07/22/2023
Today, San Francisco mourns the loss of Tony Bennett, the artist most closely identified with our beautiful city, and the Fairmont San Francisco's iconic Venetian Room. For 14 years, Bay Area Cabaret has been honored to carry forward the Fairmont San Francisco's musical legacy, with seasons of live music in the Venetian Room, and a new season opening in October.
For a beautiful tribute to Tony, read these words by one of our favorite artists, John Pizzarelli ...another New Yorker! "Well, what can be said about Tony Bennett that you don’t already know?
I’m listening to him with Bill Charlap sing All The Things You Are as I type this and I must say, listening is the only thing we can do. Keep listening and its all right there-Some Other Time and You Must Be Believe In Spring with Bill Evans, Emily from The Movie album with that amazing Johnny Mandel arrangement, Moments Like This from The Art of Excellence, San Francisco, for crying out loud, and a ton of other records.
I got to shake his hand, I got to “sorta” play guitar for him in a group on the radio in the 80’s, he came to my first gig at the Oak Room at the Algonquin, he sat with my wife Jessica at the Blue Note when I fronted an amazing big band with Don Sebesky in December of 1996 and he came with his wife Susan to our wedding in 1998.
That occasion was at an Irish bar on the upper East Side. Tony and Susan sat with my parents for the evening and all the waitresses got their picture with Tony. When we went back there a few weeks later, those photos were framed behind the bar.
He was a ubiquitous New York man. He freely walked the streets, painted in the park and people came up to him and said hello! He went to gigs. Drummer Joe Cocuzzo told me that after a session at Columbia 30th street ended early, it was Tony’s suggestion that the entire orchestra go to The Half Note to hear Zoot Sims and Al Cohn…on him! Why not?
I’ll miss that great New Yorker like I miss so many New York things that are no longer with us. But unlike Gino’s on Lex, Columbia 30th street, RCA on 44th, Clinton, The Morosco, the first Yankee Stadium and Manny’s music, Tony’s music will soar and live on and we will always have it to celebrate our loved ones, the good times and the bum times.
I will miss him strolling about New York, dropping in on Jonathan Schwartz to sing I Got Lost In Her Arms, making some Jersey guy’s night by sitting in the front row and sketching.
To paraphrase John O’Hara, ““Tony Bennett died on July 21, 2023, but I don’t have to believe it if I don’t want to.”
