of introduction from producer/engineer Phil Ramone and Frank's favorite big band arranger/conductor Quincy Jones – who credits arranger Frank Foster for this chart, and singles out a young George Benson for his contribution to this 'live' in-studio recording for Sinatra's (1984) L.A. IS MY LADY album. Says Quincy: “George Benson is the culmination of probably every great guitarist we have ever had from Charlie Christian to Wes Montgomery …. plus his own personality: George reaches back and embraces the best of the tradition of all of the old guitar greats ” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvO76yjtkYY

DOYLE DYKES – After You've Gone A song that filled Chet Atkins' heart with joy. You can hear it in Chet's latter-day 'duet' with Suzy Bogguss (one of my favorites of his recordings). If you can spare only two minutes, listen to what Doyle Dykes does with this great old standard, AFTER YOU'VE GONE. Playing a brand new, Quebec-made, GODIN steel-string acoustic-electric (with his own pickup of preference) Doyle makes it look so easy! A deceptively simple arrangement that includes some devilishly difficult phrases to play – at least as cleanly as Doyle does it – at the most difficult clusters of notes -- when he urges his fingers to “Get in there!” My new favorite arrangement of a century-old song whose Wiki entry reminds us ”It was first recorded by Marion Harris on July 22, 1918, and released by Victor Records. The song became so popular that the sheet music was later decorated with tiny photographs of the 45 men who made the song famous, including Paul Whiteman, Rudy Vallée, B.A. Rolfe, Guy Lombardo, and Louis Armstrong.”

TONY BENNETT – Wave Until this minute, I'd never even heard-of Tony Bennett's 1971 black vinyl album titled “Get Happy – with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.” I have a fellow fan “Robin Hampton” (below) to thank for this informed comment at Tony's Facebook page: For me, his rendition of "Wave" from the 1971 live album "Get Happy," with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, is the most soulful and deep interpretation ever. I melt when I listen to it. The entire album is stunning. The simple truth! Permit an aside: If I had to single out just one favorite Sinatra recording of a Brazilian jazz samba classic (composed words & tune by Antonio Carlos Jobim) it would be WAVE: For 25 years Frank's version, arranged by Brazil's Eumir Deodato, has been my definitive favorite: not least for Sinatra hitting the lowest note of his career – an E-flat at the end of each stanza of the chorus. But again, I have “Robin Hampton” to thank for his guidance to my new, “all-time favorite” rendition. Tony slows it right down, so the wave is of another 'type' – more luxuriant – and you can almost feel it flowing sensually over your feet as it retreats across the sand of a wide beach. Great jazz singer that he is, Tony's final notes – to the delight of his audience – comprise a complex jazz chord – delivered as a quick chromatic display. And you realize Tony is the only singer who could conceive it, spontaneously and deliver it in 'live' performance. Really, isn't this wonderful? [Best version at YouTube:]

TONY BENNETT / BILL EVANS – Lucky to be Me / Some Other Time In 1977 Tony Bennett and Bill Evans had just recorded their second 'alone together' album TOGETHER AGAIN when a Canadian television station (CBC Vancouver) offered them an opportunity to promote their latest work: They jumped at the chance, and had a blast doing it – recording seven songs in the space of 28 minutes. No second takes required! If you've never seen this before, you're in for a treat. If you only have time to watch one or two right now, please start at the 1:28 mark – LUCKY TO BE ME. One of two songs they did here from a WWII (1944) Broadway show, “On The Town” – with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green. Tony and Bill perform the other great song from that same WWII show – (We'll Catch Up) Some Other Time -- at around the 11:16 mark. Jazz singing on television never got better than this, you may agree! Shared by someone who may have been 'present at the creation' (with access to the original video tapes). Posted to YouTube seven years ago, nearing 200K “views” and dozens of informed comments including this one: @ThomasEDavis (8 months ago) “This is sublime: two brilliant musical masters in exquisitely intimate and deeply moving conversation. But these seven songs are just a sampling of an endlessly delightful collection entitled 'The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings' – a two-CDset that all lovers of jazz, piano, and the Great American Songbook should own: It contains 21 songs and 20 additional alternate takes.” Thanks for sharing James Kauffman. Celebrated elsewhere [search] “Great Melody, Great Lyric, Great Rendition, Songwriting Workshop, Harmony Central ” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LIW7q_cFeA

