In the history of American popular music, there have been few luminaries as enduring and revolutionary as Tony Bennett.
Throughout his nearly 80-year profession, Bennett’s smooth tone, unique phrasing and visionary musical collaborations have left an indelible mark on vocal jazz and the entire recording industry.
It’s his death at the age of 96 July 21, 2023 was mourned by artists as diverse as Keith Urban, Ozzy Osbourne AND Harry Connick Jr. should not be a surprise. Yes, Bennett was a jazz singer. But if his voice was all the time constant – even in the late Eighties, well past the age when most other singers saw their vocal skills decline – then his approach to modernity was every bit a think about Bennett’s appeal.
Vocal innovator
Bennett’s journey is a testament to the power of daring innovation.
From the starting of his profession in the Nineteen Fifties to his final recordings in the early Twenties, he fearlessly explored recent musical territories, revolutionizing vocal jazz and fascinating audiences from generation to generation.
His vocal style and phrasing were distinctive and set him aside from other artists of his time. He used a delayed or “laid back” approach to falling on a note, a technique referred to as “stolen” This created a sense of anticipation in his phrasing, adding a component of surprise to his performances. Through his skillful use of rubato, Bennett was able to play with the tempo and rhythm of the song, bending and stretching musical phrases to evoke a range of emotions. This subtle manipulation of timing gave his songs a natural and conversational quality, making listeners feel as if he was sharing his stories with them.
Armed with that silky, fun voice, Bennett rose to fame quite early in his profession, delivering jazz standards alongside the likes of Mel Tormé and Nat King Cole. In the mid-Nineteen Sixties, Frank Sinatra touted him as “the best singer in the business.”
AP photo
However, his musical style fell out of fashion in the Seventies – a lean period through which Bennett he almost succumbed to a drug overdose. Then, in the Nineteen Nineties, Bennett found a recent audience and started a series of collaborations with contemporary music stars that will turn into a standard in his later profession.
No genre of art was deemed off-limits to Bennett. “Duets: an American classic”, released to celebrate his 80th birthday in 2006, collaborated with country stars such as K.D. Lang and the Dixie Chicks – now known as The Chicks – and soul legend Stevie Wonder, as well as kindred jazz spirits such as Diana Krall. “Duets II,” the 2011 sequel, saw further exploration with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Queen Latifah, Willie Nelson and Amy Winehouse, which later became The last recording of the British singer.
But his cross-generational, cross-genre and cross-cultural appeal is probably the best example of his work cooperation with Lady Gaga, first featured on 2014’s Grammy-winning album Cheek to Cheek. The recording brought together two artists from different generations, genres and backgrounds, uniting them in a harmonious celebration of jazz classics. This collaboration not only showcased each participant’s vocal skills, but additionally sent a powerful message about the unifying nature of music.
Lady Gaga, a pop artist with avant-garde leanings, might need seemed an unlikely partner for Bennett, the quintessential jazz singer. However, their musical chemistry and mutual admiration resulted in an album that mesmerized audiences around the world. “Cheek to Cheek” effortlessly pushed musical boundaries, and the duo’s magnetic stage presence and undeniable talent enchanted listeners.
The successful fusion of jazz and pop has encouraged artists to experiment beyond traditional boundaries, leading to more cross-genre projects across the industry – proving that such projects can transcend one-off novelties and still be profitable.
Timeless artistry
Bennett’s embrace of up to date artists didn’t mean he abandoned his musical self. Combining traditional jazz with contemporary elements, he has managed to captivate audiences from generation to generation, attracting each longtime fans and recent listeners.
One of the key facets of Bennett’s success was his ability to embody the mood of old America, harking back to artists equivalent to Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong, while introducing contemporary nuances that resonated with the human condition of a more modern era. His approach to music captured each the essence and struggle of America, giving his songs a timeless and universal appeal. Moreover, his voice sounded familiar and comforting, like listening to a beloved uncle.
Bennett’s albums stood out not just for his soulful voice and impeccable eloquence, but additionally for the way he drew others from different musical backgrounds into his world of jazz sensibility. As a producer, he realized how vital it was to nurture creativity and produce out the best in artists.
Meanwhile, Bennett’s approach to evolving his sound while maintaining its essence sets him apart as an artist. Fearless in his pursuit of innovation, he delved into contemporary musical elements and collaborated with producers to add recent sonic dimensions to his subsequent albums. The result drew listeners to an intimate and immersive concert acoustic journey.
Depth of emotions
Great artists have the ability to speak to the human experience. Both in collaboration with others and on his own, Bennett has achieved this time and time again.
His albums were successful not only due to their technical brilliance and musicality, but additionally because Bennett’s voice carried a depth of emotion that transcended barriers of time and culture, touching the hearts of listeners from all walks of life. There was a universality to his music that made him a beloved and revered artist around the world.
Bennett’s life spanned many years of social upheaval in the United States. But in his music, listeners were all the time able to find beauty in difficult times. While the American music industry of the twentieth and twenty first centuries experienced its own revolutions, Bennett’s artistic evolution reflected these changes, establishing him as a musical icon who defied the boundaries of time and trends.
