Maps of Music

Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool (1999)

Where the lyrics of Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool take you, and where it was really made.

Released in 1999 to mark Duke Ellington's centenary, this Tony Bennett album later won a Grammy in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album category.

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Bennett Sings Ellington: Hot & Cool is an album by Tony Bennett
Released in 1999
Made to commemorate the centenary of Duke Ellington's birth
Track listing of 14 songs
Duke Ellington composed every song except 'Chelsea Bridge', written by Billy Strayhorn
Lyricists are credited per song, including Bob Russell, Paul Francis Webster and Irving Mills
Italian Wikipedia describes it as an in-studio album and a tribute to Ellington

1	Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me	4:01
2	Mood Indigo	4:34
3	She’s Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)	4:50
4	Caravan	4:37
5	Chelsea Bridge	3:59
6	Azure	3:57
7	I’m Just a Lucky So and So	3:39
8	In a Sentimental Mood	3:32
9	Don’t Get Around Much More	3:16
10	Sophisticated Lady	4:43
11	In a Mellow Tone	6:54
12	Day Dream	3:56
13	Prelude to a Kiss	4:55
14	It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)	4:02

Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926, in Long Island City, Queens, New York City.
Grew up in poverty after his father, a grocer, became unable to work and died when Tony was ten.
Sang for money from age 13 as a singing waiter in Italian restaurants in Queens.
Attended New York's School of Industrial Art but dropped out at 16 to help support his family.

Drafted into the U.S. Army in November 1944 and fought as an infantryman in the final stages of World War II.
Stayed in Germany with the occupying force and sang with an Army Special Services band under the name Joe Bari.

Studied bel canto at the American Theatre Wing on the GI Bill; Pearl Bailey and Bob Hope helped launch him, and Hope shortened his name to Tony Bennett.
Signed with Columbia Records in 1950; first number-one hit "Because of You" in 1951.
Shifted toward jazz singing in the late 1950s; "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (1962) became his signature song.
Declined commercially during the rock era and struggled with addiction and debt until a comeback in the late 1980s, managed by his son Danny.
The 1994 MTV Unplugged album won the Grammy for Album of the Year.

Collaborated with Lady Gaga from Cheek to Cheek (2014) through Love for Sale (2021).
Won 20 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold more than 50 million records worldwide.
Received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2005 and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Co-founded the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Queens with Susan Crow.

Released in 1999 to commemorate the centenary of Duke Ellington's birth
13 of the 14 songs were composed by Duke Ellington
'Chelsea Bridge' was written by Billy Strayhorn
Nat Hentoff wrote the liner notes
On November 8, 2011, the CD was included in a box set called The Complete Collection