TONY BENNETT / BILL CHARLAP – The Way You Look Tonight On an August night in 2015 Tony Bennett and my favorite living jazz pianist Bill Charlap – alone together on a New York stage – delivered my favorite 'live' performance of this great old love song. Sent my way by the intuitive genius that is YouTube circa 2023: As if to say, “Your other favorite version, right?” Just so. Bill Charlap has a unique style that I love, and manages to be true to his own tasteful self, even as he 'channels' Bill Evans – the way his life-long piano hero might have played this solo had Tony included this one on their landmark “Bennett/Evans” recordings of half a century ago. Which is to say: I don't think you can improve on this – do you? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb9awS1RRL4

SINATRA / PIZZARELLI – The Way You Look Tonight On his latest live-streamed “It's 5 o'clock Somewhere” show John Pizzarelli included (at the 45:30 mark) JUST THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT – a gorgeous guitar arrangement uniquely his, that references the classic Nelson Riddle chart for Frank Sinatra's definitive recording: same one Frank employed decades later on Michelob beer commercials – contributing no doubt to this now being the most visited Sinatra offering at YouTube (the video below just turned 70 million “views”). https://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarelliOfficial/videos/226724719827365 A 'Best Original Song' Oscar-winner (1936) for Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields – the lady whose perfect lyric included instructions on the original sheet music – the notes that are to be hummed near the close: “Mm-mm, Mm-mm . . . Just the way you look tonight.” The key of D sounds wonderful on guitar – more reflective than any other (to my ears) and it's a delight to hear John opening in D – then after a host of beautiful chord progressions – which as always he manages to make look easy! – a final, upward modulation into E-flat – the song's original key. That closing flurry of chords is simply perfect, you may agree! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9ZGKALMMuc Thanks for sharing Swingstar Records. Celebrated elsewhere at [search] “ Great Melody, Great Lyric, Great Rendition, Songwriting Workshop, Harmony Central ”

TONY BENNETT / BILL CHARLAP – Nobody Else But Me "When I am with her, I'm glad the boy who's with her, is nobody else but me!" When he was about to turn 90, Tony Bennett recorded with another great jazz pianist (my favorite among those I've seen in 'live' performance here in Winnipeg) -- Bill Charlap – for their Grammy-winning album of Jerome Kern favorites titled “The Silver Lining.” It's midnight and just for me, Siriusly Sinatra satellite radio is playing Tony & Bill's terrific version of NOBODY ELSE BUT ME -- described at Wikipedia as “the last song Jerome Kern ever wrote” (note below). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmDzQKwz0f8&t=1s Wikipedia: "Nobody Else but Me", sometimes called "Nobody Else but You", is a 1946 song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the 1946 Broadway revival of the musical Show Boat when it was introduced by Jan Clayton as the character Magnolia.[1] This was the last song written by Kern; he died shortly before the 1946 production opened.[2] Vocal recordings 1946 Jan Clayton in the Show Boat cast album.[3] 1957 Barbara Lea – for her album Barbara Lea With the Johnny Windhurst Quartet.[4] 1959 Mitzi Gaynor – for her album Mitzi[5] 1959 Peggy King – for her album Lazy Afternoon[6] 1961 Ruth Price – for her album Ruth Price with Shelly Manne & His Men at the Manne-Hole. 1963 Sarah Vaughan – for her album The Explosive Side of Sarah Vaughan. 1964 Tony Bennett – included in his album When Lights Are Low. 1965 Dinah Shore – for her album Lower Basin Street Revisited.[7] 1995 Mel Tormé – for the album Velvet & Brass. 2001 Kristin Chenoweth – for her album Let Yourself Go. 2003 Tina May – for her album I'll Take Romance[8] 2007 Annette Sanders with Bob Florence – for their album You Will Be My Music.[9] 2015 Tony Bennett – for the album The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern.

SINATRA / RIDDLE – This Nearly Was Mine Playing right now on Siriusly Sinatra – some people's favorite track on the singer's own favorite album, “The Concert Sinatra”: From South Pacific, Rodgers & Hammerstein's THIS NEARLY WAS MINE. Frank Sinatra Jr said there were “80 plus” musicians in the symphony orchestra that night in 1963. He knew that, because he was present – “getting goosebumps” at what his father achieved – there on the Goldwyn sound stage – the largest in Hollywood history. Nelson Riddle said that these were his finest arrangements, and that he never saw the singer “more focused” than for these recordings. Each time I hear the opening orchestral flourish for this one, I think the same thing: Will it still give me goosebumps? Never fails! You too? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2etEOUCF16A

