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Tony DeSare and the Blossom Festival (Big) Band light up the summer night with Sinatra tribute (Aug. 25)

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by Daniel Hathaway

This article was originally published on cleveland.com

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — The deities that throw the dice to determine what the weather is going to be like were kind to vocalist & pianist Tony DeSare on Sunday. A dark and stormy morning morphed into a beautiful late summer evening that according to a tram usher doubled the crowd, originally expected to number 4,000.

Those fans enjoyed a generous two-set concert mostly of songs associated with super-crooner Frank Sinatra. Although this wasn’t a tribute show, DeSare’s 20 selections reflected the singer/pianist’s deep regard for Sinatra’s taste and musicianship. And while DeSare brought his own fair share of charisma to the stage, he avoided becoming a caricature of Ol’ Blue Eyes.

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Tony DeSare brings the music of Frank Sinatra to Blossom

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by Mike Telin

“The fact that Frank Sinatra would be 109 years old this year and people are still showing up to hear his music speaks volumes,” singer, pianist, and songwriter Tony DeSare said during a recent telephone conversation. “And this show is so beautiful and so classic, it’s become something that I love to share with audiences.”

On Sunday August 25 at 7:00 pm, DeSare will bring his show Sinatra and Beyond to Blossom Music Center. Joined by the Blossom Band, DeSare will perform iconic Sinatra songs including “Come Fly with Me,” “Night and Day,” “New York, New York,” and “My Way.” Tickets are available online.

When DeSare discovered Sinatra’s music as a teenager, he became an instant fan. “I’ve  always loved his music and with this show I wanted to celebrate it in a way that wasn’t as a Sinatra impersonator. I wanted to stay true to his taste and his phrasing — what people liked about him when they saw him perform and heard his music.”

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Cleveland Orchestra tribute to Fitzgerald & Sinatra at Blossom (Aug. 19)

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by Robert Rollin

On Sunday evening, August 19 at Blossom, Randall Craig Fleischer led The Cleveland Orchestra in “Frank & Ella: The Music of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra,” featuring soprano Capathia Jenkins and singer/pianist Tony DeSare in songs that Ella and Frank made famous. Jenkins has a gorgeous, well-controlled voice. DeSare’s talented rhythm section supported his wonderful piano playing. [Read more…]

Got summer plans, Cleveland Orchestra? Blossom + Summers@Severance + a few extra notables

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by Jarrett Hoffman

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and Clevelanders haven’t heard their orchestra live since mid-May. In the interim, The Cleveland Orchestra has been on the road, finishing off their centennial-capping Prometheus Project with performances at Vienna’s Musikverein and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. Oh, how we miss them.

We’ll get reacquainted with TCO soon, thanks to their schedule at this year’s 50th anniversary season of Blossom Music Festival, plus their fourth Summers@Severance series.

The Cleveland Orchestra marks the unofficial beginning of summer when they open their Blossom season on Saturday, July 7 at 8:00 pm. At the helm will be music director Franz Welser-Möst, leading the Orchestra in Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in its orchestration by Ravel, Reznicek’s Overture to Donna Diana, and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, featuring TCO’s own soloists –– pianist Joela Jones, violinist Stephen Rose, and cellist Mark Kosower. At this concert and two others, check out the Image Magnification system, which displays live video of the performers on LED screens in the Blossom Pavilion. Fingers crossed for the weather — a firework show is planned for afterwards.

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Cleveland Pops: Tony DeSare in “I Love a Piano” (March 25)

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by Mike Telin

DeSare-TopilowOn the off-chance that somebody didn’t “love” the piano before attending the Cleveland Pops concert on March 25 at Severance Hall, pianist, singer-songwriter, and arranger Tony DeSare provided more than enough reasons to have a change of heart during his new show, aptly titled I Love a Piano. [Read more…]

Cleveland POPS: a conversation with pianist/singer/composer Tony DeSare

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by Mike Telin

DE-SARE-Tony“I fell in love with the piano when I was ten years old,” pianist/singer/composer Tony DeSare said during a telephone conversation from his home in New York City. “Of course back then I didn’t know that I would be a musician — I was just obsessed with playing the piano — and this show is for people who have a passion for this amazing instrument, whether they play it or not.” On Saturday, March 25 at 8:00 pm in Severance Hall, Tony DeSare will join Carl Topilow and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra for I Love a Piano.

A champion of the Great American Songbook, which he believes did not end in 1965, DeSare is comfortable performing in venues ranging from jazz clubs to Carnegie Hall, as well as with major symphony orchestras. [Read more…]

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