Tony Bennett - Rarities, Outtakes & Other Delights, Vol. 4

NEW LINK (26 JULY 2022) IN COMMENTS SECTION

The first volume of this series covered the years 1950 thru 1973. The next volume begins in 1976 with a very rare big band version of "I Wish I Were In Love Again" arranged by Torrie Zito. The online TB discography shows this single to be the one Bennett made with Ruby Braff, but that information is false: the discography doesn't even mention this recording. Sometime in 1977, Bennett appeared on an Alec Wilder radio program where he sang 25 songs accompanied by the Loonis McGlohan Trio, among them Wilder's own "The Lady Sings The Blues." That track was later issued on a compilation LP entitled THE SONGS OF ALEC WILDER, so rare a 33rpm vinyl that I have never even seen the cover.

In April of 1977, Bennett recorded two cuts (#3&4) for an all-star Ellington tribute album on Concord Jazz. Woody Herman, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney also appeared on the album, though not in collaboration with Bennett, each contributing separate tracks. Bennett had no recording contract at that time so it’s nice to have these examples of his singing at the time of good songs with high production value, accompanied only by jazz pianist Nat Pierce.

Tony Bennett collaborated with the great Henry Mancini for a superb, but sadly unreleased recording of Mancini's own "Life In A Looking Glass" done for the soundtrack of the 1986 Blake Edwards film "THAT'S LIFE." Although all the recordings on these volumes are previously released, this is the one exception. The excellence of this rare track demanded its inclusion.

In 1990, Bennett was invited to provide his voice for an animated version of himself on the popular THE SIMPSONS television show and he sang a parody of "New York, New York" entitled "Capitol City." This short recording was released on a CD featuring music from that and other SIMPSONS programs.

Next we have two collaborations from the early 90's with Bennett appearing as a guest on the albums of other artists. Trumpeter Doc Severinson released a big band album in 1991 called ONCE MORE WITH FEELING on which Bennett sings "I Can't Get Started" with Severinson solos. The following year, Bennett performed "The Christmas Song" with Manhattan Transfer for a holiday album put out by the jazz vocal group.

Tracks #9, 11, and 18 were recorded by Bennett specifically for use in movies and were taken from the soundtrack CD's of the films IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU, ONE FINE DAY, and DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD, all of which were issued by Columbia Records and all of them ironically missing from this "complete" Columbia Records boxed set!

This volume includes a few more Christmas songs besides the Manhattan Transfer collaboration. "Christmas In Herald Square" is a song that appears on 1998's THE PLAYGROUND. However, although not mentioned in the TB online discography, Bennett first recorded the song three years earlier and that performance appears on a Columbia compilation originally sold though the Avon cosmetics company, CHRISTMAS WITH THE STARS. "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" is from the  soundtrack of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER AND THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS, an animated made-for-television film first broadcast in 2001. Another Christmas song is "Jingle Bells," originally appearing on a holiday CD sold at Bloomingdales department stores and also inserted as a bonus track on the Japanese version of Bennett's A SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS.

There are four outtakes (tracks #12-15) recorded for the ELLINGTON: COOL & HOT project released as bonus tracks for various retailer special editions in the USA.

Bennett guested again on two 2002 albums: "I Get Along Without You Very Well" was done with  Bill Charlap's trio for the pianist's tribute album to Hoagy Carmichael. "Colors Of My Life" was recorded for a Cy Coleman album of his own songs, the composer himself accompanying the singer on piano and directing the orchestra. "Lovers After All" is a Johnny Mandel song and was recorded for the ART OF ROMANCE album but was issued only on a promotional edition of that disc.

01. I Wish I Were In Love Again (rec. 1976) from original vinyl 45 rpm source
02. The Lady Sings The Blues (rec. 1977) from original vinyl source
03. I'm Just A Lucky So and So (rec. April 15, 1977)
04. Prelude to a Kiss (rec. April 15, 1977)
05. Life In A Looking Glass (rec. 1986, from unreleased soundtrack of "THAT'S LIFE")
06. Capitol City (rec. Nov 1990)
07. I Can't Get Started with Doc Severinson, trumpet (rec. 1991)
08. Christmas Song with Manhattan Transfer (rec. 1992)
09. Always (rec. 1994)
10. Christmas In Herald Square (rec. 1995)
11. What a Difference a Day Made (rec. 1996)
12. I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart  (rec. May 1999)
13. Something To Live For  (rec. May 1999)
14. All Too Soon (rec. May 1999) 
15. I Didn't Know About You (rec. May 1999) 
16. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (rec. 2001)
17. I Get Along Without You Very Well w/ Bill Charlap, piano (rec. Sep 2001)
18. If Yesterday Could Only Be Tomorrow (rec. 2002)
19. Colors of My Life (rec. 2002)
20. Lovers After All (rec. 2004)
21. Jingle Bells (rec. 2008)

All above ripped from CD sources unless otherwise indicated. Tracks in red recently added
Arrangers: Torrie Zito (#1), Loonis McGlohan Trio (#2), Nat Pierce piano on #3,4, Henry Mancini (#5), Brad Dechter (#6 (with Hummie Mann) & 19), Walt Levinsky & John Bambridge (#7), Johnny Mandel (#8,9,20), Ralph Sharon Trio/Quartet (#10,16,18), Jorge Calandrelli (#11,14,15), Ralph Burns (#12,13), Bill Charlap Trio (#17), Lee Musiker Trio/Quartet (#21).