I once heard Tony Bennett answer a question explaining the secret of his multiple-decade success: “Work at craft in private, then sing from the heart.”  Robert Whorton honors Bennett’s model in Because Of You. Like Bennett, Whorton captures the right balance between lyrical conversation and barrel-chested vocal richness.  Whorton presents the Bennett signature songs (“I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Rags to Riches” and “Because of You”) without impersonation, yet with panache.  Whorton and musical director, Beckie Menzie, chose smart with Bennett’s lesser-known recording of Oscar Brown’s “Dat Dere,” It’s a reflection on fatherhood, sometimes revealed through the perspective and voice of a young child.  It gives Whorton the opportunity for a little goofiness, which adds the right layer of fun to Because Of You. Whorton’s personal connection to Bennett is endearing. I left my heart at Because Of You.

Carla Gordon
Cabaret Scenes
February 1, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org