On September 14, Tony Bennett and Diana Krall will release Love Is Here to Stay (Verve/Columbia), a duet album of Gershwin songs. In today's Wall Street Journal, I interview Tony and Diana separately—Tony on the art of singing a duet, and a Q&A with Diana on what it was like to record an entire album with Tony (go here and here).
I interviewed Tony several weeks ago at his art studio overlooking Central Park. Tony was dressed in a light blue sports jacket, gray slacks and sneakers. I brought along two photos—both of Tony with Rosemary Clooney in 1950, when they were in their early 20s. Both singers had just signed with Columbia records. To build advance buzz, Columbia put them on a CBS radio and TV show called Songs for Sale. Each week, they were asked to sing tunes by amateur songwriters. Then judges determined which song was best. As Tony said, "The songs weren't very good, but Rosie and I had great chemistry."
On the show, Tony sang his very first duets as a professional recording artist. That was 69 years ago. Now he's teamed with Diana. Though the pair toured together in 2000, with Diana on piano, and they recorded two songs for Tony's duet albums, Love Is Here to Stay, marks their first complete album. As Diana told me, "My goal was to be myself and let Tony be himself. You can’t step into his dream, so I just listened to him sing and enjoyed what he was doing. I tried to keep it all swinging and feeling good."
What I love most about the new album are their contrasting vocal styles. Tony's voice is brassy, sunny and hot while Diana's voice is nocturnal, reedy and cool. Both come from the jazz world and both are shrewd improvisers. All of their experience comes out on the recording. And unlike Tony's past duet albums, this one isn't a master class. Both singers are on the same page and both come to the mic with sharp ears and a deep bag of swinging vocal tricks. [Photo above of Tony Bennett and Diana Krall in August 2017 by Mark Seliger]
Also exceptional on the album is the Bill Charlap Trio. Bill's piano has never been finer. His lyrical song introductions and jazz chord voicings are magnificently tasteful. And the engaging way in which he plays with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington provides Tony and Diana with a cozy cushion. Which is saying something about Bill, since Diana is herself a superb jazz pianist. "At one point, Bill played a line that was pure Jimmy Rowles," she said. "I can't remember which song, but it was an inside joke between us." [Photo above, from left, Kenny Washington, Bill Charlap and Peter Washington, courtesy of Bill Charlap]
Interviewing Diana by phone while she was in Vancouver, B.C., was a lot of fun. Diana likes to dart here and there in conversation, and she has an open, emotional self-consciousness that makes her extremely engaging. My last question was probably the most personal:
MM: What does your family think about the new album?
DK: I sat down at home with my husband Elvis [Costello] a week ago to listen to it for the first time. Elvis is my biggest cheerleader. We listened and both of us cried. It’s overwhelming to hear Tony’s voice sing, followed by your own. Everything he’s lived is in that voice."
Tony moves a little slower in conversation these days, but he always winds up in a fascinating place. His favorite duet partner? "Louis Armstrong." When I asked why, Tony had a one-word reply: "God."
After the interview, we all left together—Tony, me and Sylvia, Tony's long-time publicist. In the tight elevator riding down, Tony looked at me. "You make me feel comfortable whenever we talk." And just like that, Tony made my day. [Photo above By Mark Mark Seliger in August 2017]
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Tony Bennett and Diana Krall's Love Is Here to Stay here.
JazzWax clip: Here's Tony and Diana singing Fascinating Rhythm...
And here they are singing Nice Work If You Can Get It...
