Has anybody read anything on how this box is selling? Earlier it was mentioned the autographed edition was temporarily sold out. It seems to be getting a lot of attention for such a pricey set...still some of the best money I've ever spent. I just wonder if this set is as successful as it seems it will lead to other artists' sets being created. Multiple comments have been left on Bennett's Facebook page about the missing tracks, and many comments made about them on multiple blogs. Of course, the comments aren't acknowledged.
Yestersay I Heard The Rain Another wonderful album long overdue for CD release and I agree that the title song has been overlooked as one of his all-time hits - now tell me how did you manage to plan a Christmas day post for Snowfall?
All the arrangements were handled by the always-inventive Torrie Zito, who started as a pianist but quickly began writing for small groups and orchestras. In doing some research on Zito, I was surprised to learn that he wrote the orchestra arrangement backing John Lennon’s recording of “Imagine.” Torrie Zito has also worked with Barbra Streisand, Morgana King, Bobby Darin and Sinatra, among others. I also found out that he was married to the fine singer Helen Merrill. For more on Zito, see http://www.jazzprofessional.com/interviews/Torrie Zito.htm for an interview with the arranger that I found on the web. Torrie Zito is definitely the co-star on these recordings. Aside from Ralph Burns, I consider Zito the definitive Bennett accompanist. He is one of the unheralded master arrangers in popular music.
Chalk it up to magic or miracle. Actually, I'll post SNOWFALL in time for Christmas Eve. Tomorrow, in the spirit of the holiday, I'll post three out-of-sequence stocking stuffers from much later in the box set.
Torrie Zito Sinatra had tried out Torrie [Salvatore] Zito's arrangements for two single sides in August 1965: "Ev'rybody Has the Right to be Wrong" and "I'll Only Miss Her When I Think of Her," both Van Heusen/Cahn songs from the short-lived Broadway musical Skyscraper. At the same session, Zito conducted Nelson Riddle's arrangement of "Golden Moment" from Hot September. Those were the only three "new" recordings on the 1965 Reprise compilation LP, MY KIND OF BROADWAY. Torrie went on to arrange for Tony Bennett and others but, for whatever reason, he never returned to Frank for a complete album. His only other work with FS was not until 20 years later, when he contributed the arrangement of "Teach Me Tonight" (and co-scored the title tune) on Quincy Jones' 1984 Sinatra album, L.A. IS MY LADY.
Drink your eggnog and enjoy, Paul. Aren't you the one who said "Complete" should mean warts and all? They're not exactly "Our Lady of Fatima," and I can't think of a better time to include those albums in the box set discussions.
Disc 37: Snowfall (The Tony Bennett Christmas Album) Disc 37: Snowfall (The Tony Bennett Christmas Album) Original Album: CS 9739 (Columbia LP) Released: 1968 Recorded: 1967 (London) and Oct. 1, 1968 (NYC) Arranger: Robert Farnon Snowfall My Favorite Things The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town Christmas Medley: · We Wish You A Merry Christmas · Silent Night, Holy Night · O Come, All Ye Faithful · Jingle Bells · Where Is Love Christmasland I Love The Winter Weather / I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm White Christmas Winter Wonderland Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Bonus Track (from MTV's The Jon Stewart Show, December 1994) I'll Be Home For Christmas (with Ralph Sharon Trio)
I think I got it right this time - I don't know how to delete my duplication - it's Chriistmas Eve already here so I'm going to open a bottle and salute you all
Snowfall After my embarrassment I wanted to declare my admiration for Snowfall - no Christmas should be without it, I am so pleased this issue reverts to the original cover and playing order which the previous CD didn't - but has kept the bonus track - although "What Child Is This" which had, until recently been issued on the new Christmas compilation, had only previously been issued on Great Songs Of Christmas CSP 888 for Good Year - would have found an obvious home here - as would Christmas In Herald Sq. Pass me a cracker!
Very nice album, except for the carol medley and the fact that he sings the watered-down present tense lyrics for "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Otherwise, a nice album that I always spin around the holidays.
