The Art Of Romance

Performer: Tony Bennett
Engineer: Dae Bennett; Tom Young; Brian Dozoretz; Dae Bennett
Producer: Phil Ramone; Phil Ramone
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Personnel: Tony Bennett (vocals); Gray Sargent (guitar); Phil Woods (saxophone); Lee Musiker (piano); Clayton Cameron (drums); Candido Camero (congas). Audio Mixer: Dae Bennett. Recording information: Bennett Studios, Englewood, NJ. Photographer: Mark Seliger. Arrangers: Lee Musiker; Johnny Mandel; Jorge Calandrelli. Few vocalists have earned what Tony Bennett enjoys: the absolute authority of recording exactly what he wants, exactly the way he wants. And when recording an album of love songs, easily the most common of all conceptual works, no other singer would have the talent to capture both the edges and the subtleties to make what has been tried, many times, sound true. But this is a quality that Bennett -- never a jazz singer, always a "song" singer -- has possessed throughout his career. The Art of Romance is a record, as described by producer Phil Ramone, "that communicates with those in love, out of love and everywhere in-between." Love isn't all rosy, of course, and it's rendered in such saloon-song soft-focus by Bennett and his small group (plus light string accompaniment) that it never sounds pass� -- an achievement in itself. Many of these are love songs with a crooked smile, whether it's a brief celebrity-page linking that unexpectedly turns into love ("All in Fun") or songs about the end of love, such as "Where Do You Start" and "I Remember You," a pair of evocative ballads charting love leaving and love only half-remembered. Ironically, Bennett contributes one of the most tender songs, making his debut as a composer on "All for You" with a set of lyrics to one of his favorite tunes, Django Reinhardt's gypsy-jazz classic "Nuages." Remarkably, The Art of Romance marks the debut of these 11 songs in his recorded repertoire. While a few are classics that are nearly as old as Bennett himself, many of them are rarely performed nuggets from the post-vocal era, by such composers as Johnny Mandel, Stephen Sondheim, and Alan and Marilyn Bergman. ("Time to Smile," a buoyant, inspirational piece, marks the debut of the song in anyone's recorded repertoire; it's an older composition by Johnny Mercer and Geoffrey Clarkson only discovered in 2004.) Approaching the age of 80, Tony Bennett has only a few grains in his voice and a bit of strain in the energy of his performances, nothing that a listener wouldn't be able to forgive of a man 25 years younger. ~ John Bush Few singers embody the essence of swing and gentility like Tony Bennett. On this 2004 release, produced by the famed Phil Ramone, Bennett teams up with music director and pianist Lee Musiker, and together they create an album that nimbly revolves around themes of love. Rich orchestral arrangements by Johnny Mandel, Musiker, and others augment Bennett's quartet. Made up of mostly dreamy ballads and light, mid-tempo pieces, THE ART OF ROMANCE focuses on stellar standards and other lesser-known tunes that speak of love's rapture and its loss. The charmingly sentimental songs "I Remember You" and "Don't Like Goodbyes" are poignant works that reinforce Bennett's ability (at age 78) to really get inside of a lyric and make it his own. Each heartrending piece on this record sees Bennett crooning over lush, legato strings, gentle piano musings, and whispery brushwork. "Being Alive" is one exception; this tune explodes into a rollicking jazz samba and highlights not only drummer Clayton Cameron, but also conga player Candido Camero and the bebop stylings of alto saxophonist Phil Woods.

Uncut (p.148) - 4 stars out of 5 - "impeccable orchestration, tinkling ivories, whispering brushes and a sax that's both sleazy and classy. Gliding across it all is the man's exquisite phrasing." JazzTimes (p.65) - "[T]hese 11 tracks nestle Bennett's beautifully aged voice, dark and smooth as the rarest of vintage ports, in the soft embrace of pianist Lee Musiker, bassist Paul Langosch, drummer Clayton Cameron and guitarist Gray Sargent."

One of the finest voices of 20th century American pop, Tony Bennett began his career in the '50s, under the watchful eye of producer Mitch Miller, recording huge hits such as "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," and "Because of You." In 1958, his album BASIE SWINGS-BENNETT SINGS was a precursor to later jazz-based work. That same year, "Firefly" was Bennett's last US Top 40 entry until 1962, when he made a major comeback with the Grammy-winning "I Left My Heart In San Francisco." In '93 and '94 he was awarded Grammys for his albums PERFECTLY FRANK and STEPPIN' OUT.

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