How Do You Keep the Music Playing: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection captures the spirit of Tony Bennett's landmark 2011 project in piano/vocal arrangements that honor both the classical elegance of the standards and the contemporary arrangements heard on the album. The pairing of Bennett with artists like Amy Winehouse, Aretha Franklin, and Michael Bublé creates interpretive variety across the book, giving pianists and singers real musical models to study and emulate.

Sophisticated and intimate, these arrangements channel the warmth and maturity of Bennett's voice while honoring the harmonic language of the Great American Songbook. There is an elegance here, combined with genuine emotional directness; these are songs about love, longing, and life lived with style, performed by artists who understand exactly how to convey that timeless sensibility.

Pianists and vocalists performing jazz standards, cabaret, or pop-influenced interpretations of the American Songbook will find these arrangements invaluable. Voice teachers preparing students for recitals or competitions centered on American standards, as well as jazz ensembles exploring the intersection of traditional and contemporary vocal music, will benefit from the bridge these arrangements provide.

• Study the album versions of these arrangements before rehearsing; Bennett's phrasing and the collaborators' interpretations are integral to understanding how these piano parts support the vocal line.
• Pay attention to the harmonic sophistication in the chord symbols, particularly in Legrand's compositions like 'How Do You Keep the Music Playing?' and 'Watch What Happens,' where jazz voicings demand careful comping choices.
• Balance the vocal melody with the piano accompaniment by listening for the breathy, conversational quality that defines Bennett's singing; the piano should support rather than overshadow.
• Approach the rhythm section with flexibility in tempo and rubato, especially in the ballads, allowing space for the singer to breathe and interpret the lyric naturally.

Feature selections from this collection in a jazz standards recital, pairing them with other contemporary interpretations of classic songs to show how different artists approach the same material. These arrangements also work beautifully in a concert celebrating the legacy of the American Songbook, especially if you want to showcase how traditional standards continue to resonate with modern audiences.

• Comping jazz voicings and chord substitutions from written symbols
• Balancing accompaniment texture with vocal phrasing and breath control
• Interpreting rubato and flexible tempo in ballad accompaniment
• Understanding the harmonic language of mid-20th century popular song composition
• Performing standards with conversational intimacy and emotional authenticity