Andrew Walesch and His Orchestra
Songs of Tony Bennett
Music Instrument Museum Theater, Phoenix, AZ, November 2, 2024
Reviewed by Lynn Timmons Edwards
Andrew Walesch is the artistic director of Music Instrument Museum (MIM), and he is also a working musician and singer. His newest show, dedicated to his longtime passion for the songs performed by Tony Bennett, made its Arizona debut following its recent opening in Minneapolis. What made the show spectacular was the nine-piece orchestra he directed. For this show, his band consisted of a bassist and guitarist who came in from Los Angeles, and a six-piece horn—one of the horn players, as well as the drummer, are old friends who flew in from Minnesota. Their musicianship and energy were palpable. Walesch brought the show to life with his strong high baritone, his piano skills, and the story of his 45-minute conversation with Bennett back in 2017 that changed his life.
After the overture, Walesch joined the band and opened with “Lullaby of Broadway” (Harry Warren/Al Dubin), which was followed by Irving Berlin’s “Steppin’ Out with My Baby.” He moved to the piano for another Warren/Dubin classic, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” Bennett’s first big hit. Walesch spent many years as a lounge jazz pianist and was in his element with this material.
The show percolated in his mind for several years after he had met Bennett in New York. He garnered laughter with his confession of working up his courage to speak to the legendary singer. He had followed Bennett to the back door of his apartment on Central Park South, where he waited for hours for him to emerge. He then followed him to a local pizza and wine bar across from Carnegie Hall where he finally summoned the strength to approach Bennett, who was 89 at the time.
One of the takeaways from the conversation was Bennett’s advice that “You are nothing without your audience,” which was a perfect lead-in to “Because of You” (Dudley Wilkinson/Arthur Hammerstein). Walesch went back to the piano and lamented how hard it was to narrow the Bennett catalog to 23 songs. Bennett’s answer: “Only sing beautiful songs,” and “sing two for your audience and one for yourself.” Walesch dubbed Bennett “The Flame Keeper of Beautiful Songs” and then, accompanying himself, he gave us an introspective “It Was Me” (Gilbert Becaud/Norman Gimbel/Maurice Vidalin).
He reminisced about Bennett’s recordings with the Count Basie Orchestra before he sang “Are You Having Any Fun?” (Jack Yellen/Sammy Fain), followed by the Gershwins’ classic “Who Cares?” Duke Ellington/Irving Mills/Juan Tizol’s “Caravan” raised the energy even more and featured drummer Pete Johnson. Walesch remembered that when he and Johnson were kids, they would leave their video game session because he needed to get home and practice. The show peaked with a performance of Bennett’s signature song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” (George Cory/Douglass Cross).
Although he didn’t know he was doing so, Walesch saluted the American Songbook Association and Cabaret Scenes with his passionate plea to keep the Great American Songbook alive for future audiences. When Bennett’s career hit a lull in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, his sons Danny and David resurrected his career on MTV. That was followed by a series of duet recordings with younger stars, such as the late Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga. Walesch and the orchestra shined on with several more classics that included “Smile” (Charlie Chaplin/John Turner/Geoffrey Parson), “Watch What Happens” (Michel Legrand/Gimbel), Stevie Wonder’s hit “For Once in My Life” (Ronald Miller/Orlando Murden), and the Rodgers and Hart favorite “The Lady is a Tramp.” Walesch was excited aby nd appreciative of his musicians and gave them many opportunities to solo while he circled behind them, or in some cases left the stage. His arrangements were top notch with one exception: the poignant ballad “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” (Alan and Marilyn Bergman/Legrand) called for more legato and an internalization of the lyrics.
Walesch has nurtured a strong patron base at MIM Theater, including a solid base of donors that helps to bring the 300+ artists to the stage each year. The house was full, and the audience delivered a standing ovation before the encore of “Rags to Riches” (Richard Adler/Jerry Ross). He thank everyone for being a part of this special evening.
