Great American Songbook Archives – Page 2 of 2

Tatum, Horowitz and Tea for Two

Post author:Viva Virtuoso
Post published:December 1, 2017
Post category:Great American Songbook Music History

If you like what you see and enjoy what you hear on the Viva Virtuoso website, give our official YouTube channel a whirl and tell us what you think.

Most know him as one of the jazz greats, while some have flat out called him the greatest jazz pianist ever.

Born in Toledo, Ohio at the turn of the 20th century, Art Tatum, Jr. was almost entirely blind by age four. Not only did this serious impairment not prevent him from having a successful career and very interesting life, it may even have been a contribution to his impeccable hearing and, in turn, his music.

(more…)

The Cutting Room Floor: Songs Forgotten and Unfinished

Post author:Viva Virtuoso
Post published:October 8, 2017
Post category:Great American Songbook Music History

When Viva Virtuoso creator and host Warren Peterson brought a slew of us creative types on board to put together a simple, old-school variety show that would showcase fun, familiar tunes in new ways and on contemporary online channels, we never imagined it would turn into such a consuming and invigorating project.

Everyone involved in making Viva Virtuoso a reality has at least two things in common – a passion for music and a day job unrelated to the show. It’ll be easy, they said. Just point a camera in the right direction and hit record, they said. Everyone’s doing it these days, they said. (more…)

Candace Bogan at the shoot of the first Viva Virtuoso show. August 2017.

On Life, Song and Faith – A Lyrical Chat with Candace Bogan

Post author:Viva Virtuoso
Post published:September 9, 2017
Post category:Great American Songbook Interviews

On the first Viva Virtuoso show, we were joined by the unique and unmistakable voice and presence of lyric-soprano Candace Bogan. Candace has recently been singing the coveted lead in Marina Del Rey Symphony’s production of Verdi’s Aida. She hopped over to our end of the Marina on a Sunday to join us for and afternoon of champagne and Gershwin, all of which you’ll see in the premiere of the show any day now.

(more…)

A Rockin’ Good Way: The Rocky Relationship of Dinah Washington & Brook Benton

Post author:Viva Virtuoso
Post published:August 11, 2017
Post category:Great American Songbook

The world knew them both as stars. Individually, they were both musical powerhouses in their own right. Dinah was certainly the more well-known of the two and continues to be a favorite among die-hard early RnB fans, but Brook helped pen and compose a series of hits over several decades.

The rare tracks they recorded together can still be heard in the occasional major motion picture soundtrack and on the radio. Songs like You’ve Got What It Takes have been embedded deep into our popular culture and, while we often hum these tunes, most of us don’t know the story behind them.

(more…)

Leonard Bernstein on Being Happy During Miserable Times

Post author:Viva Virtuoso
Post published:July 6, 2017
Post category:Great American Songbook

We’re starting this blog on a high note, which always carries a certain risk. On the other hand, this particular intro will give our readers plenty of insight into what Viva Virtuoso is. This is not only to say that Bernstein tunes will be a regular fixture, but also that Bernstein perhaps best represents the whole feel of what we’re trying to achieve.

A Bernstein piece that particularly embodies the high-brow with the low-brow and what was then contemporary with today’s day and age is The Age of Anxiety.

(more…)