Tony DeSare

Music career

DeSare's 2007 recording, Last First Kiss, includes a contemporary combination of originals and standards, from Prince's "Kiss" and Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move" to classics like "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To"" and Sammy Cahn/Jimmy Van Heusen's "Come On Strong". "The album also features guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, a horn section, and sidemen Mike Lee on bass and Brian Czach on drums. – was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday.

In January, he launched an international tour with three weeks at the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room in New York City, two weeks in London, then continuing on to cities such as Los Angeles, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, St. Louis and Palm Beach. "Let's Just Stay In", one of the CD's original songs, was featured in the 20th Century Fox film The Tooth Fairy.

Want You, includes standards such as "Two for the Road", "Just in Time," and "I Wish You Love," as well as originals "Marry Me," "How I Will Say I Love You," and the title track. DeSare performed selections from the CD on national broadcasts of the CBS Early Show, NBC Weekend Today and Fox News Channel.

Radio Show, a concept album that spans 50 years of American pop music and includes five original song. "A Little Bit Closer", was the featured song of the week in USA Today.

Live performances

DeSare has performed at major jazz rooms such as Birdland and the Blue Note with his quartet; nightclubs including the Café Carlyle and Feinstein's at the Regency; with his big band in concert halls like Jazz at Lincoln Center; or with a 60-piece orchestra. For the 2009-2010 season, DeSare will be headlining major symphonies around the country. In February 2010, Tony headlined his first show with a major symphony orchestra in Indianapolis.

Stage career

Shortly after moving to New York City in 1999, DeSare was cast as the star of the long-running Off-Broadway musical Our Sinatra. In the fall of 2002, DeSare performed at the Apollo Theater where he first met jazz guitar icon Bucky Pizzarelli. Since then, Pizzarelli has continued to perform with DeSare's band around the country. DeSare was also featured in New York TV personality Bill Boggs's Off-Broadway show Talk Show Confidential at the John Houseman Theater.

Chart activity

Last First Kiss debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard chart, at No. 3 on the Amazon.com ranking, and at No. 2 on the iTunes jazz chart, was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday.

Want You, Tony's debut CD, debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard chart when it was released in May 2005.

Awards and honors

Tony DeSare was named a "Rising Star" Male Vocalist in the 2009 Downbeat Critics Poll.

Reception

He has won critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout the United States as well as in Australia, Japan and Hong Kong.

"With his dark hair, bright brown eyes and toothpaste smile that rarely fades," raved the New York Times, "DeSare is one of the most promising young male performers. He is a Sinatra acolyte in his early 30s who sings Prince as well as Johnny Mercer." According to USA Today, "DeSare belongs to a group of neo-traditional upstarts stretching from Harry Connick Jr, to Michael Bublé and Jamie Cullum. DeSare covers old and newer pop and jazz standards without smothering or over-thinking the material."

The New York Times has said: "He is a Sinatra acolyte in his early 30s who sings Prince as well as Johnny Mercer."