I Wanna Be Around - Paul Safy Jr - "If I were Tony Bennett"

"Paul, you've got a great way with you, I like you a lot!" - Sharon Osbourne (America's Got Talent 2010)

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY. His grandfather (from Tempera, Italy) first introduced him to music and to traditional Italian classics. He remembers sitting at the piano after learning some scales (in Italian of course) and then being taught God Bless America. He recalls the song as being one of the first he ever sang. Paul comes from a very close-knit family with a younger brother and an older sister as well as his loving and supportive mother Bernadette (Scirri) and father Paul Sr. (family from Zaita, Labanon). As you may have guessed, Paul is a family kind of guy.

He first got into "the crooners" when he found a tape of "Frank Sinatra's Greatest Hits" in his fathers collection. I remember listening to "That's Life" and "Forget Domani" over and over because I loved them so much. As he grew up, so did his musical interests, expanding to Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Motown, Country and the other hits of the 50s and 60s. So with a very diverse background in music genres by the time he entered high school at the age of 15, he fell in love all over again with the great crooners of the mid 20th Century. He bought up whatever he could get his hands on from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin and Sammy Davis Jr.

He was inspired when he first saw the film "Goodfellas". When I heard the title track "Rags to Riches" and discovered that it was Tony Bennett who was singing, the hook was in! "I became so enthralled with his style, power, and range that I couldn't stop listening." Paul is a graduate of The State University of New York at Buffalo. While attending school, he recorded his debut album, "Introducing Paul Safy", which included two Bennett songs that he really loves; "I Wanna Be Around" and "I Left My Heart in San Francisco".

After winning the Fox affiliated (American Idol), Buffalo Idol in 2007, Paul was invited to sing with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as a special guest star with The Duke Ellington Orchestra. He opened in Rochester, NY for the Buffalo-born singing family sensation "The Scintas" at the High Falls Festival. And for the second consecutive year he performed for the Buffalo Sabres Aces and Blades annual charity event. He has also preformed for The Catwalk for Charity hosted by his friend, goalie Brian Miller. Paul sang for Macy's national fund raising Shop for the Cure event. Later that year he was invited once again to perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra as their featured guest singer at the "Holiday Pops Concert". At the invitation of the Philharmonic's conductor Robert Franz, Paul was asked to solo with The Mansfield Symphony at their "Holiday Concert" in Mansfield, OH.

I first met Paul last spring through my long-time friend Ray Reneri who was working with "The Duke Ellington Orchestra" at the time Paul first sang with them in Buffalo.

Along with my associate (Director and Co-Writer) Donna Drake we have written a show and...

NOW WE'RE BOOKING OUR TRIBUTE TOUR*

"If I Were Tony Bennett" - Paul Safy, Jr. is A Tribute Evening & A Story, with songs from The American Songbook that "You know who" made famous.

The show can be booked with a trio or Symphony and is from 45 to 90, depending on the venue.

After listening to Paul Safy, Jr., I'm sure you'll agree WORLDWIDE AUDIENCES will flock to hear this "handsome and very talented" young man sing these American Classics... "With a little help from YOU KNOW WHO"!

Donate to amfAR@: http://www.amfar.org/donate/default.aspx?id=3362

Thank you,
Richard Currier
@: http://www.richardcurrierfilms.com
(Producer & General Manager - If I Were, LLC)

"f I Were Tony Bennett "(video)
Producer/Director, Editor and camera I interiors: Richard Currier
Camera II : Justin Alder (club)

E-mail: Booking@ifiweretonybennett.com

© 2008 ifiwere, LLC
Website URL: http://IfIWereTonyBennett.com

Performance filmed @: Chez Josephine / 414 West 42nd St, NYC / (212) 5941925. Discover Chez Josephine @: http://www.chezjosephine.com/ Special thanks to proprietor extraordinaire, Jean Claude Baker!

DISCLAIMER: WE MAKE NO CLAIM TO THE PUBLISHING RIGHTS OF THIS SONG. [COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976 "FAIR USE" ALLOWANCE IS MADE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. WE ARE IN NO WAY PROFITING FROM THE USE OF THIS MATERIAL.]

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[angeluomo]

Awesome.

[artgarcia1944]

Great voice and style. You can go as far as you want.

[zane44805]

GREAT VIDEO! THANK YOU...

[Angelworksgroup]

BEAUTIFUL VIDEO... Thumbs up!

[SosoMeno]

@CrystalWhite15yo hi i know it's a little late to answer this but i think he was talking about futuer funk and ORG .

[EddieWakes]

The 4th star is for your obvious commitment of reach toward the timeless, unmatched quality and genius of the "Great American Songbook". The 5th Star is for having the balls to pursue it professionally; it takes a strong clarity of vision for that...Trust me, I know.

[MrStormburg]

So, it looks like two people don't appreciate America's golden genre...

[RonFerriArtist]

Great video!

[NicoleH92Lee]

I fell in love with his voice on AGT this yr..I cant believe he went home.. Gosh. I found his performance to be seductive and classy and they say it was cheesy.

[ImGoingToBeAnMD]

@CrystalWhite15yo I hope he ends up like Justin Timberlake did!!!