Autumn Leaves Tony Romano Joe Venuti

Never Before... Never Again was a happening. Produced by friend, Johnny Mercer, this album was the result of many years of two musician friends playing together.
The photographs are from a later session that the two played at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.
It too, was an impromptu event typical of Joe who was unstructured, to say the least. In everything but music that is. Bucky Pizzarelli told me that the two came backstage when he was playing at the Concord Jazz festival, and serenaded him.
You will find this a different sort of Autumn Leaves, but it is two great musicians having fun and sharing harmonies. Joe Venuti had 'Perfect Intonation.' It is so apparent on this album. Some of the notes, for their brilliance alone, could make you cry.
There is a beautiful harmony between the Venuti violin and Romano guitar, and there is a lovely section where Tony Romano sings what he called 'the cello parts,' and Joe Venuti sails above the notes with characteristic exquisite, heart bending playing. Also, for fans of Venuti, you will hear Joe hurtle into an unexpected (but not for Romano) classical interlude with stunning arpeggios... All this classical cavorting was because Venuti had been trained classically, and Romano too. On the violin! ~ Lisa

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Joe
• Venuti
• Tony
• Romano
• autumn leaves
• Violin
• Classic
• Jazz
• Lullaby
• romantic ballads
• Johnny
• Mercer
• Joseph
• Kosma
• Jacques
• Prévert
• Les Feuilles Mortes
• fiddle
• fiddle on fire
• Never Before
• swing
• jazz
• classical
• violin
• guitarist
• nostalgia

[bleusblue]

My brother sent me this link. From the first note I couldn't believe what I was hearing -- had my computer speakers suddenly improved??? That tone -- have I ever heard it from a violin? Those ... choices ... ideas... and so simple and musical. I love this.

[enigmamelodies]

@bleusblue Thank you so much for your comment. I love what you said about your speakers improving. It is true that Joe played exquisitely on this album. He and my father had a very special communication. I hope more people get to hear it.

[dukeuke1]

YES, these two had TONE ++++ & Tony sang to the ENTH that a Man could ! But of these recoding`s, "Summertime" is not on youtubE yet. Frank Sinatra,Tony Bennett & ALL the BIG Cat`s KNEW what a MIND-BLOWING L.P. it was & IS ! Get the CD

[HomihachiMetal333]

What a beautiful Tango-Jazz performing. He's so a well!! A good violinist O_O! OMG!! =O!

[enigmamelodies]

@65attila Ok, I've heard it. It's a wonderful piece of music! But I was listening to some recital & the guy went out of tune once rather glaringly before he got to that part. Then the piano delineates the melody first, so I knew it was coming. What a disappointment after hearing Joe do this for a lark in the middle of another piece. Joe quotes, as jazz players quote other pieces, only in this instance it is something else, something rare few could attempt. Who SHOULD I be listening to?

[enigmamelodies]

@65attila Thank you, John - It is wonderful to meet you. It is so sweet to hear you say, 'Uncle Joe’ Gosh! We have lost so many people, & I can’t tell you how much I miss my father when I am doing these small things uploading a little of his music & making a couple of videos with so little to work from - a few pictures and a lot of memories that are mine alone. The majority of memorabilia is in my brother's hands at the moment because he is putting the website together. That will be a day!

[enigmamelodies]

@65attila

Of course I can!!!! I would love to hear it, and I absolutely ADORE that Meditation from Thais! One of my favorite pieces in all the world. What do you need from me?  Address, what? My email is enigmamelody at gmail dot com Write me!

All the best, Lisa

[65attila]

@enigmamelodies

Lisa - Uncle Joes's tone was sweet and his intonation was true. I studued guitar for 5 years, On a

visit when I was @ 12 Unlce Joe insisted I accompany him. I could manage the broken chords section

of the Bach- Gounod "Ave Maria" and Uncle Joe played the Gounod melody and carried me splendidly.

I have an LP where Joe plays the :Meditation from Thais. In tone , intonation and feeling it is as wonderful

as many classical violinists.

Could you upload it?

Regards-John

[enigmamelodies]

@65attila

I like anything my father liked, not necessarily the reverse was true... but he had the expression 'hawk ears' which he used for very few people.... Joe had earned it, of course. I am a writer and I find words like exquisite pathetically inadequate to describe Joe's SO exact tuning, his ability to hit a note in tune & then MORE in tune, to mould & squeeze the life out of it or into it. PLAY with itI Holy, passionate, technical. I grew up watching & listening to him. Do you play?

[65attila]

@enigmamelodies

Lisa the Hubay piece which Uncle Joe uses here is "Hejre Kati".

It begins @ 2.22 of tha performance..

BTW: I have about 7 CDS of Hubay's wonderful music

Regards-John..