Haben wir letzen Dezember Ray Charles, Betty Carter und Jesse Belvin Tribut gezollt, so zelebrieren wir heuer den 100. Geburtstag von Frank Sinatra (12.Dezember 1915) und Billie Holiday (7.April 1915).
Auch dieses Jahr wird der aus New York stammende Crooner & Sänger Tony Hewitt wieder dabei sein. "A consummate artist who has been a familiar and popular jazz vocalist on the New York Scene. A native Brooklynite, he began his career in United States Navy in Pensacola, Florida with his own navy-musicians band. To hone his skills he spent time playing in bars and restaurants such as the "Florabama", "Rosie O'Grady's Bar & Grill" as well as private events and festivals. His father, who is a jazz aficionado, exposed him to the music at a very young age. He was listening to the music of Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Johnny Hartman, King Pleasure and many more at the tender age of five. This exposure followed him throughout his life and upon returning to New York after his stint in the navy he met and performed with masterful musicians. Such as: John Hicks, Walter Booker and Roy Hargrove...among many others...who introduced him to the jazz scene in New York. These musicians also became his friends and helped nurture his sound to where he has arrived at today.His love for the music has led him to produce his first CD entitled, Violets For Your Furs, featuring some of the greatest artists on the scene...Larry Willis [piano], David Hazeltine [piano], Victor Lewis [drums], Saul Ruben [guitar], Eddie Henderson [trumpet] and Wayne Batchelor [bass].
Recently he performed with the legendary Pharaoh Sanders at Birdland and the magnanimous Cedar Walton at the Village Vanguard in NYC and at Le Duc des Lombards and Chez Papa's in Paris France.This is just the beginning and we look forward to hearing more from the wonderful Tony Hewitt who has been compared to Johnny Hartman and Eddie Jefferson." (Pressetext)