CHRISTMAS AND TONY BENNETT: While not being a name instantly recognized with Christmas, Tony has produced some really good albums for holiday listening: “SNOWFALL- The Tony Bennett Christmas Album” is IMHO the second finest Christmas album of all time. (First place will always go to “A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra). Recorded in both NYC and London it has a real melancholy feel to it even though Tony swings a few numbers. (Perhaps it was a reflection of Tony’s personal life at the time as he speaks often about being alone on Christmas Eve around the time of this recording and being greeted by carolers sent to his hotel by Duke Ellington). The long forgotten Claude Thornhill theme begins the LP leaving the listener as if he or she is walking down the middle of a silent street as a quiet snowstorm blankets everything around them. Tony’s long-held, evaporating note at the end gives the arrangement the perfect closing. He romps through “My Favorite Things”, “Santa Claus is coming to Town” and “Winter Wonderland” while giving some sweetness to “The Christmas Song”, White Christmas”, and the medley of “I Love the Winter Weather/I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm”. His traditional medley of carols is beautiful, but it suddenly goes untraditional at the closing with the tear-jerker from “Oliver”…”Where is Love?” (Again adding to that earlier mentioned melancholy Christmas feel). My two favorites here are the seldom heard “Christmasland” which is filled with hope and cheer, and the pure sentimental favorite “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”…the perfect closer. Addendum: With the inclusion of “What Child is This?” on a new compilation, I made a CD in which I place the song immediately after the “Medley with Choir” and it seems to be a perfect fit! From 2002 comes another purely traditional album by Tony with “The Guv’nor” again arranging and conducting. Released on the Hallmark Music label, it slipped into anonymity rather quickly. I’m glad that it again gets to see the light of day in the box set. Even though Tony alternates vocal with orchestral tracks by the London Symphony Orchestra, it is a TB album thru-and-thru. The only problem with this recording is that Tony is not in his best voice. He is hoarse, at times short of breath and (after working all those years with juts a trio or quartet) is found lagging a bit or almost lost within the huge orchestrations. Yet, one can easily overlook these things as this CD plays and you just get enveloped by the beautiful Farnon arrangements. It is a perfect companion piece to “Snowfall”. I may be in the minority here, but I find the album “A Swingin’ Christmas” to be a terrible boar. As a big band jazz lover, this recording sounds too “processed”. Something is just not “right” with these recordings. Tony sounds like he is running thru these tunes in rehearsal rather than making a record of them. This CD is like eating Velveeta…you know it’s cheese but there’s something too smooth and processed about it! A huge disappointment to this lifetime TB fan. One special song deserves a ***** rating here. It’s Tony’s recording of “A Christmas Love Song” recorded on 6/15/04 in (of all places) Brussels, Belgium. He is joined by Toots Thielmans on harmonica with a brilliant Johnny Mandel arrangement. Tony’s voice is rich and warm and it is a supreme recording of a longtime Christmas jazz standard.
Oh Bob, I'm NOT complaining of you posting these now. Sorry if I came off that way. Hopefully my long review explains what I meant.
Completely explained, Paul. (Although you opened two of tomorrow's presents early. ) Merry Christmas!