TONY BENNETT – It Was Me “What is your favorite summer song?” asks Tony Bennett's Facebook page this day. Happy to say (without hesitation) it's one by Tony himself from long ago 1963: IT WAS ME. With a melody by French composer Gilbert Becaud and English lyric by Norman Gimbel. Too obscure to be mentioned in Becaud's Wikipedia entry which focused on two other melodies of his that became major hits: 'What Now My Love?' And 'Let It Be Me.' Wiki says Gilbert Becaud was 74 when he died of cancer in 2001 “on his houseboat in Paris.” Google to learn that Tony Bennett himself declared that IT WAS ME was his own “favorite summer song.” I see my namesake reviewed this one “3 years ago” with notes about the prolific lyricist whose poignant lyric was included (below) at “The Tony Bennett Interactive Discography”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc376NcoISg&t=4s “It Was Me” was written by Gilbert Becaud as “C’etait Moi,” with English lyrics by Norman Gimbel. It’s a beautiful love song that brings memories of summers past and, maybe, to come. In 2009, Tony Bennett named this as his favorite summer song on NPR; you can listen to the interview here. ---- Who’s the one you would find on the beach every day Lying there on the shore while his friends swim away Lying there in the sand only inches from you Watching you every day til the summer was through It was me Who would help gather shells for the bracelet you made Who would find you the cups for the pink lemonade Who was always beside you whenever you’d swim When you sat by the sea as the daylight grew dim It was me It was me Now that summer is gone And the warm skies are cold And the soft winds are crisp With their wintery chill Do you ever think back on the night when we kissed Can you ever forget I know I never will Who’s the one next to you in the group photograph Who’s the one with the face too unhappy to laugh Standing there looking down so uncertain and shy Like a boy who’s in love, so in love he could cry It was me It was me Me finding out It was you

JOHN PIZZARELLI – "Maybe I'm Amazed" (to be) "Swinging on a Star" In the space of a few minutes, on his most recent live streamed “It's 5 o'clock Somewhere” show, John Pizzarelli celebrated “Paul McCartney's birthday” with two of his own favorites composed words & tune by Paul: “And I Love Her” at around the 13:55 mark, and (from Paul's first post-Beatles solo album) “Maybe I'm a Man” ( 10:20 ). Followed immediately by the best solo jazz guitar rendition ever (says me) of Jimmy Van Heusen's first (of four) 'Best Original Song' Oscar winners: (You could be) "Swinging on a Star" ( at the 16:25 mark). https://www.facebook.com/JohnPizzarelliOfficial/videos/983427529360891 ---- Shared by John Pizzarelli at YouTube -- from his 'Midnight McCartney' album

TONY BENNETT / RAY CHARLES – Evenin' Evenin' . . . ev'ry night you come, and you find me Must you always come and remind me? That my gal is gone . . . A Cab Calloway song from 90 years ago composed by “Harry White” whose brief Wiki entry reminds us that he was an “accomplished trombone player who worked with Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway.” White asked Mitchell (“Stardust”) Parish to write words to fit his simple blues tune, titled EVENIN'. Tony Bennett and Ray Charles decided to give it new life on Tony's 2001 album of terrific duets: “Playin' With My Friends – Bennett Sings The Blues.” In the silence at song's end (obviously pleased with their results) Ray says, with a smile you can hear: “Okay, Uncle Tony?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cOTmh9dNbs&t=13s Wikipedia Playin' with My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues is a 2001 album by Tony Bennett featuring duets with notable vocalists. TRACK LISTING "Alright, Okay, You Win" (Mayme Watts, Sidney Wyche) – 3:31 (duet with Diana Krall) "Everyday (I Have the Blues)" (Peter Chatman) – 3:38 (duet with Stevie Wonder) "Don't Cry Baby" (Saul Bernie, James P. Johnson, Stella Unger) – 2:43 "Good Morning Heartache" (Ervin Drake, Dan Fisher, Irene Higginbotham) – 4:56 (duet with Sheryl Crow) "Let the Good Times Roll" (Fleecie Moore, Lovin' Sam Theard) – 3:14 (duet with B.B. King) "Evenin'" (Mitchell Parish, Harry White) – 4:14 (duet with Ray Charles) "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:55 (duet with Bonnie Raitt) "Keep the Faith, Baby" (Luchi de Jesus, Lila Lerner, Watts) – 3:51 (duet with k.d. lang) "Old Count Basie Is Gone (Old Piney Brown Is Gone)" (Joe Turner) – 3:24 "Blue and Sentimental" (Count Basie, Mack David, Jerry Livingston) – 3:20 (duet with Kay Starr) "New York State of Mind" (Billy Joel) – 4:30 (duet with Billy Joel) "Undecided Blues" (Jimmy Rushing) – 3:17 "Blues in the Night" (Arlen, Johnny Mercer) – 3:33 "Stormy Weather" (Arlen, Koehler) – 4:34 (duet with Natalie Cole) "Playin' with My Friends" (Robert Cray, Dennis Walker) – 4:47