Sylvia Bennett
”Man, the lady can sing! Her magic gets to the ears and the hearts of the audience.” - Lionel Hampton
Cole Porter once asked, “What Is This Thing Called Love,” and it’s a question that many of our greatest artists have grappled with ever since” creating some of America’s most enduring and timeless music in the process. Now, it’s Sylvia Bennett’s turn. On her new album, Songs From The Heart featuring the Three Tenors - Boots Randolph, Ed Calle and Kirk Whalum, the smooth jazz and pop vocalist sings of the vicissitudes of love with a warmth, clarity and spirit that is enveloping and tender, showcasing the depth of her skill, talent and experience.
The Italian born and American raised Bennett is a singer’s singer, having sung on TV, in community theater, club dates, conventions and even the inaugurations of presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush. Walking in the footsteps of her idols such as Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Barry Manilow and Bette Midler, Sylvia has opened for artists as diverse as Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Jackie Mason, Dizzy Gillespie, Barry Gibb and David Brenner.
Her big break came in the 1980’s, when legendary vibraphonist (and National Arts Award Winner) Lionel Hampton took Sylvia under his wing and made her the first female singer to record with him in thirty years. She recounts, “Lionel validated me as a performer and inspired me to be the best singer I can be. He made me realize that the audience was the most important thing and that all I needed to do was to sing from the heart and be honest.” Sylvia worked with Hampton for ten years, touring and recording two albums together. The first, Sentimental Journey, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987. The second project, There Will Never Be Another You, was a CD/DVD tribute to “Hamp” from Sylvia, and she furthered the honor to her mentor with the show, “The Lady and the Legend,” premiering in Miami in 2007.
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Album Review
- Smile by Edward Blanco
- Songs From the Heart by Michael P. Gladstone
Take Five With...
Read more articlesSeptember 27, 2007
Saxophonists Boots Randolph, Ed Calle & Kirk Whalum Collaborate with...
March 10, 2007
Sylvia Bennett Starring in a New One-Woman Show: The Lady and the...
October 28, 2006
Out Of Sight Music Is Very Proud To Present ' There Will Never Be...
Sandy Shore, Smoothjazz.com
The holidays are just a heartbeat away at this point... for some a source of frustration but for most a delightful thought! Here’s something for all of the above... IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME WITH SYLVIA BENNETT... the lovely songstress that accompanied Lionel Hampton through the years
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