Disc 66: Our Favorite Things (Christmas In Vienna) Disc 66: Our Favorite Things (Christmas In Vienna) Tony Bennett • Charlotte Church • Plácido Domingo • Vanessa Williams Original Album: SK 89468 (Sony Classical CD) Released: 2001 Recorded: 2000 (Vienna, Austria) With: Ralph Sharon Quartet & Vienna Symphony Orchestra Arranger: Jorge Calandrelli (except track #6: Julian Smith) The Christmas Song – Bennett O Holy Night – Church, Domingo Do You Hear What I Hear? – Williams Jésus de Nazareth – Domingo Winter Wonderland – Bennett, Williams Silent Night – Church My Favorite Things – Williams, Bennett, Domingo White Christmas – Bennett, Williams Hacia Belen va un burro – Domingo Through The Eyes Of A Child – Williams The First Noël – Bennett, Domingo Somewhere In My Memory – Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen Children's Choir I Saw Three Ships – Domingo, Williams Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Bennett Hijo de Dios – Domingo I'll Be Home For Christmas – Bennett, Domingo Joy To The World – Domingo, Williams Angels We Have Heard On High – Bennett, Williams, Domingo Silent Night – Williams, Domingo, Church, Bennett One More Year – Domingo, Williams
Disc 72: Christmas With Tony Bennett Disc 72: Christmas With Tony Bennett Original Album: EDM 7009 (Hallmark Music CD) Released: 2002 With: The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Don Jackson; Lee Musiker (piano) Orchestrator: Robert Farnon O Christmas Tree O Little Town Of Bethlehem* Coventry Carol Deck The Halls* The First Noël The Christmas Song* Good King Wenceslas Silent Night* Angels We Have Heard On High Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas* Here We Come A-Wassailing O Come All Ye Faithful* *Tony Bennett vocals on alternate tracks only
Disc 73: A Swingin’ Christmas Disc 73: A Swingin’ Christmas Original Album: 88697 38369 2 (RPM/Columbia CD) Released: 2008 Recorded: 2008 (except track #3: 2004) Featuring: The Count Basie Big Band Arrangers: (see below) I'll Be Home For Christmas (Bill Holman) Silver Bells (Lee Musiker) All I Want For Christmas Is You (Johnny Mandel) [Toots Thielemans, harmonica] My Favorite Things (Bill Holman) Christmas Time Is Here (Torrie Zito) Winter Wonderland (Bill Holman) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Bill Holman) [Andy Snitzer, tenor sax solo] I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Frank Foster) [Duet with Antonia Bennett] The Christmas Waltz O Christmas Tree (Lee Musiker) Christmas Auld Lang Syne [Bonus track]
Another noteworthy review of the box set by Joe Marchese at The Second Disc: Holiday Gift Guide Review: Tony Bennett, “The Complete Collection” « The Second Disc
The Classic Christmas Album (2011) While we're at it, here's a listing for Tony's newest Christmas compilation. All of these tracks appear within the box set, except the previously-unreleased "What Child Is This." Link: Tony Bennett "The Classic Christmas Album" @ Tony Bennett Store The Classic Christmas Album Columbia/Legacy CD (88697 95576 2) Released: 2011 Recorded: (see below) Arrangers: (see below) (2008) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Bill Holman) (1968) My Favorite Things (Robert Farnon) (2008) Christmas Time Is Here (Torrie Zito) (2002) Deck The Halls (Robert Farnon) [with London Symphony] (2000) The First Noël (Jorge Calandrelli) [Duet with Plácido Domingo] (1967) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (Robert Farnon) (2008) Silver Bells (Lee Musiker) (2000) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Jorge Calandrelli) (2002) O Little Town Of Bethlehem (Robert Farnon) [with London Symphony] (1967) I Love The Winter Weather / I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Robert Farnon) (2008) I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Frank Foster) [Duet with Antonia Bennett] (1998) Christmas In Herald Square (Ralph Sharon) (2008) I'll Be Home For Christmas (Bill Holman) (2002) O Come All Ye Faithful (Robert Farnon) [with London Symphony] (1967) What Child Is This (Marion Evans) [Previously unreleased] (1968) Winter Wonderland (Robert Farnon) (2002) Silent Night (Robert Farnon) [with London Symphony] (1967) White Christmas (Robert Farnon)
Christmas Songs At the time it was recorded it was reported that just before the Vienna concert Tony had sufferred a bad cold which did affect his performance although it only seemed to me noticeable on the video and not the CD, it was also my intention to ignore the latest compilation until I realised it was so cheap and was worth it for the one track only, the biggest omission from all this Christmas fare is the Manhattan Transfer version of The Christmas Song.
Another recommended review by Joe Marchese: Columbia Compiles “Classic Christmas” From Tony Bennett « The Second Disc
To complete the Good Year Xmas set all these feature at least one Tony Bennett track, Great Songs Of Christmas vol 8 has 3 including "What Child Is This", Vol 7 has 2 tracks - I am told "The Christmas Song" is an alt. take although I have never bothered to verify this for myself.
